Lunch at the engine house

I haven't cooked lunch for the crew at the engine house of the El Dorado Western Railway in six months. Several priority projects kept me from cooking in the months leading to my early June departure for the summer camp job. My labor was more important at that point.

Railway President Keith Berry and I first discussed a lunch meal several weeks ago. We both wanted to reward the crew for a summer of notable accomplishments. Plus several out-of-town volunteers were driving in for the day.

Twice this summer, Keith called on the volunteers to complete high-profile projects in a short period of time. Last June the crew rallied to remove the rail, tie plates and rail joiners from the old Southern Pacific yard at Diamond Springs. Once the county gave its approval to remove the track and associated hardware, we had less than two weeks to complete the job.

The crew completed the project in eight days. Several volunteers worked every day. The rails and hardware will be used to add a third rail and build the yard at the recently approved El Dorado County Historical Railroad Park in the town of El Dorado.

The most noteworthy event of the summer came on August 25 when the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors approved the park on a 5-0 vote. The park will be located on the right-of-way of the Southern Pacific depot in El Dorado.

Volunteers again answered the call this weekend when it became evident that we had to move about 300 ties to a secure location. The ties were open to theft in their current location along the old right-of-way, which is being converted into a riding and walking trail.

Lunch at the engine house

I often use meals at the engine house to try new recipes and to use ingredients that I already have at home. Since I had a 4-pound pork shoulder in the freezer, I knew the menu would be built around a pork dish.

Although chili verde is a favorite -- a dish I enjoy cooking for potlucks -- I wanted to try a flavor combination that was new for me. The idea for a pork stew came to me as I watched Alton Brown's Good Eats television show last week.

In the re-broadcast of his 2005 "Dis-Kabob-Ulated" episode, Brown marinated beef sirloin in a spicy marinade with red wine vinegar and olive oil. Turmeric, smoked paprika and cumin formed the flavor base for the marinade.

Since it isn't practical to make pork kabobs with the tougher pork shoulder, a braised or stewed dish seemed to be the best way to tenderize the meat. I used the marinade to impart flavor, then prepared a tradition stew from that point.

I worked the recipe in my mind Friday evening as I moved railroad ties. I had originally planned to work out the menu and shop that evening. But a 3 p.m. telephone call from Keith brought me to the Diamond Springs yard instead.

When I arrived at the storage site for the ties, the crew (Mark Bruto, Ed Cunha, Keith and myself) asked me what was on the lunch menu for Saturday. I received a chuckle or two when I told them that Keith had pulled me away from my menu planning duties.

They weren't amused when I said that I should be home planning the menu. At that moment, the crew was more interested in my back than culinary skills. Since we didn't quit until 7:30 p.m., I delayed shopping until Saturday morning.

My original thought was to prepare the stew with orange marmalade, but hit on the idea to build the stock with apple juice after moving almost 250 ties. Yams and apples seemed like a natural addition from that point.

Here's the menu for the El Dorado Western Railway lunch (the links take you to 'Round the Chuckbox, my personal blog):

• Pork stew with yams and apples
• Buttermilk biscuits
• Dutch oven bread pudding

Eleven crew and guests enjoyed the meal. While I cooked, Doug Youngberg, Sam Thompson, Bill Rodgers, Mark and Keith (see picture) loaded the 1937 Waukesha engine from the Diamond and Caldor railbus onto Doug's trailer. Doug will rebuild the six-cylinder engine and return it to the museum next spring.

After lunch, Ed drove over to the Diamond Springs-El Dorado FPD Station 49 to pick up the fire department's Bobcat. The crew (Bill Schultz, Allen Key, Jacob Karoly, Wayne Thorely, Mark, Keith, Ed and myself) headed over to the Diamond Springs yard. The last 40 or 50 ties, including about 15 massive switch ties, had to be moved to secure storage.

Keith then asked if I was going to help. Lunch over, it was time to get back to work.

Sacramento Bee: Enthusiasts hope El Dorado rail park is just around the bend

The El Dorado County Historical Museum occasionally enjoys an article in one of our regional newspapers:

By Cathy Locke, Sacramento Bee writer
Published: Friday, Sep. 11, 2009, Page 3B

An old locomotive, screened by a chain-link fence and a row of trees, is easy to miss at the El Dorado County Historical Museum in Placerville.

But volunteers have labored for years in the storage yard to restore vestiges of an industry and an era nearly as important to the county as the Gold Rush. By next spring, their handiwork may be on view in the El Dorado County Historical Railroad Park.

The park, to be developed within a former Southern Pacific Railroad right of way in the town of El Dorado, will spotlight the county's logging railroads. [Continue reading]

The photo gallery can be viewed by clicking here.

How many railroaders does it take to thread a screw?

Answer: One railroad president (Keith Berry, tapping the hole for the handbrake pal) and six railroads giving advise, including the photographer! The crew includes, clockwise from top left, John Rodgers, Wayne Thorely, Bill Rodgers, Alberto Weiss and Mark Bruto. Photographer Steve Karoly was behind the camera.

Keith and Alberto have used the past week to fabricate a new hand brake for the Diamond and Caldor railbus flatcar. Using parts donated from a rail museum in Massachusetts (ratchet and pawl), the two designed and machined the chain roller, brake shaft and bushings for the hand brake.

Handrail and roof

Monday, August 24, was a productive day on the Diamond and Caldor Railbus:

Mark Bruto drills one of the holes for the handrail on the rear entrance to the rail bus. Keith Berry guided Mark to make sure the hole was drilled square to the rear wall. Welder Wayne Thorley (not pictured) finished welding both handrails on Saturday.

Steve Karoly (pictured) and Keith sanded the roof to the railbus before Mark arrived. The painting and preservation team took advantage of the cool weather. With Steve taking the lead, the two completely sanded the old paint off in about two hours. The plan is to paint the roof silver while the body will be school bus yellow.

El Dorado County Historical Railroad Park to county supervisors today

Today is a significant day for the El Dorado Western Railway and the El Dorado County Historical Museum. Our proposal to build the El Dorado County Historical Railroad Park is going before the county Board of Supervisors today for approval.

The project is being recommended by Supervisor Jack Sweeney and Library Director Jeanie Amos. (The museum falls under the County Library.)

The full text of the proposal can be viewed on the El Dorado County Board of Supervisor's website.

Working on the Porter

When I stopped by the engine house last Wednesday, I found Keith Berry sanding the wood surfaces on the Michigan-California Lumber Co. No. 6 Porter locomotive. Even though the tiny eight-ton 0-4-0T engine (CN 2049) isn't scheduled for renovated at this time, Keith wanted to preserve the wood surfaces. The wood seats and arm rests soon rot away when left to the elements with the open cab.

Back in action ... report on rail recovery

After working as the chef at Deer Crossing Camp at Loon Lake for the summer, I'm back in town and ready to report on the happenings of the Ed Dorado Western Railway. Although I was out-of-action for most of the summer, volunteers have been busy with various projects.

My last two reports on the rail recovery project at the site of the old Diamond Springs Southern Pacific depot and yard named the volunteers who were involved. This included new father and son team, along with the son's friend and a young volunteer, as reported in my July 16 update.

My original story of June 9 listed the names of some eight volunteers who contributed significant physical effort toward removing un-need rail at the Missouri Flat Road site for eventual use at the proposed El Dorado County Historical Railroad Park in the Town of El Dorado.

One volunteer stands out among the dozen who have contributed to the project. Bill Rodgers worked on the project from the beginning in early June. He probably gave more time than any other volunteer.

Even after the contractor palatalized the rail joiners and tie plates, Bill made sure that these key components for the construction of sidings and a third rail at El Dorado were secured at the county museum on Placerville Drive. As recently as last Saturday, Bill was moving rail hardware to the museum.

You quickly learn of Bill's impeccable work ethic when working side-by-side with him. With his trademark bib overalls and orange t-shirt, Bill is a master handyman who and will can do almost anything.