History of No. 1

PACIFIC COAST NO. 1 "TEXAS BELLE"
By Ed Kelley
Despite her 1860s appearance, No. 1 holds the distinction of being the newest locomotive on the Pacific Coast roster. A 5/8-scale replica inspired by the famed Civil War-era locomotive “The General,” No. 1 was one of two such engines built for the Astroworld theme park of Houston, Texas. Three parties played a role in their construction; the running gear and tenders were completed by Guiberson-Harpur of Wilmington, California, while the boilers were built at Superior Boiler Works of Kansas. Final assembly was completed in Texas by J.K. Byrne in 1968.

As the railroad encompassed the park - much like the 610 Freeway encircles the City of Houston - Astroworld’s loopline was christened the “610 Limited.” The locomotives, numbered 1 and 2, bore the names “Cannonball” and “Spitfire,” respectively, and together comprised the only motive power for the park’s first decade-and-a-half of existence.

No. 1 "Cannonball" at Astroworld,
c.1978. Courtesy Tod Peddie

The slow demise of Astroworld’s little steam railroad began in the early 1980s, when Six Flags - who acquired the park in 1975 - was unwilling to fund necessary boiler repairs for the No. 2 and sold it for scrap price. Sold to Gary Norton, it saw a brief return to service on the Silverwood Central Railroad of Athol, Idaho, until displaced by larger motive power. It has since passed through private hands in Durango, Colorado, and is currently under restoration in Georgetown, CA. Adding to the loss of No. 2, steam operations took another blow when a diesel electric and diesel hydraulic locomotive were transferred from Six Flags Magic Mountain. Employees’ pleas and persistence were all which kept steam in operation for the remainder of Astroworld’s existence. When Six Flags announced plans to close the financially-troubled park and auction its assets, the locomotive was operating just one weekend each month.

The crew that kept her running
in 1978. Courtesy Tod Peddie

In January, 2006, on behalf of Rob Rossi, Phil and Karell Reader negotiated the purchase of No. 1 prior to the auctioning of the park’s remains. Since her arrival at the ranch, she has been a continuous project, and will eventually receive significant cosmetic improvements including a new cab, stack, and paint scheme. All will be done true to her classic 1860s lines, keeping her a regularly-operating representation of the locomotives which won the West. With the dieselization of the two Harpur locomotives at Six Flags Over Georgia, No. 1 has the distinction of being the only operable Harpur locomotive in the world. She was placed into service on the Pacific Coast in April, 2006.

History of No. 2

PACIFIC COAST NO. 2 "ROGER LINN"
By Ed Kelley

Featured in the popular television series Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman, No. 2 is perhaps the most famous locomotive on the Pacific Coast roster. But long before her fame, she was a homely tank engine; one of a half dozen or so which switched a Lehigh, Illinois, quarry virtually unnoticed by the general public.

"In costume" on
the Dr. Quinn set.
Courtesy Don Bitz

Built by the Vulcan Iron Works of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, No. 2 - formerly No. 800 - served the Lehigh Stone Company for nearly four decades. Retired in 1960, Nos. 800 and 802 were sold to Peter Burno of Spring Green, Wisconsin, who, in 1968, sold them to George Roose, president of Cedar Point amusement park. Roose, who is often credited for saving the venerable Sandusky, Ohio, attraction, from its likely demise, had taken a queue from the success of Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm and added a narrow-gauge steam railroad to the park that same year. No. 802 was rebuilt into a 2-4-0 tender engine and became Cedar Point & Lake Erie No. 5 “Jack Foster.” Later renamed “Judy K,” it remains in operation today at the world-class park.

Arriving at Paramount Ranch. Don Bitz photo

While No. 802 became the property of Cedar Point, Roose would retain personal ownership of No. 800, adding it to his ever-growing private collection.
In the mid-1970s, Roose, intending to lease some of his collection to other parks, opted to have the locomotive rebuilt on spec. At Lakecraft Welding of Port Clinton, Ohio, Sam Conti transformed the rusted hulk into a 2-4-0 tender engine – which, following completion of its overhaul, made shakedown runs on the Cedar Point loopline.

In 1982, the present P.C.R.R. No. 2, along with what is now P.C.R.R. No. 3, was moved to Wild World of Largo, Maryland – today’s Six Flags America. While No. 3 did not operate there, No. 2 saw brief operation until the lease ended and both locomotives were returned to storage. In the late 1980s, the locomotive spent time at the Stuhr Museum in Grand Island, Nebraska, while the usual motive power of the Nebraska-Midland Railroad, former White Pass & Yukon No. 69, was out of service. No. 2 was later acquired by the late Bill Norred of Ventura County, California, and, on its way west, it passed through Shop Services of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, where it received additional rebuilding and acquired the number “2.”

"Quiet on the set?" I don't think so! Don Bitz photo

A citrus packing warehouse became a stable for Mr. Norred’s iron horses - the present P.C.R.R. Nos. 2 and 3, and a Davenport 0-4-0T-turned-2-4-4 Forney. In 1995, Norred, who aspired to construct a Victorian-era village and steam railroad, traded his Davenport in exchange for the original Disneyland Railroad “Retlaw One” coaches. While Norred’s dream would never come to pass, No. 2, in 1993, was moved to the Paramount Ranch in Malibu where it would gain the dubious distinction of being the only of Norred’s 3’ locomotives to operate under his ownership. It would spend the next five years beside Jane Seymour on the set of Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman, where it steamed into the homes of millions.

Doubleheading w/WP&Y No. 69 at Stuhr Museum. Photo-Marty Cozads

After Bill Norred’s death in 1999, his family sought a suitable home for the two remaining locomotives and four Disneyland coaches. The following year, a buyer was found in Rob Rossi, a Central Coast entrepreneur who had recently gained co-ownership of the historic Santa Margarita Ranch near San Luis Obispo. In 2004, the golden spike was driven on Rossi’s private 2-mile Pacific Coast Railroad, where No. 2 has served as the primary locomotive ever since.

History of No. 3

This is the first in a series of articles documenting the history of our locomotives and rolling stock. The others will be uploaded here as they are completed.

PACIFIC COAST NO. 3 "MELODIA B."
by Ed Kelley

Photo by John Goldie

Built as an 0-6-2T by H.K. Porter in 1897, No. 3 was the first of two locomotives to be purchased by the Barker & LePine Company of LaFourche Crossing, Louisiana. The second, a Baldwin 0-4-4RT, arrived in 1902. Curiously, neither locomotive carried a road number; the Baldwin was named “Maud L.” for the 2-year-old daughter of plantation co-owner J. Wilson LePine, and it is speculated “Melodia B.” was for a matriarch of the Barker family. Melodia was a common French woman’s name, and Melodia Switch was also the delivery location listed for Barker & LePine’s locomotives on the Southern Pacific (Texas & New Orleans) Railroad.

After a half-century hauling sugar cane on the company’s Laurel Valley Plantation in Thibodaux, LA, Melodia B. was retired from active service and, by 1953, was in the hands of Arthur LaSalle of Hilliard, Florida. LaSalle, who had purchased the “Maud L.” in 1946, performed various locomotive restorations under the moniker of “American Railroad Equipment Company.” In 1961, LaSalle overhauled and sold the “Maud L.,” along with his Davenport 2-6-0 from the St. John Plantation, to George Roose of Sandusky, Ohio, where they became the first motive power of the Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad.

Being rebuilt at Shop Services, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, c.1993. Doug Bailey photo.

In 1960, LaSalle sold “Melodia B.” to Hubert Mitchell Industries of Hartselle, Alabama, who again sold it shortly after to James Freeland of Hillsborough, North Carolina. It is believed Freeland, owner of the Daniel Boone Village amusement park, contracted Crown Metal Products of Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, to rebuild the locomotive into a 2-6-2. Crown, which specialized in the construction of 15”-36” gauge replica locomotives for amusement parks, modified the running gear to fit a stock Monroe Bros. boiler already on the floor for one of their 3’ 4-4-0s. Rebuilt around 1963-1964, the locomotive remained in Hillsborough until 1970, when it was sold to Pat Hall, developer of the Carowinds theme park in Fort Mill, South Carolina. When the park opened in 1973, the locomotive became No. 1 of the “Carowinds & Carolinas Railroad;” retaining the name “Melodia” on one side of the cab while lettered “EPH” on the other in honor of the park’s creator, Earl Patterson Hall. While the successful park continues operation today under Cedar Fair, LP, the 3’ railroad was short lived, closing in 1976 after just three seasons of operation.

A small Porter 0-6-2RT, similar to how "Melodia B." might have looked in active servce, on Louisiana's Westfield Plantation.

After time in storage at Carowinds, the “Melodia,” along with her consist of ornate coaches, were sold to George Roose, who maintained them as part of his personal collection. Leased briefly to Wild World in the early 1980s, the locomotive, which did not operate at the Largo, MD, amusement park, was sold after Roose’s death to the late Bill Norred of Oxnard, CA. Like his other locomotives, Norred sent “Melodia” to Shop Services of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, for a significant rebuild, which included lowering the boiler and making other cosmetic improvements to the locomotive. Incidentally, ex-Carowinds No. 2, a standard Crown 4-4-0, was simultaneously on the Shop Services floor with the Melodia while built rebuilt for Michael Jackson. It has run at Neverland Ranch in Los Olivos, CA, ever since.

As No. 1 of the Carowinds & Carolinas Railroad - about six years following its 1964 rebuild by Crown Metal Products. Postcard View

In 2000 the “Melodia,” along with the four ex-Disneyland Railroad “Retlaw One” coaches and Vulcan No. 2, were acquired by Rob Rossi from the Bill Norred estate. One year previous, Disney traded the 1927 Davenport they had received in exchange for those coaches to Cedar Point, in turn acquiring the former Barker & LePine Forney “Maud L.” Rebuilt by Boschan Boiler & Restorations of Carson, California, the locomotive went into service as Disneyland Railroad No. 5 “Ward Kimball” in 2005. To this day, Melodia’s only stable mates from both the Laurel Valley Plantation and Carowinds were operating within a 250-mile radius in Southern California.

In Honor of Art

A special run day took place on Friday, January 12th, to pay homage to our good friend, supporter, and SP veteran, Art Laidlaw. It was a very cold, crisp winter day at the Ranch. The day went well with Art running on both the #2 and the #1. The #1 ran with the IRCA caboose complete with marker lights at night and the #2 sported Art's SP 6-chime whistle. The day ended with a tasty potluck in the shop.

Phil Reader

Fun with YouTube

A neat compilation of video from our 2006 "Round Up" has been posted on YouTube by user eagle4life69. This footage features Sunday's four-car train, with Jarret LaRose and Ed Kelley in the cab of No. 2 along with appearances by Brad and Patti LaRose, Joe Burns, Aron Kahn, Jack Bodenmann, and others.

Enjoy!

Holiday Happenings

Monday saw a visit from our Roaring Camp friends Tom Shreve and son Joe, and Doug Diemer and family, who came down for a work/play day at the Ranch. Also present were Karl, Christie, and Harry from the Bittercreek Western. Harry got to start learning to fire and Tom and Doug both got to hog and boil water, too.

Tom helped Phil set the valve timing on Vulcan No. 2 - we think it may have slipped an eccentric due to not being keyed while at Shop Services. She is running much better now, and a good time was had by all. We are gearing up for a Rossi Companies and friends Christmas train on Wednesday.

We also send our best to the Badger family. Jeff's father is not well and has to undergo surgery. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.

Work is also progressing on the ex-IRCA caboose acquired earlier this year thanks to Jeff's diligent web sleuthing. One endsill is up and the other is almost ready to go on. Brad has been working on repairs to the floor and getting the cement board in for the caboose stove. Harry is going to be working on the woodwork for outfitting the interior.

Phil and Karell Reader

Tanks Alot!

The latest arrival at the Ranch is the original tender tank from Disneyland Railroad No. 1 "C.K. Holliday," acquired from the Poway-Midland Railroad near San Diego. No. 1 was the second of two 5/8-scale 4-4-0s built at the Disney Studios for Disneyland's opening in 1955, with the No. 2 being the primary motive power assigned to our "Retlaw One" coaches.

The tank is still lettered for the D.L.R.R. and Phil is considering building a tank car out of it. In any event, it is a neat acquisition and at the very least willl make a fitting display at the Ranch.