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.

Did somebody call a roofer?

A further step in the restoration of our historic "Retlaw One" coaches occured on Tuesday, when car 104, "Land of Pueblos," became the first transported to Hillcrest Shops of Reedley, CA, for re-roofing. Disney fans may know Hillcrest as the restorer of the "Marie E," Ollie Johnston's 1901 Porter which was run at Disneyland last year by its current owner, Pixar and Walt Disney Imagineering's John Lasseter. Other projects tackled by Hillcrest's talented crew, headed by Sean Bautista, have included the construction of new, 15" to 3' gauge steam locomotives and rolling stock, along with the recent revival of the famous Nut Tree Railroad.

When work on Car 104 is complete, it will return to the Ranch, where the three others will follow on a one-by-one basis.

Arnold "Pumps Up" Santa Margarita

...for votes. Oct. 9th brought a pretty neat excuse to fire up two locomotives on a Monday. Hint: In November, California voters will decide whether or not his opposition is a "girly-man."

If you guessed Arnold Schwarzenegger, ja vol! For the second Republican fundraiser at the Santa Margarita Ranch, the Governator himself made his presence in the Asistencia for about an hour. Plans originally called for him to ride in on the train, possibly in the cab if he so chose, but at the last minute plans shifted to two after-dinner runs for the guests. There was some dissapointment, but with enough crew on hand, it was decided to make a "training day." In the early afternoon, a freight was assembled with Harpur No. 1, two Rio Grande boxcars, and newly-acquired ex-International Railways of Central America caboose No. 303. After a complicated switching move, the freight was run around the Loop before Train 2, consisting of the four Disney coaches, pulled out of the hole for No. 1 to drop her train. With No. 1 in the clear, we then backed the four Disney cars into the siding and fouled the mainline to watch the moment of truth - whether or not Phil's new coupling pocket on the No. 1 would line up with the Disney coaches! Luckily, it did, and the Harpur took two of the Disney cars up to the granary while Phil and I shut down the No. 2. By this time, it's about 4:30 and guests are starting to arrive. I received some strange looks from these dapper folks as I walked back to the siding carrying a rear window off the No. 2's cab, which I had removed earlier in the day to have some elbow room! (space is a commodity in that cab)

With the Harpur off a fire for a bit, the crew turned their attention towards the biggest decision of the evenining - rotisserie chicken, or tri-tip? Following our own refueling, we then headed back over to the Harpur, where Phil and Jeff's morning project, the newly-mounted gauge lights, were turned on for the first time in the dark. Cool!

Time flew by and, soon enough, the man of the evening's motorcade rolled through no more than 20' away. Since the Governator wouldn't be riding with us, we agreed we should at least make our presence known. What better way than to sound an SP 6-chime at close range? Jarret re-lit and, as the motorcade headed out an hour or so later, Jeff let 'er rip as the Gov's black SUV drove right past. He may have visited a dozen other cities that day, but after that, I'd be surprised if his stop in Santa Margarita didn't stand out. At the very least, we know he heard us!

With steam in 'er belly, we proceeded to make our two runs with the passenger train. Jeff hogged while I fired, my first time on the No. 1. Around 9:30, the Vulcan was fired up again to perform some switching. No. 1 was put on the point of the freight again and, in the spirit of fun, Jeff and Karl took it around for another, night run. The kerosene marker lamps were lit, and the sights, and sounds, were something to behold. We shut down the Vulcan around 10:45 and the 1's crew didn't tie up until after 11.

We didn't meet the Governator, but "[he'll] be back." (Well, maybe not, but at least we all had a great time!)

Ed Kelley

September, 2006 Update

The second weekend of September was a busy one at the Ranch. On Friday the 8th, Sean Bautista and the gang from Hillcrest Shops dropped by to quote re-roofing the Disney cars. As some switching was in order to prepare for the following day's runs, it was decided to fire up the Vulcan and offer each of our affable guests some throttle time. General Manager Brad LaRose was conductor while Jeff Badger and I fired for the guest engineers. By day's end, we made seven trips.

On Saturday, Phil, Jeff, Brad, and Jarret put in some 12+ hours running for a hospital fundraiser. This was the second night run on the PCRR (the first being a political fundraiser in April, with "Thumper," that yours truly fired for - hey it was an experience!), but it was the first with fully functioning lights. Brad wired up the No. 2's "new" headlight and Jeff mounted the SP gauge lights brought down in May by Art Laidlaw. No dynamo (yet) so everything was wired into a (very quiet) gen. set on the tender. Per Jeff and Phil, Saturday's crew didn't tie down until 11:30PM, 13+ hours after they arrived! I am informed that, overall, the runs went great.

Ed Kelley
Last run of the day along the airstrip.








Passing the Harpur at Horsehead Siding









Saturday evening - Let there be light!


Jeff's video from the 10th

August, 2006 Update

On Friday, Aug. 11^th, the former Astroworld Harpur #1 was fired up to test some recent changes and repairs made. CMO Phil Reader has been hard at work cleaning up this locomotive. It now sports a pilot deck, valve covers, new spot plate, curved steam delivery pipes to the injectors, relocated brake gauges, and soon, a new rear coupler pocket. With the engine fired up and running, we decided to pull out the Cuscatlan, the private car from the International Railways of Central America, along with a 6600 series D&RGW flatcar. We ran until is was "dark 30!” And on Monday, August 14th, this recently completed Fairmont Speeder came by with owner/builder Steve Easlon (a former Disneyland Railroad "firer"). He ran over 25 miles on our little railroad. Hey, its for sale if anyone is interested.

Jeff Badger

Steve Easlon's speeder passing Estrada Adobe (Ranch House).




The Harpur pulls the "Cuscatlan" on its first complete trip around the P.C.R.R.




New backhead plumbing. Phil had to replace it all as the fiberglass insulation used in Houston trapped moisture and caused severe corrosion.







Fearless Phil Reader tying down the brakes on three D&RGW Boxcars during a lengthy switching process to gain access to the flat and coach.