Should you feel dismal about your particular restoration project, think about what these people are going through right now. Pretty heroic, (or foolish?)



SS Catalina Home page
wsflco@earthlink.net

That project makes restoring a park display locomotive look like child's play. I remember seeing the Catalina in dry dock in LA when I was a kid visiting Calif. relatives.<br>



ryarger1@nycap.rr.com

Sad story surrounding this great old steamer. When the comapny stopped using her for Catalina island service they couldn't find any dock space for storage. Thanks to ports of Los Angeles and Long beach. She was then anchored in the outter harbor area near one of the oil islands. Then all the jerks went out at night time in boats and stripped her of all the valuables. Port holes, gauges anything brass. Then our great port of Long beach with all their billions of dollars kicked her from that spot (navagation hazard) and she ended up in Ensenada BC. Further stripping ensued in Mexico and without help she took on water and is in the state she is in now. What a shame. If anyone ever had a chance to ride her while she was in service, they would allow you to visit the engine room and watch this great old triple expansion engine working. It was a real treat.<br>

I have had a difficult time relating to the vigor and passion toward steam locomotives embodied at this site. I was born too late for that era. However, I now better understand since as a kid, I rode aboard the Catalina many times on our annual family jaunts to the island. As I looked at the website, it all came back like yesterday, even the oily/sooty smell of the smoke that billowed from her stack. They'll probably get a few of my bucks.<br>



wyld@oc-net.com

Thanks for you comments and interest. I run the EGroup for SS Catalina Enthusiasts and wanted to give you all a website which detailed the entire history of the sad fate of the Great White Steamer. Look at http://home.pacbell.net/steamer/CAT1st75.html <br>for an entire Historical Document prepared by Shawn Dake of the Steamship Historical Society and at www.sscatalina.org for the latest information. I am a Railroad Enthusiast too, by the way, but mostly little ones, like HO for now, but have visited the Steamer's Club in Griffith Park on many occasions with my 5 year old and Travel Town too, keep up the good work. Thanks.



History Page for SS Catalina
tcamartin@earthlink.net