I think this will interest the readers on this board. I had the opportunity early this August to vacation in Southern California. The first half of my vacation was spent with my father and mother, who took me to see Travel Town. These engine were pathetic with fading paint and rusted parts.
The second half was spent with my twin sister. She took me to the Los Angeles County Fairplex to see the locomotive displays there. I was most impressed by 4014. She's in a remarkable state of preservation. Her boiler jacketing has been removed to prevent the moisture entrapment and moss that so blighted 4018. She has been covered with a thick coat of shiny black paint and her smoke box and firebox look like they are covered with the oil/graphite mix instead of just silver paint. Her bearings are in such good condition she has to be chocked to keep from rolling down the track. An incident did happen where a group of people gave her a shove and she started rolling. She pushed all the cars and locomotives in front of her. The Hudson at the head of the lineup ended up getting a taste of dirt as she was shoved off the track stub.
Her cab is in need of some paint but is otherwise functional. Plans are to repair her whistle and hook up and air compressor so visitors can blow it. This is an engine well worth seeing if you ever are in the Pomona area.
R. E. Marks
Bigboy 4014
