This last weekend I visited Travel Town in Los Angeles for the first time in about 35 years. The city has made building improvements over the decades, but the exhibits have deteriorated quite a bit, as is to be expected with open exhibitions. Years ago, most of the engines were displayed with all cab appliances intact and some cabs were grated to protect the "jewelry." Now, all gauges are smashed, the lubricators gone, valve handles, stems and bonnets missing, even throttle levers have been torn off. Much of the damage is due to vandalism, I'd guess--people who came over the fence two or three decades ago when brass prices were high at the local scrap yards. Much of the damage has happened because all cabs are open to the kiddies, which is all right as long as some kind of control is exercised. The truly alarming thing about Travel Town is their centerpiece, an 1864 Norris 4-4-0 built in 1864, which is out in the open and used as a jungle gym, its cab interior pretty much beat to death. This is a former Western Pacific Railroad of California engine, ex- Central Pacific, Ex SP 1100 class, and should be roped off inside Travel Town's display building, properly restored. How many locomotives does the preservation community have left from the 1860's? I know that government money is in short supply in California nowadays, but the City of Los Angeles has owned this engine since 1953 and has yet to give it the state of preservation it deserves.

runner@i-55.com

> This last weekend I visited Travel Town in
> Los Angeles for the first time in about 35
> years. The city has made building
> improvements over the decades, but the
> exhibits have deteriorated quite a bit, as
> is to be expected with open exhibitions.
> Years ago, most of the engines were
> displayed with all cab appliances intact and
> some cabs were grated to protect the
> "jewelry." Now, all gauges are
> smashed, the lubricators gone, valve
> handles, stems and bonnets missing, even
> throttle levers have been torn off. Much of
> the damage is due to vandalism, I'd
> guess--people who came over the fence two or
> three decades ago when brass prices were
> high at the local scrap yards. Much of the
> damage has happened because all cabs are
> open to the kiddies, which is all right as
> long as some kind of control is exercised.
> The truly alarming thing about Travel Town
> is their centerpiece, an 1864 Norris 4-4-0
> built in 1864, which is out in the open and
> used as a jungle gym, its cab interior
> pretty much beat to death. This is a former
> Western Pacific Railroad of California
> engine, ex- Central Pacific, Ex SP 1100
> class, and should be roped off inside Travel
> Town's display building, properly restored.
> How many locomotives does the preservation
> community have left from the 1860's? I know
> that government money is in short supply in
> California nowadays, but the City of Los
> Angeles has owned this engine since 1953 and
> has yet to give it the state of preservation
> it deserves.

Tim,

I was there for the first time in June and had similar reactions to yours. On the up side though, they are building a car barn to protect the "most important" engines in the collection, which should include that 1860s locomotive.

Did you find out anything about when they expect to finish the building and move the equipoment into it?

ted_miles@nps.gov