For the past several years Wes Swift has been working on the restoration of Yosemite Valley Wood Observation #330. On my Yahoo groups site WRPN (Western Railway Preservation News) Wes has posted some of the latest news on the car which is included below. The following is the story and photos from Wes.

Richard Wilkens

YV 330 Centenial Wrapup

About May of 2006, work began on the hundred year celebration of the opening of the Yosemite Valley Railroad to Yosemite National Park. The true centennial date was Tuesday, May 15th, 2007. When we originally moved the derelict hulk down from Yreka, we chose the 50 year date of the last run of the railroad. We planned a much more significant celebration for the Centennial of the first run, and a working 330 was the centerpiece of these plans.

Back to a year ago, we had a daunting task, as we still didn't have a working brake system, one of the internal beams was missing, none of the exterior window trim was in, and the rear deck was a wreck. We came up with a plan, and stuck to it all the way up to the centennial. This meant almost every weekend working on the car, usually earliest to the yard, and last to leave. Even with the best efforts of Claudia and myself, there was no way we would be ready without substantial help.

Help arrived in the way of a cadre of volunteers:
Sid Gilbrech - Steps, trim
Bill Wissell - Doors and trim
Rod Kennec, Randy Bown, Barry Hadsell, Marty Vittore (AKA "the Dream Team") - Window trim and sills
Marilyn Swift and Randy Harper - Beam work, painting, brake system, sanding
Linda and Roger Schulz - Stained glass, brake system
Jack Burgess - Painting, lettering, research, trimwork, artwork, sanding
Dave and Paula Lion - Electrical, painting, sanding, trimwork
PLA track crew (Bob Zacker, Doug Vanderlee, Henry Baum, Peter Stewart, Steve Jones, Hugh Tebault) -slinging beams and hanging panels
Dan Espinosa - Railing and machining
John Fenlon - trimwork
Steve Smith - painting, sanding
Chris Dewitt - brake system
Jeff and Cole Pennington - Trim work
Larry Rossi - brakes and trimwork
Ed Kelly - machining
Peter and James Bradas - beamwork
Dave Roth - carjacking (the good kind!)
Jim Madison - carjacking (the good kind!)
Tom Azevedo - machining
Ray McAllister - welding
Jonathon Kruger - welding, brake system
Dave Loyola - brake system
Christian Olsson - brake system
Alan Siegwarth - brake system
Lisa Adrian - research

and donors:
Steve Egbert
Jack and Jacque Burgess
Randy and Allison Bown
Helga Rose and Phil Kauke
Tim and Michelle Berger
Kaarel Hammersky and family
Myron Smith
Bill Burhmaster
Pat and Shamoon Cassell
John, Tara, James, and Evan Losito
Jeff and Cole Pennington
Larry Rossi
Rebecca Farley
George Schnurle
Errol Ohman
Howard Wise
Doug and Laura Debs

Inevitably, I will have forgotten someone's help or contribution. I apologize in advance for anyone I missed. As you can imagine, the action was fast and furious, 2 weeks would show considerable progress for those not there every workday. Work was prosecuted full force through winter, taking advantage of the holidays. As the centennial got closer, we were able to participate in the steam triple header event during March, providing a brief 2 day respite from the work. Finally we closed out work the 2nd week in May, exhausted from the efforts. The car was setup with tables and chairs, all in readiness for the Tuesday Centennial celebration.

The attached photo shows the car at Sunol, ready to board passengers. The car sports the original pair of marker lamps, on loan for the occasion by Helga Rose in honor of her late husband Al Rose. The drumhead, paint job and lettering (probably the largest "model" Jack ever decaled) complete the picture of elegance in repose. Among the attendees, George Schnurle took the extra step of creating a Centennial Ale, and brought aboard a small keg of this extraordinary homemade beer. It didn't last long!



The celebration consisted of running up and down Niles Canyon Railroad several times. The canyon closely resembles the Merced River Canyon the YVRR travelled bringing passengers from the Central Valley town of Merced directly to the new railroad town of El Portal, right at the entrance of Yosemite National Park.

From there, passengers would alight from the cars and board stagecoaches to enter the park. The railroad built a road from El Portal into the park, at one point going underneath a large set of boulders. This location is now the Arch Rock entrance to Yosemite.

The attached picture shows a scene that very well could be the lower Merced Canyon. As part of the day's events, we staged several run-bys, for non-railfans on the list, everyone who wants to take pics gets off the train, then it's backed around the bend out of site. When everyone is ready, the loco steams by the anxious shutterbugs, allowing folks riding the train to actually photograph the train and enjoy watching it run. Having none of this nonsense is "Little Miss Sunshine", dressed in period attire, and obviously master of the rear deck. (Yes, her mother's name is Sunshine!) This particular location is about a mile East of the town of Niles. Tuesday was not a particularly warm day, although later we did actually get sun.



The Saturday following the Centennial found the 330 hosting a wedding reception for Laura Bajuk and Doug Debs pictured on the rear deck of the 330 welcoming guests aboard. Obviously, we are very happy with how the rear deck is looking, everyone from the PLA track crew, Yosemite restoration crew, Sid, John and others had a hand in this stunning result. To all the volunteers and contributors on the 330, Claudia and I want to send out a big THANK YOU!!!



330 firsts for the Centennial:
1st single headed YV steam passenger train!
1st wedding reception aboard the 330!
1st Centennial Ale keg tasted on the 330!

We will be taking about a month off from working on the car to rest up.
Wes

Firsts
Wes Swift
www.yv330.com

All I can say is wow!

I remember seeing a website about this car a number of years ago, when it was a hulk moved to an off-rail location. To be honest, I thought restoration was out of the question, as it looked to be too far gone. I'm glad I was proven wrong.

What does the interior look like?

Go to Wes' web site at http://www.yv330.com It should have all sorts of pix of the work in progress. It's just a lovely job; wish I could get out west to see it sometime.

As an aside, note how nice the rubber roof looks,

On 3/15:

Congrats Wes and Claudia!
(and Doug and Laura!)

This one should win an award. Absolutely amazing work, and that car looked like a real Dumpster candidate in the "before" pictures.

Well, yet another reason for a trip to Niles Canyon one of these days....

Howard P.

This is what they started with. Pretty amazing...

http://www.yv330.com/ruins.html