This little peanut burner is listed on the restoration, for return to steam. Neat!

http://traveltown.org/projects/219.shtml

It says they last operated steam in '64- anyone know which engine that was?

Looks like a really interesting collection, its definitely on my list to visit.

Joshua

I don't positively know, but my best guess for the last operating steamer there would be Oahu Railway & Navigation No. 85, a narrow-gauge outside-framed 4-6-0. Other posters were kind enough to identify this engine in an earlier thread on an old TV series very, very loosely, (well, only with a name) based on the real John Luther "Casey" Jones:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=29766&hilit=casey+jones+1958+series

Now, I have a question--whatever became of this engine? It's not listed in the current collection on the website. Has it been sold?

Joshua -

A really interesting collection, but not all of their equipment is listed on their website. For instance, I know that they also have an EMD Model 40, one of only 11 built, not all of which still survive. Perhaps they will eventually amend their website to list all of their rail equipment, not just those that are currently undergoing an active restoration.

Les

I thought this restoration began a while ago..

The last time I visited Travel Town I noticed that the engine was almost totally disassembled with no sign of any work being done. I think I took a photo or two of it; but, these must be on my home computer. I'll check to tomorrow and post what I have.

The OR&L engine... No 85, a 4-6-0 was probably the last operable steam engine... it was traded to Kyle Railways in exchange for former UP passenger cars and a Baldwin diesel... (along with a plantation 0-6-2 and a couple of Gregg sugar cane cars...) They tried to reboiler the loco... (this was the "new" boiler Matt Austin identified as failing to comply with code, resulting it the decertification of Benson Mt )... it was recently sold to the Hawaiian Railroad Society at Ewa near Honolulu, with the original boiler.

Travel Town is a part of Los Angeles Parks system... it is a big, bureaucratic organization... They have tried to use volunteers, with some success and some failure...

Overall they have over the last 20 years made more forward progress than the alternative...

it has been a few years since I have visited the place. The last time I was there; there was not a single letter or number or any of the displayed locomotives.

How about now?

Their newis display building is beautiful; but the equipment nees lattering and signage.

The LA Parks Department seems to have a problem finding sign painters. The place would come to life if more people could tell what they were looking at.

The handout they give the visitors is out dated and needs to be up dated.

Ted Miles