The Fairplex at Pomona is not only a huge complex that houses accommodations for a variety of hobbies, it also serves as home to some of the grandest and rarest steam locomotives in the United States. I was able to visit the site with an escort, and can check off a "life goal" in the hobby.

U.P. Big Boy 4014, is indeed, lubed, greased, and cared for in the character often described. She is so intact, it would appear all she requires is a flame to bring her back to life. The 4-8-8-4 is in need of paint at the moment, but is in very good shape.

U.P. 9000, the sole surviving 4-12-2, looks to be serviceable as well. She is well painted, covered and simply conveys a feeling of brute power. Though she'll not likely run again, the engine is well conserved.

Not pictured here is Southern Pacific's 4-10-2, which is freshly painted and gives the appearance of being able to run out of the park.

Santa Fe 3450 is the last Hudson of that road. Her paint is bleached by the sun, but the locomotive is another example of care and good weather, combining to aid in preservation. Certain parts of the locomotive are filled with paint, so they would need a good cleaning to be operated once more, but all locomotive should have the issue of having had "too much" paint.

Wooden parts and displays haven't fared as well. The California sun has a cruel effect on wood. Several displays require new cabs or scraping and repainting, if not replacement.

If you're in the Los Angeles region, by all means, include this in you search for big steam survivors. These displays do not disappoint.

I visited in 2003 and was similarly impressed. At that time, #9000 was being prepped for some paint work.

I have always thought that a truly great museum could result if we could combine the LA County Fair collection and Travel Town in Griffith Park... the Fair has big steam, Travel Town has small and mid size steam... It could be the California State (maybe not a State Park, like its Northern Counterpart) Railroad Museum of Southern California...

I second your idea, Randy. Maybe throw in the Pacific Railroad Society collection of cars as well, move the whole kit 'n kaboodle to Perris where you have the room to put up barns and build a truly world class railroad museum. Plus you'd have a museum line that connects to Metrolink when that starts running in a year or two. Then you could get the remaining ATSF collection at CSRM...

It is both fun a frustrating to fantasize about such ideas. I had thought that such a combined Los Angeles Railroad Museum could be located at one of the former rail yards closer to the city center. A place that played an actual role in LA's rail history. My choices had been either Cornfield (a state historic park, and site of SP's first Los Angeles station) or Taylor (which until recently still had a number of shop buildings). Unfortunately, there is no impetus to do such a thing, and neither location is available. Like it or not, Travel Town is a city institution in its current location. Relocating the collection would cause an outcry from a public of parents that have been loving that place to death. The SCR&LHS collection at Fairplex would be extremely expensive to move, is isolated from live rails, and has no compelling reason to seek a new home.

It is important to remember that there are people currently working at both locations to care for these collections. It is easy to suggest some kind of grand vision when viewing these collections from a distance, but can this be done without offending their stewards? It also begs the question, "to what end?" Is there a better place to put these things? --A place where they will attract more visitors? --A place where it will allow the smaller stuff room to operate? Most importantly, how would such a museum sustain itself?

While I personally feel the Travel Town collection would be better served by a governance entity other than the department of Recreation and Parks, the site is prominently located in LA's premier park and is well visited. Unfortunately, it has been about 25 years since efforts began to restore and interpret the collection, and with all due respect to those that have been involved in this effort (including myself at one time), it is hard not be disappointed by the pace of the progress. Their biggest accomplishment has been the construction of a large open-sided display shed. Definitely a major step, but there is still much the city could do, especially in regards to both interpretation and caring for the remaining wooden pieces such as the 1881 UP caboose. The volunteers can only do so much.

I do not know much about the R&LHS chapter that owns and maintains the collection at Fairplex but they have done a very nice job of maintaining their impressive engines. Their location ensures a decent level of visitorship during the short duration of the fair, but I am concerned about the sustainability of their organization. Will they continue to attract enough new members to maintain those big engines? Will Fairplex do something if their appearance begins to deteriorate?

ATSF 3751 needs a home, but the current location appears to be working for the the SBRHS. It'd be great to show the engine to the public on a day to day basis, but for right now, it is easy to steam the engine to Union Station for special events, filming, and occasional excursions. They could be the ones to spearhead a Los Angeles railroad museum. They have been looking for a site, but I have not heard any details of their efforts. I would be interested in knowing if they ever talked with the state about trying to get a facility in a corner of the Cornfield State Historic Park or the Rio de Los Angeles Park at Taylor Yard. Perhaps they could work with some of the other groups to put together a synergistic proposal for a regional museum?

For a long time, people were suggesting the three main-line-oriented preservation groups in the Bay Area get together. At the time, all three were working simultaneously on restoring their own SP Pacific. It has been a bumpy road but two of them more or less have been together for a few years now. The third group is still looking for a location while continuing to reassemble their Pacific.