Hello! I'm currently looking for information regarding former Folsom Prison #1. My fascination with the engine more pertains to the fact that she worked at Folsom Prison. She is presently at the now defunctional Silverbend Farms in Clarksburg, California. I'd like to know more about her history if anyone knows. Any help is greatly appreciated!


http://www.trainweb.org/foothill/fprison1sbf.html Here is what Folsom Prison #1 looks like as of 2 years ago. Again any help or photos are appreciated greatly!

My late father worked at Folsom, one day he brought home a picture of the locomotive and was I pleased. Sorry to say I have no idea about the whereabouts of the picture. Not too much later we had a guest from the prison, no recollection who it was, save that the locomotive ran in his department, and he was in charge, or at least near the top of that department. I was disappointed to find out that he knew nothing about running it, and it may have been retired by this time. He told one story I do remember.

The law required us to check the air cylinder for the brakes, it said the use the tap test, so every time the test was due, I took the hammer and tapped on the cylinder and signed off on it. One year someone who new the proper procedure (might have been an official inspector) asked me if and how the test was performed, so I showed him. I found out that the tap test was to tap the entire cylinder at (something like) 1" intervals listening for a difference in the tone.

Maybe a fun story from the memory of a kid who might have been 10 years old at the time, I asked but never really understood what the prison needed a train for.

Mike

Well, Johnny Cash needed something to sing about. ;)

Thanks for the insight!! Well, I do love Johnny Cash and Folsom PRison Blues is my favorite song of his and I did sware to Stathi Pappas, Santa Cruz Portland Cement 0-4-0 #2 "The Chiggen's" owner that if I were to someday purshase #1 I'd restore her as a tribute to Johnny Cash and play Folsom Prison Blues as she chugs on down the tracks.

SPsteambuff -

Well, I think I finally found the info, per J. David Conrad's book:

Built 2/1926 by Cooke Works of ALCO (s/n 66311) as Folsom Prison #1. Later sold to Bechtel Kaiser Rock Company in Oroville, California as their #1 and later Henry J. Kaiser #1 due to a corporate reorganization.

The air pump on the smokebox was a "signature" of Cooke 0-4-0T saddletankers that were built for stock, and sold to buyers as orders came in.

Les

Thank you for that information Les!! Much apreciated! Trying to learn as much as possible if I am to pursure my goal of purchasing her in the future.