I was able to visit Roaring Camp last September while on vacation in CA and had a great time during our visit. It is a very interesting operation with the grades and many curves. I had been there 30 years earlier as a kid and had ridden around the upper trestle and was fascinated to see what was left after the fire and how they routed the switcback. It is a real shame the fire occurred. If there was ever a souvenir history book of the operation published I'd love to have a copy.

I was also curious to see the Climax locomotive from the Carroll Park & Western at Bloomsburg since I had seen that several times as a kid when visiting Bloomsburg. I was told that it may be the next major project for the shop. Any news on that?

Roaring Camp is a great operation that should be on everyone's list to visit when touring in CA.

Joel

> Construction of Roaring Camp was before my
> time and Ive always been curious about how
> it happened. The line definetly had some
> major engineering and construction obstacles
> to overcome. Was this done with large
> machinery or just a couple of guys and their
> heisler?

> Also, what were operations like in the early
> days? With no loop or sidings at the top,
> was the train just pushed up and the
> direction reversed?

> Finally, what was the point of the Kahuku
> making trips from the Felton station to the
> Roaring Camp Station? Was it just as an
> addition to the ride up the mountain like it
> is today or was it used to ferry passengers
> in to Roaring Camp? Did the Felton trains
> back into Roaring Camp between Bear Mountain
> trips and reverse direction or did they
> continue around the loop?

> Sorry for all the questions, but the
> literature on the early days of this line
> are incredibly limited.

> Thanks a lot.

> Ben Quirk


jdstrolley@enter.net

See below link for a photo by D.Dean from the railfan.net ABPR image archive.

Is that Jim Wrinn's NC tag hanging from the ladder?

Regards,
Jim Robinson


Y2K Shay

I have to add my kudos for Roaring Camp's operation. Whenever I've visited (not as frequently as I'd like--it's a long way from Chicago), the crews and staff have been most gracious to a "flatland" Shay engineer. As a result, I've had a few cab rides, and seen for myself that you really CAN slip the drivers on a Shay! And is there anything better than the sound of a steam whistle echoing off the huge trees? It makes my hair stand on end every time!

Kevinmccabe@Avenew.com

> Chris & Tom:

> Also, what were operations like in the early
> days? With no loop or sidings at the top,
> was the train just pushed up and the
> direction reversed?

Until the loop trestles and the turn-around loops were built at the top and bottom, the train pulled the cars up to end of track, then backed down. Actually, originally they pushed the cars up, then backed down.

> Finally, what was the point of the Kahuku
> making trips from the Felton station to the
> Roaring Camp Station? Was it just as an
> addition to the ride up the mountain like it
> is today or was it used to ferry passengers
> in to Roaring Camp? Did the Felton trains
> back into Roaring Camp between Bear Mountain
> trips and reverse direction or did they
> continue around the loop?

The purpose of the Kahuku running from the Felton station to the new Roaring Camp station was to shuttle people from the parking lot to the new station, which was about a quarter mile away. However, I was told that too many people thought the little Kahuku was all there was and decided not to ride the line. In any event they soon put in the new big parking lot closer to the new depot and turn-around loop. By this time the line was open to the top with a turn-around loop there too, so the "big" train did not have to back up at all.

On busy days when they ran two sections of the train it was quite a show, with the Dixie pulling one and the Heisler the other. Several times I just took my tape recorder up above the loop trestle and sat and recorded the sounds as the first train passed, then before its sound had died away the second one could be heard. And those whistle echos in the trees WERE indeed wonderful (and still are!), although I haven't done the recorder bit in years.

Chris H.
Niles Canyon Railway (another neat show, although I am prejudiced!)



holombo.chris@ssd.loral.com

Last month after riding up the hill behind the Dixiana, I walked up to watch the next train. I didn't count how many cars, but a birthday party caboose had been added and all the cars were full. On the rear was the Plymouth switcher shoving for all it was worth.

And speaking of Shays, we're still running Shay 2 (ex Feather River) at Railtown 1897, Jamestown, Ca., for another 3-4 weekends when #28 is expected to return to service.



geo28@volcano.net

> I beleive that was the sign you remember
> hanging on the back of the #1925 during
> Railfair '99

I don't know how many people noticed it, but after noticing that sign on the 1925, I added one to the Best Friend that said "Y1.9K compliant."

The South Carolina Railroad Museum
mconrad@compuzone.net