Anyone know where Ward Kimballs *original* Grizzly Flats depot is currently located?
it seems it is not with the rest of the Grizzly Flats collection at the Orange Empire museum..(at least not that I have been able to discover)
this is not the same station that is the current "frontierland" station at Disneyland.

thanks!
Scot

here is more info:

more on GF depot
sscotsman@yahoo.com

> Anyone know where Ward Kimballs *original*
> Grizzly Flats depot is currently located?

Last time I looked (yesterday) it was still in his back yard, which is a half mile from my house.

ptdrumford@aol.com

> Last time I looked (yesterday) it was still
> in his back yard, which is a half mile from
> my house.

thanks Jason!


sscotsman@yahoo.com

I am pretty sure Chloe and the rest of the stuff is still there too as I have not heard of it arriving at the OERM. I believe Richard May's Longview Sugar 2-4-4 may be stored there as well, but the last photo I saw of it at Ward Kimball's was in 1999. I had presumed after Railfair it returned back there.

-Ed Kelley

GTNGRR@aol.com

> I am pretty sure Chloe and the rest of the
> stuff is still there too as I have not heard
> of it arriving at the OERM. I believe
> Richard May's Longview Sugar 2-4-4 may be
> stored there as well, but the last photo I
> saw of it at Ward Kimball's was in 1999. I
> had presumed after Railfair it returned back
> there.

I saw it return after railfair but do now know if it has left since, as far as I know, everything else but that which is currently at OERM is still there.

Jason Lamb

ptdrumford@aol.com

> I am pretty sure Chloe and the rest of the
> stuff is still there too as I have not heard
> of it arriving at the OERM. I believe
> Richard May's Longview Sugar 2-4-4 may be
> stored there as well, but the last photo I
> saw of it at Ward Kimball's was in 1999. I
> had presumed after Railfair it returned back
> there.

When the large portion of the Kimball 3-foot gauge collection was given to OERM the Chloe was allowed to remain at the Kimball property for the family's continued enjoyment. The family and friends built several 4-wheel passenger cars for the engine to pull. Chloe is still there.

I have no information about Richard May's engine.

Since Ward's death I heard that the family was placing the toy train collection with a large auction house.

Brian Norden


bnorden49@earthlink.net

Will the remaining equipment and structures of the Grizzly Flats collection be going to OERM eventually?

ericnshari@msn.com

I think everything is willed to the OERM from Ward Kimball's 3' gauge railroad. The OERM had built an enginehouse similar to Ward's only MUCH larger to hold the museum's narrow gauge collection. "Emma Nevada" is there, needs work to run again which is why Ward donated her. Being an 1881 Baldwin 2-6-0, it appears in cosmetically great shape. It was originally Nevada Central #2 "Sidney Dillon". When Ward bought her in the 1930s, it was when the Nevada Central had just gone out of business.

For many years Jerry Best's "Olomana" was the third engine in the roundhouse with "Chloe" and "Emma Nevada".

The main coach was a Barney & Smith 1870s wooden coach from the SP narrow gauge which the SP was setting fire to! Ward saved one (#5?) and ran that behind Emma Nevada. Chloe last runs behind open-air amusement park type coaches only they are 4-wheel and much smaller. There are also some gondola type cars. LGB makes G scale models of Chloe, Olomana, and the 4-wheel rolling stock on the GFRR. Hartland Locomotive Works sells a G scale of the Emma Nevada. And they also made a G scale model of the GFRR station which was actually a set from the film "So Dear To My Heart" which used V&T #22 "Inyo". After Ward converted the set into a full building, Walt Disney wanted it back to use at Disneyland! When Ward told him no, Walt built an exact copy only with double doors. It was moved across the tracks (now the New Orleans Square depot) and expanded a bit and now a platform is the main station. The trees sure have grown in.

-Ed Kelley

GTNGRR@aol.com

this may help;

http://www.gfrr.com/welcome.html


http://www.gfrr.com/welcome.html
mont3682@bellsouth.net

I would like to make some comments to Ed Kelley's post. Some to amplify and some to correct.

> I think everything is willed to the OERM
> from Ward Kimball's 3' gauge railroad.

Ward and his family gifted the 3' gauge railroad equipment to OERM about 1990. Ward died about two years ago.

> The OERM had built an enginehouse similar to
> Ward's only MUCH larger to hold the museum's
> narrow gauge collection.

Ward and his wife provided funds to help construct the building. OERM matched these funds with labor preparing the site, rail fabrication, sprinkler and electrical installation, and all trim and door work.

> "Emma Nevada" is there, needs work to run
> again which is why Ward donated her. Being
> an 1881 Baldwin 2-6-0, it appears in
> cosmetically great shape. It was originally
> Nevada Central #2 "Sidney Dillon".

Ward and Betty were looking for a permanent institutional home for their collection that would be convenient for their continued enjoyment. They selected Orange Empire. My understanding is that the engine last operated in 1981 for its 100th. The soft coal it burned was not compatible with the neighborÂ’s laundry hanging outside. The wood that the Chloe burns does not cause soot to rain down.

> When Ward bought her in the 1930s, it was
> when the Nevada Central had just gone out of
> business.

Yes, the engine was bought from the scrapper of the Nevada Central in 1938. Gilbert Kneiss told Ward about the engine saying that now that he had a coach he needed an engine to pull it.

> For many years Jerry Best's
> "Olomana" was the third engine in
> the roundhouse with "Chloe" and
> "Emma Nevada".

Jerry Best gave the “Olomana” to the Smithsonian. My understanding is that it is currently on loan to the RR Museum of Pennsylvania,

> The main coach was a Barney & Smith
> 1870s wooden coach from the SP narrow gauge
> which the SP was setting fire to! Ward saved
> one (#5?) and ran that behind Emma Nevada.

Carson & Colorado coach #5 (also Grizzly Flats RR #5) was built in 1881 by Barney & Smith. It was the last full coach on the SP narrow gauge when it was sold in 1938. The purchase of coach predates the purchase of #2. The KimballÂ’s initial thought was to use the coach to house a toy train layout. Happily they never altered the interior of the car. The car is probably the most original of any car dating from the early 1880s -- it never was converted to any use other than as a coach.

> Chloe last runs behind open-air amusement
> park type coaches only they are 4-wheel and
> much smaller. There are also some gondola
> type cars.

These cars were built by family and friends after the Emma and the coach moved to Orange Empire. The cars are designated as first, second, and third class. The third class car is without roof; the amenities improve for the second and first class accommodations.

> the GFRR
> station which was actually a set from the
> film "So Dear To My Heart" which
> used V&T #22 "Inyo". After
> Ward converted the set into a full building,
> Walt Disney wanted it back to use at
> Disneyland! When Ward told him no, Walt
> built an exact copy only with double doors.
> It was moved across the tracks (now the New
> Orleans Square depot) and expanded a bit and
> now a platform is the main station. The
> trees sure have grown in.

The station building was completed by installing a rear wall. However, it is a stretch to call it a “full building.” The building does not have conventional stud construction. It is made up of slab sides with minimal reinforcing. There have been some discussions about finding a home for the station building. At this time, OERM’s concerns include the movability of the station, the ability to upgrade it to code without a complete rebuild, and the need for project management. Reportedly others are also interested in the building.

The story is that Disney also wanted Ward to give up the “Emma” for the park railroad. Ward said no to that.

Brian Norden

OERM 3-foot Narrow Gauge Collection
bnorden49@earthlink.net