There were three SP Pacifics in Bay area parks and Fairgrounds.

#2472 was restored to operation and wnet to the Railfair 1999. The group became the Golden Gate Railroad Museum now homeless

2492? was in the San Mateo Fairgrounds and likewise was restored to operate and was shown at railfair.

A third locomotive was in Santa Clara and is still under way.

I don't know if these engines were under FRA or State of California inspection when they ran.

Ted Miles

Bob -

I don't think Lehigh & New England 0-6-0 #207 was ever restored to service by IRM. If it was, I missed it! DRAT! She is certainly one of the better looking 0-6-0's still in existance. I think that IRM did have a Commonwealth Edison 0-6-0 running at one time and maybe that's what you were thinking of.

Les

PRR 643 at Williams Grove had no cover until a pole shed was constructed in the late seventies. While the shed keeps the rain off your head it has no ends and the sides only come down to about 8 feet above the ground. This offers little cover from the cold, heat, or whatever. We did sometimes build temporary sides and ends from scrap lumber or tarps and even constructed barrel stoves for some heat. In the end though most of the work was done outdoors.

John Bohon

Yes, the intial MRSR restoration work for the Climax was done in a log yard in Tacoma. Did you know that 2 log stackers can easily pick up a Climax when you need to work on the trucks? :) I can just imagine what Osha would say if they saw you try that trick these days...

#10 went down to Sacramento (on a flatcar obviously, it would be a long trip under steam!) for the first railfair in 1980 not long after the work was done.

Unfortunately, since it's been 25 years, and the "restoration" of geared locomotives is pretty much a never ending project, I can't exactly recall the dates and what was done when etc. It would be nice to document that stuff I suppose, but I'm not sure how much info we have in the records.

The first several months of Frisco 1522's initial restoration was done out in the open before moving her under a roof, open on all four sides, but at least out of the rain.
Subsequent "overhaulings" took place outdoors with occasional moves into the MOT shop.
Blistering in the summer, freezing in the winter.

Any change in the attitude of MofT toward trying to restore the 1522 to get it running again? Or any change toward getting one of the smaller engines in the collection (MKT 4-4-0; Wabash Mogul, SLSF 0-6-0, etc.) to run on trackage at the museum?

Les

I can’t speak for the folks at the MOT, but I would guess if a qualified group with the savvy and experience and most importantly the money would approach them, they may at least listen.
Any of the three engines you mentioned, along with a Union Electric 0-4-0T would be ideally suited for operation on museum trackage and would be an attraction. They would also be much less costly that restoring a mainline locomotive. They could be a trial project for anyone wanting to restore the bigger engines to prove themselves capable. Operating a mainline locomotive on MOT trackage leaves a lot to be desired. Restoring one of the small engines would negate getting out on the main line, but that’s no real drawback in today's world.
Mainline operation appears to be more and more prohibitive. Insurance issues, finding equipment and obtaining approval from the railroad, who barely has the crews to operate revenue service is a tremendous hurdle

Ex-SP2353 was restored outside at Campo, CA, over the time period of 1986 to 1996. It operated 4 years before we could move it inside. Unfortunately, the 5th annual inspection revealed some firebox problems that have taken it out of service.

Jim Baker, Steam Foreman, PSRM