I was reading some of this museums Train Sheet newsletters yesterday and they do not seem to get mentioned here on RYPN.

They have a large collection of Diesels and now after three trys one of the five surviving WP steam locomotives.

They have a large colllection of equipment from the WP and four cars from the California Zypher that they are slowly restoring.

The museum should be coming out from under the winter snow pile and I wondered if there is any news from them?

Ted Miles

Here is a Steam Dept. report I posted yesterday on the WPRM BBS:

In mid-January 2007 the asbestos lagging was removed by JM Environmental of Granite Bay, California. John Moore’s crew was very professional and worked long hours for three full days on both the WP 165 and the SP 1215. With this task behind us, the boiler shell can be inspected and a determination made as to what repairs, if any, will be required. Upon preliminary inspection at least two or three dozen flexible staybolt caps are in need of renewal due to corrosion. Ultrasonic testing will take place to determine shell thickness prior to developing the calculations for the FRA Form 4. “As is” condition with be determined and recommendations will be made as to repairs needed.

Charlie Spikes, Dana Greeley and myself have been inspecting other parts of the 165, including the cylinder bores, which look as if they are brand new. Charlie also has the steam dome lid nuts broken loose in preparation for pulling the throttle and getting inside the boiler for inspection. Thanks also to Rod McClure who has secured three pallets worth of spanking new interlocking firebrick from GGRM, which will come in handy down the road.

The next task will be removal of the Superheater units, tubes and flues. This will be followed by a complete needlescaling of the boiler shell interior. So far every indication points to the fact that the WP took good care of, and had pride in their locomotives. Thanks to all those WP people the 165 is still in relatively good overall condition. We have just started, and momentum is building, so please keep those donations rolling in!

Chris Allan
WPRM Steam Dept.

WP 165 photo gallery:
http://s69.photobucket.com/albums/i67/allan_family/WP%20165/

WPRM Message Board:
http://wplives.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl

chris,

Thanks for the update1

It sure is good that that locomotive is out of the fairgrounds. I am sure her days of being slathered in blue paint are now in the past.


A word of warning the Golden Gate Railroad Museum has a switcher that they took apart to "inspect' and restore. It now sits as a pile of parts on a couple of flat cars and who knows when she will get back together.

Static displaying your WP loco for a few years is not a bad thing while you fund raise.

And good for you to deal with the "a" word right off the bat. you'll be glad you did.

Ted Miles

Ted,
Our current policy is not to affect the outward appearance of the locomotive except for what is needed for the boiler and mechanical survey. I do not want the 165 to join the ranks of locomotives piled up and scattered in the weeds at these various museums and collections. We have no intention on launching the atypical well-intentioned but underfunded restoration.
Thanks for your interest,
Chris Allan

Chris,

Perhaps a trip down to the Niles Canyon Railway in Fremont, CA would be a good idea.

The Pacifici locomotive Associtation seems to have their act together.

Of course I am talking about their Shop Department. I know that they helped you store and later move the #165 on its trip up to Portola.

They did an impressive job putting the Robert Dollar #3 back together.

Ted Miles