Issue Number 88 – Summer 2024 San Luis Obispo, California www.slorrm.com!
Coast Mail
News from the San Luis Obispo
Railroad Museum
Open Saturdays from 10:00 to 4:00. Other times for
groups by arrangement. 1940 Santa Barbara Avenue.
Throughout March restoration lead Brad LaRose,
varying teams of volunteers, and the experts at West
Coast Auto & Towing and Louie’s Crane moved a
wide range of artifacts from Emily Street Yard to the
Freighthouse vicinity.
Volunteers worked between February rains to pre-
pare new temporary and permanent locations for the
items, nearly all of which required services of a crane
and a large trailer or a flatbed truck. Brad had worked
with City of San Luis Obispo staff representative Bob
Hill to identify locations around the city-owned park-
ing lot where artifacts could be stored or displayed.
Emily Street Yard removals completed
A trackside signal is lowered horizontally to a temp-
orary resting place between parking lot landscaping.
At right, hand signals were relayed so crane operator
Dennis could position signals near the Freighthouse,
out of his view behind the recently moved PMT trailer.
Below and right, the carefully braced RIP track office
was moved to a new foundation near the Freighthouse.
Some of the heavy, mast-mounted searchlight-style signals
were transported by trailer.
Coast Mail is published quarterly by
the San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum.
© 2024. All rights reserved.
participation can be arranged. Con-
tact info@slorrm.com
Documents Available
Anyone may access the Museum’s
Bylaws, Collections Policy, Develop-
ment & Operations Plan, Code of
Conduct, and other documents at
slorrm.com. Or request a paper copy
via the contact information above.
SLORRM Coast Mail Number 88 Summer 2024 Page 2
!
Our Mission
Promote California Central Coast
railroad heritage through commun-
ity participation, education, and his-
toric preservation.
Contact
Telephone (message) 805 548-1894
email: info@slorrm.com
Website: www.slorrm.com
Mail: 1940 Santa Barbara Avenue
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
In this publication product or corp-
orate names may be registered
trademarks. They are used only for
identification or explanation with-
out intent to infringe.
Website reductions
Certain longstanding features of
the Museum’s website may not be
available. We are working to recon-
figure the website to meet access-
ibility requirements, and to intro-
duce an entirely new site. Thank
you for being patient.
Museum Store
To raise funds, the Museum offers
several items for sale on-site and
online: T-shirts, hats, belt buckles,
mugs, enameled pins, embroidered
patches, and engineer hats.
On the website click on About,
then Gift Shop.
Become a member
Membership provides opportune-
ities for anyone interested in today’s
railroads, railroad history, train tra-
vel, artifact restoration, or model
railroading. Membership benefits
include free Museum admission and
a 10% Museum Store discount.
Annual dues: Individual $36;
Family $60; Sustaining $100. Life
member single payment: under 62
$1,000, 62 and over $600. Junior
memberships (ages 12-18) for model
railroaders are available; contact
our Model Railroad Superintend-
ent for details.
Application forms can be down-
loaded from the Museum’s website
and mailed with payment. Or you
can join online: click Membership
and use PayPal.
Board of Directors
Peter Brazil Mike Burrell
Stephen Cake Jim Chernoff
Alan Estes Ken Green
Greg Jackson Brad LaRose
Ted Van Klaveren
Crew List
President ....................... Peter Brazil
Vice President................Mike Burrell
Museum Manager .. Diane Marchetti
Curator, Restoration ... Brad LaRose
Treasurer ......................... Dave Rohr
Exhibits .............................. Gary See
Operations Manager .... Mike Burrell
Events ......................................vacant
Model RR Superintendent
Andrew Merriam
Membership ....................... Gary See
Fundraising ............................vacant
Digital Media Coordinator Gary See
Webmaster ................... Jamie Foster
Secretary, Archivist/Librarian, News-
letter Editor ............... Glen Matteson
(newsletter@slorrm.com)
The museum is a 501(c)(3) non-
profit, educational organization,
staffed entirely by volunteers.
Docent of the Year
Our 2023 docent of the year Alan
Estes (right) has been a member since
our building opened. A reliable and cap-
able volunteer, he’s usually found near
our main entry. He also helps with
several Museum functional divisions.
!
Crane operator Dennis has his back
to the camera, but you may be able to
see his assistant (a very small dog)
sitting patiently in the cab.
On March 12, driver Ramon Palo-
mino was shy, but we got a photo of
the side his truck.
Museum supporters
The Museum would not exist and
could not improve without the sup-
port of many. All forms of support,
from membership dues to grants and
donations of expertise, materials,
and funds are greatly appreciated. In
this edition we recognize the fol-
lowing for their support.
•Louie’s Crane Service of
Oceano,
•West Coast Towing of
Atascadero.
Often, simply being available to
work on the Museum’s schedule is a
tremendous advantage for us.
Recognizing Life Members
A special thank you to our Life
Members. They are often the first
to volunteer and to support specific
acquisitions and restorations.
SLORRM Coast Mail Number 88 Summer 2024 Page 3
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Strangers on the grade
The Spring Coast Mail discussed Southern
Pacific’s Sunset Route train, which logically
was called the Sunset Limited. It carried num-
bers 1 and 2, to this day the lowest and longest
lasting passenger train numbers. For a while in
the steam era it connected San Francisco with
New Orleans via San Luis Obispo and Los
Angeles. The sunset logo became synonymous
with the Southern Pacific.
The Golden State connected Los Angeles and
Chicago via Tucumcari, New Mexico, where the
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific took over. It
was one of the first S. P. passenger trains to
use Electro-Motive Division E series diesels,
with their twin prime movers, long carbodies,
and three-axle wheel assemblies.
Southern Pacific premiered the colorful Day-
light scheme in 1937 and used it into the early
1960s. For the 1950 inauguration of the all-
streamlined Golden State, S. P. ordered the
specially painted E units in wide bands of sil-
ver and a color different from those used in
Daylight red, orange, and black.
Below, Southern Pacific’s Golden State, led by
streamlined diesels in the train’s custom color.
From a Southern Pacific photo
Above, we see a set of three diesel units in Golden State
colors leading the northbound (S. P. timetable westbound) Day-
light. The train is leaving Chorro siding and is about to enter the
first tunnel encountered after departing San Luis Obispo. It’s
1949, and this is a test run. In a few years similar locomotives in
proper Daylight colors would displace steam locomotives.
Below, a Daylight-painted lead locomotive in the 1960s,
when the change to simpler gray and red was underway.
From a photo by Clark Bauer
From a photo by Al Phelps
ITE visit and work day
On March 9 ten members of Cal Poly’s Institute of
Transportation Engineers (ITE) student group came
to the Museum to learn about Central Coast
railroading and to help move materials in Emily Street
Yard. ITE is open to all students interested in any mode of
transportation, regardless of major. This day we had a city
planner and an aeronautical engineer among the civil
engineers, all now qualified to move wood ties.
SLORRM Coast Mail Number 88 Summer 2024 Page 4
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Over the years the Museum has moved hundreds of
items, ranging from individual books to barrels of
spikes, to La Cuesta, our 83-foot-long, 90-ton Pullman
car. We’ve had some tired muscles, but fortunately
never an injury. That’s not to say everything has gone
without a hitch.
While moving the RIP track office past the chain-
link fence next to the neighboring hardware store, the
straps securing the shed to the truck bed snagged the
top of the fence. An eave board came loose. The fascia
needed some work anyway.
That brought to mind the Pacific Coast Railway
house-moving incident noted in the Spring 2015 Coast
Mail, where a crew reported “a few shingles was tore
off it” while crossing a bridge in Arroyo Grande. The
house was almost certainly a structure not much
bigger than our RIP track office.
The caption for the photo on page 1 had no room for
an explanation of “RIP track office.” For many, the
initials will probably bring to mind Requiescat in pace,
usually translated from Latin as “rest in peace.” RIP
in this context means “repair in place:” working on a
rail car on a local track as opposed to moving it to a
major facility.
The small structure now displayed near the
Freighthouse (photo top right) is the only remaining
building from San Luis Obispo’s freight and servicing
areas, besides the Freighthouse itself. The RIP track
office was originally located south of the roundhouse.
It was acquired by Art Laidlaw and moved out of town
about 1968. The Museum acquired it in 2004 and
brought back to San Luis Obispo.
The block occupancy indicator (photo at right)
allowed operators of small on-track motorized cars to
tell if a train was approaching, even when trackside
color-light signals were not visible.
Moving adventures... and new exhibits
Functional divisions replace committees
In February the Board of Directors decided to refer to the
Museum’s functional volunteer groups as divisions rather than
as committees. This reflects the practice of railroads in naming
their functional divisions, such as Mechanical or Communi-
cations and Signals and their geographic areas, such as South-
ern Pacific’s “Coast Division” or “San Joaquin Division.”
The Museum’s functional groups, which include a wide range
of members and levels of participation, have been and remain
distinct from the committees of board members as enabled by
the Bylaws. Our divisions always have room for more members,
whatever your interest or ability. And you’re not limited to one.
Above, the camera lens exaggerates the size difference, but
the office for the repair-in-place (RIP) track is smaller
than the Pacific Motor Trucking (PMT) trailer.
Below, our second block occupancy indicator is displayed
outdoors, where passersby can learn about it.
These diagrams are from
Southern Pacific’s Rules
and Chief Engineers In-
structions for the Main-
enance of Way and Struc-
tures, March 1, 1990.
Boy Scout merit badge
counselor opportunity
For several years the Museum has offered
sessions at which Boy Scouts can earn merit
badges for the topic of railroading. Activities
span a few hours over one day and include
historical background, safety, hand signals, and
assembling a simple model. Museum docents
provide the instruction. Sessions are typically
scheduled once or twice a year.
The Scouting America organization requires
an approved, on-site counselor, who need not
be an expert in the topic. The Museum’s pro-
gram would benefit from having an additional
counselor in case a regular volunteer is not
available for the scheduled day and time.
Scouting America approval follows brief on-
line training. Contact info@slorrm.org to help.
SLORRM Coast Mail Number 88 Summer 2024 Page 5!
Is that the Lark I hear?
Linda Jackson Campbell photo
A trackside wink
Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner between San Luis Obispo
and Santa Barbara is one of the most scenic railway
trips in the world. With early morning, midday, and
evening runs along the northern part of the route one
can view a full range of weather and light conditions.
The Museum is again offering wine-rail excursions
along this beautiful coast. Riders depart by bus and
return by train, with plenty of time in waterfront and
downtown Santa Barbara. Even if you’re not a wine
enthusiast the Santa Barbara station is an easy walk to
Stearns Wharf and the MOXI museum featuring child-
friendly science and technology exhibits.
A ride-along Museum docent provides historical and
route information. See our website for dates and fares.
A beachside crossing warning light at Surf, the stop for
Lompoc and Vandenberg Space Force Base (beow).
Imagine a restrained long-long-short-long horn near
midnight, followed a minute or so later by the clack of
wheels through the automatic rail-head lubricator in
the San Luis Obispo yard. This could be if a new over-
night passenger train service between Los Angeles
and San Francisco is implemented. But this would not
be Amtrak, by itself or with Caltrans participation.
In March entrepreneurs using the name Dream-
star signed an agreement with track owner Union
Pacific Railroad to define the specific requirements for
such a service. Similar agreements with Bay Area
track owner Caltrain and L.A.-area track owner
Metrolink were expected to follow, according to reports
in several industry publications.
Updates may be found at Dreamstar.com or at
Dreamstar on Facebook.
Southern Pacific’s Lark ran on the Coast Route
overnight between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
It was inaugurated in 1910, converted to streamlined
equipment in 1941, and discontinued in 1968.
Dreamstar image
Annual Report correction
The 2023 Financial Summary in the Coast Mail
Spring issue had its last line cut off. Here’s the full
table.
Beginning Cash Balance $124,476
Income $ 59.613
Memberships $ 6,236
Admissions $12,812
Events $ 9,232
Museum Store Sales (net) $ 3,458
Miscellaneous Income $ 4,142
Model Railroad $ 2,751
Grants and donations
Purpose Restricted $19,067
Purpose Not restricted $ 1,915
Expenses $79,663
Operating $64,520
Capital $15,143
Year-end Cash Balance $104,426
Above, logos for the proposed Coast Route night train and
for Southern Pacific’s 1941 – 1968 streamlined Lark.
!!
SLORRM Coast Mail Number 88 Summer 2024 Page 6!
Hydrogen and more
The Winter 2023 Coast Mail noted
Amtrak/Caltrans plans to operate hydrogen
powered trains, initially in the San Joaquin
Valley. Several railways, transit agencies,
and manufacturers are working to develop
locomotives or passenger train sets powered
at least partly by fuel cells that produce
electricity through a chemical reaction.
International Railway Journal (January
2024) reported a project by several Spanish
companies, the national railway RENFE,
and Universidad Pontificia Comillas to
create an “entire renewable value chain
from generation to consumption.”
But that’s not all. The train will be a
high-speed set which is able to change track
gauge between the broad-gauge historical
Spanish system (about 66 inches) and the
high-speed system that connects with the
rest of Europe (56.5 inches, which matches
North American standard gauge.) The set
will be modified from one that runs on
overhead electrical supply but also contains
a diesel engine so it can run on non-
electrified parts of the system. The project
will replace the diesel engine with hydro-
gen fuel cells, and with batteries that can
be charged from the overhead wire.
A far from the Central Coast extravaganza
Something I never thought I’d see
The Summer 2017 Coast Mail referred to stub switches in
connection with the Pacific Coast Railway. They’re an obsolete type,
less expensive to make and maintain because they used moving
blunt rails instead of movable “point” rails tapering to narrow ends.
Your editor told his Cal Poly students if they ever saw a stub switch,
it would be in a museum track. “Well guess what?”
In England the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research & Edu-
cation and British national infrastructure entity Network Rail are
developing a modern stub switch that slightly lifts and then moves
the blunt movable rails. Our British friends hope the new stub
design will be less prone to troubles than conventional point rails.
Image via Railway Gazette International
Casmalia twin?
We’re climbing the grade toward Casmalia, with flat land be-
tween Nipomo and Santa Maria in the middle distance. Joking, of
course. This is the operator’s view from the front of the Yellow Train
in France, a 30-mile-long, meter-gauge line that climbs from about
1,400 feet elevation to about 5,200 feet in the Pyrenees Mountains.
And if those were not enough to make it remarkable, this line
built in 1909 is powered by 850-volt direct current from a third rail.
The low end of the line connects with the French standard-gauge
system while the high end connects with the Spanish broad-gauge
system. If you like twisting tracks crossing spectacular viaducts, this
is a trip for you. The scene above is from a YouTube video by Rail
Relaxation. For more information on Le Petit Train Jaune:
https://about-france.com/tourism/yellow-train-pyrenees.htm
Spanish railway equipment maker Talgo is
the lead on developing a high-speed, gauge-
changing train powered by green hydrogen.
Below, the moving rails of an old stub switch. Below center, diagram
of a point-rails switch. Below right, parts of new stub type switch.