Smile Posts
Interesting items along the way...
Photo References for Model Railroad Building
posted April 22, 2024
Mike Massee has made available a series of photos of natural rock formations and other natural habitats to use as references for your model railroad layout. Currently he has: Vasquez Rocks County Park natural area mid-spring; Tehachapi summer; and Durango and Silverton fall colors, Animas Canyon, and San Juan Mountains. Click here.
Norgrove Railway Unveils O&K #8
Posted March 15, 2024
Norgrove Railway recently unveiled its latest restoration project: Orenstein & Koppel #8, a 1938 0-4-0T steam locomotive. They've been meticulously reassembling all the restored, rebuilt, and new components back onto the locomotive. With more new parts on their way, it will soon be ready to steam up. Read all about Orenstein & Koppel (Wikipedia).
SMVRR #21 in 1953
Posted December 12, 2023
Santa Maria Valley #21 with a special train from Los Angeles. The photo was taken between Guadalupe and Santa Maria in 1953. Captain G. Allen Hancock was at the throttle. Photo by Alden Armstrong. This was one of the photos submitted to the 2023 SLORRM Photo Contest.
Ice Cream & Trains Returning to AG Village
Posted April 22, 2023
Extra, extra, read all about it! "New ice cream shop is moving into old Doc Burnstein's spot in the Village of Arroyo Grande! Here's when." Read the article. And yes, the trains are coming back, too! Who's doing it? Rori's Artisanal Creamery out of Carpenteria.
Amtrak's "Veterans Unit"
Posted November 8, 2022
On the Pacific Surfliner's Facebook page today was posted a photo of Amtrak's "Veteran's Unit" locomotive #90208. This just happens to be the locomotive that Elisabeth Haug caught at the SLO Train Station in July of 2016 in a photo that ended up being a winner (3rd place) in this year's SLORRM Photo Contest. See all of the 2022 winning photos here.
REA Building gets some TLC
Posted September 10, 2022
The REA (Railway Express Agency, info) building just north of the Museum is getting a little tender loving care! Missing stucco on the building has been replaced and painters are hard at work getting the stucco on that former wood-sided building to match the bus stop and the depot. Thanks to Glen Matteson for the story and photo. Watch for more info about this refurbishment project in an upcoming issue of Coast Mail (the Museum's newsletter).
Surfliner's up!
Posted May 13, 2022
"Surfliner's up!" article in New Times, here. While not specifically about the Museum, this news item about LOSSAN effects the Museum generally and passenger rail activity through San Luis Obispo in particular. Pictured is Amtrak's Surfliner as modeled on the Central Coast Model Railroad at the Museum.
UPRR Crossing Word Puzzle
Posted December 22, 2021
Union Pacific Railroad has made a special crossword puzzle available today for National Crossword Puzzle Day! Get your copy here!
CASA of SLO County Receives Union Pacific Railroad Grant
Posted November 10, 2021
CASA of SLO County received a Local Grants Award from Union Pacific Railroad's Community Ties Giving Program. This year, Union Pacific's program granted $5.5 million to organizations across the country. Congratulations to CASA of SLO County and a big Thank You! to Union Pacific Railroad.
Harford Pier
Posted September 27, 2020 Facebook
And this pier was the beginning of the Pacific Coast Railway that connected Avila-Port San Luis with the city of San Luis Obispo and eventually much of south SLO county and north SB county. The History Center of San Luis Obispo County is celebrating World Maritime Day with a look back to Port San Luis around the turn of the century. Beginning in 1860s and 1870s, piers and wharves were being built across SLO County's coastline to connect our towns with the shipping vessels that allowed locals to buy, sell, and travel to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and beyond.
Second PMT Trailer
Posted September 10, 2020 SLO Tribune video
David Middlecamp of the SLO Tribune did a video story about the arrival of a second Southern Pacific PMT trailer at the SLO Railroad Museum. See the Collections page for more information.
Stenner Creek Bridge
Posted July 29, 2020 on Facebook
Then and Now, Stenner Creek Bridge, San Luis Obispo, California. Image taken 1908-1909 by Frank Aston of San Luis Obispo, from the Michael J. Semas Collection, Cal Poly. Thanks to David Middlecamp for finding and sharing. See the Facebook post for more information.
UP #1111 at SLO
Posted May 16, 2020 by the Webmaster
Union Pacific Railroad ran a passenger special with locomotive No. 1111 pulling the train. No. 1111 is UP's Employee Pride Locomotive. The train overnighted in San Luis Obispo last night. Thanks to Karl Hovanitz for the photo.
Amtrak is 49 Today
Posted May 1, 2020 by Gary See on Facebook/slorrm...
Amtrak is 49 years old today having started service on May 1, 1971. Amtrak was established by the Congressional Rail Passenger Service Act, which consolidated the U.S.'s existing 20 passenger railroads into one. The new CEO released this video today celebrating 49 years of service.
CRP&A Conference
Posted April 18, 2020 by Gary See
FREE Online Railroad Photo/Art Conference today. Something to do while NOT at the Railroad Museum... For the first time ever, the Center for Railroad Photography and Art (CRP&A) will host their annual conference online, and FREE! If you're an avid railroad photographer or artist, or aficionado of such, don't miss this very unique opportunity. If you miss the live event, the presentations will also be recorded and made available for later viewing on their YouTube channel.
Flashbacks
Posted April 6, 2020 by the Webmaster
John-Michael Mahnke spotted these old photos on Facebook. Thanks for the distraction from our little coronavirus pandemic!
Southern Pacific Caboose arrives at the Museum on November 13, 2013.
Top image is the Freighthouse on February 29, 2016. The bottom is before restoration began.
Helper derailment in Tunnel #7 on September 25, 1969.
SLO New Times Article
Posted January 23, 2020 by the Webmaster
Preserving history: SLO Railroad Museum Manager Diane Marchetti (left) and President Brad LaRose work daily to keep Central Coast railroad history alive. Read the article in SLO New Times.
Pacific Coast Railway on Port Harford Pier
Posted October 5, 2019 by Gary See
It's time for the Central Coast Railroad Festival! We hope you'll take time this weekend to check out our railroad exhibit and all the different events around the county to learn about the history of our county's railway systems. Pictured above is a portion of the Pacific Coast Railway seen on Port Harford Pier. Photo courtesy of the SLO History Center. See today's schedule at the SLO Railroad Museum.
From stagecoach robberies to railroads, SLO s new train tracks signaled end of an era
Posted September 1, 2019 on Facebook/slorrm...
The August 29th San Luis Obispo Tribune included another great David Middlecamp "Photos From the Vault" story about San Luis Obispo Railroading. It shows a photo of the last stagecoach to leave San Luis Obispo on the day the Southern Pacific Railroad finally arrived in SLO on May 5, 1894. Article.
150th Anniversary of the Golden Spike
Posted June 23, 2019 by member Jamie Foster
A few SLO Railroad Museum Members who attended the 150th Golden Spike Anniversary festivities in Utah this past May have posted some of their stories and photos here.
Lompoc Mural Society: Surf Depot
Posted June 11, 2019 by member Jamie Foster
The Lompoc Mural Society says this about their Surf Depot mural: Year: 2006. Artist: Ann Thompson, Lompoc, CA. Location: 404 East Ocean Ave (west wall of Jalama Beach Restaurant). Description:This mural shows a scene of the Lompoc train depot in the early 1900 s. The depot was located where the Lompoc Amtrak Station is located today. Initially, a track ran from San Francisco to the mouth of the Santa Ynez River near Lompoc and from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles. It took 12 years and $2,500,000 to connect the lines and complete the fifty-mile stretch rounding Point Conception called The Gap. In 1903, the Surf Depot was the site of a whistle-stop speech made by President Teddy Roosevelt. [See details about a talk at the Museum on July 6th about Roosevelt's train trip through the west, including the SLO stop.]
Southern Pacific in Colorado Springs
Posted June 9, 2019 by member Jamie Foster
I was a bit surprised to see this Southern Pacific logo on a bridge in downtown Colorado Springs (just north of Mill Street on Tejon). Come to find out that the tracks between Denver and Pueblo in Colorado are under a Joint Line Agreement between Union Pacific (UP) and BNSF. The original line was built by the Denver and Rio Grande which consolidated with the Southern Pacific in 1988, practically coinciding with the UP/SP merger. In almost two years, I have yet to see anything but BNSF trains (mostly coal from the Powder River Basin) running on the Joint Line, though I do see one or two UP locos at the historic train station in downtown Colorado Springs. Update 6/20/19: I saw TWO Union Pacific trains on the Joint Line today; one a long mixed consist with five power units and one a unit train of containers. More details about the Joint Line history.
Girl Scout Railroad Merit Badge
Posted June 7, 2019 on Facebook/slorrm...
Thank you and congratulations to our CAOL team, Tom Mitchell and Diane Marchetti, for hosting the first Girl Scout Railroad Fun Patch Day in CA at the San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum. Dedicating the fist hour to #RailSafety, the program was a success and they will now host it annually. Thank you SLO team for the parental photo releases. More... #RailSafetyEducation #RailroadFunPatch
Harford Pier, 1937
Posted May 29, 2019 on Facebook/slorrm...
Pacific Coast Railroad excursion train, Harford Pier, Avila Beach, 1937. Thank you, Yolanda Rodrigues.
Train Day - Free Child Admission with New Times Ad
Posted May 4, 2019 on Facebook/slorrm...
SLO Train Day at the SLO Railroad Museum is May 11, 2019. And kids get in free with a copy of this May 2nd New Times ad! Hours 10am to 4pm. The day's activities are listed here.
Fableist Wine-Rail Excursions
Posted March 26, 2019 on Facebook/slorrm...
Our exclusive winery for our very popular Wine Rail Excursions has a new owner. With a new name: The Fableist Wine Company. The 2019 schedule is posted! More info is here.
SP Boxcar a Long Way From Home
January 26, 2019. EJ Kelly spotted this "Espee" boxcar today crossing a bridge in Ridgewood, Queens (near the Brooklyn border), a short distance from Fresh Pond Yard on the freight-only Long Island Railroad Bay Ridge Branch. The end of this line is near Industry City in Sunset Park, where cars are interchanged with the last car-float operation across NY Harbor to Jersey.
Plymouth Diesel #2038 Arrives
Posted September 21, 2018 on Facebook/slorrm...
This Plymouth 20-ton switcher was acquired in 1941 to develop and supply Camp Roberts, near San Miguel. After being declared surplus and sold, the little diesel spent time at a construction company, a quarry, and a caboose-themed lodging facility in the Sacramento Valley. Today, Dwight Peterson Trucking delivered this latest acquisition to our display track. After some careful aligning and winching, #2038 touched its new home rails. More info is here.
Hop on the new SLORRM Beer Train to BarrelHouse Brewing
Posted August 29, 2018 on Facebook/slorrm...
Board the northbound Amtrak Coast Starlight train on October 6th at 3:35 PM at the SLO Amtrak station, travel over the beautiful Cuesta Grade, and detrain at Paso Robles where our tour group will be picked up by a large tour van. You will be transported to BarrelHouse Brewing Company, where you will sample their craft beer, enjoy the live entertainment by Prestige playing Classic Tunes of the 60's & 70's, and play corn hole, if you wish. Food is available for purchase. When the entertainment ends, you will be transported via bus back to the SLO Amtrak Station, arriving around 9:30 pm. All transportation, complimentary beer and live entertainment are included in your ticket (dinner available for purchase). Details are here.
Four Passenger Trains at SLO Together
April 4, 2018 on Facebook/slorrm...
It's been probably 70 years since four passenger trains have converged on the SLO Amtrak Station at the same time. Amtrak Surfliner (layover for 763 to 796), Northbound Amtrak Starlight #14, UP Business Special #1943, and Southbound Amtrak Starlight #11. The UP ran the 20-car directors special up the Coast Line with an overnight stop in SLO. Made an interesting traffic jam, with the northbound starlight #14 having to proceed up the siding and back into the station after southbound #11 left. Thanks, Karl, for the photo.
How the steam engine disappeared from the Central Coast
January 29, 2018 on Facebook/slorrm...
Another great David Middlecamp "Photos From the Vault" story about San Luis Obispo Railroading was in the San Luis Obispo Tribune this past Saturday. A link to the article is here.
Southern Pacific Sign
December 17, 2017 on Facebook/slorrm...
This is a metal sign from the Southern Pacific Railroad Roundhouse in San Luis Obispo. The Roundhouse was demolished in 1959 (originally built in 1898) but this sign was saved at that time by SP employee Art Laidlaw (railroad engineer of locomotives) who donated it to the Railroad Museum in 2009. The sign is sheet metal, approximately 36" in diameter. It is hand painted using colored paint, with brush strokes being very visible and not precise. It was most likely constructed in the roundhouse machine shop as it is not porcelain coated, and does not appear to have the fine finished edges of a professional sign shop. For more information about the SP SLO Roundhouse, read an interesting David Middlecamp Tribune "Photos From The Vault" article. The sign is on display at the museum.
SLO County Outlaws: Desperados, Vigilantes, and Bootleggers
June 30, 2017 on Facebook/slorrm...
July 1, 2017, 1pm
At the Freighthouse
Talk by Jim Gregory, author
In 1858, San Luis Obispo County had the highest murder rate in the United States, a trend that had begun with a horrific mass murder at Mission San Miguel in 1848 and continued through the Gold Rush years, when cattle-buyers and their gold dust were easy prey along El Camino Real. A vigilance committee and its extrajudicial executions in front of Mission San Luis Obispo put an end to the most notorious outlaw gang, but not to lawbreaking. Stagecoach, bank, and train robbers appeared periodically; ironically, among the most peaceful local residents in the 19th century were the James Brothers, who lived near Paso Robles in 1868-69, and the Daltons, who visited their brother Bill near San Miguel in 1891-92. A lynching in Arroyo Grande, a murder in San Luis Obispo's Chinatown, and, with Prohibition, a steady traffic in bootleg whiskey, one that included Al Capone, were all hallmarks of a region that may have been rural and isolated, but was never "sleepy."
Talk is free with admisison to the museum. Admission is $3 per adult, $2 for children(4-15, Free for children under 3 years of age.
Art After Dark: SLO is expanding its reach
June 7, 2017 on Facebook/slorrm...
Art After Dark: SLO is expanding its reach. Join us at the San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum to see some of SLO's finest artists and their railroad-themed art. We will have painters, photographers, and the incredible art piece that is becoming our museum-quality model railroad. Friday, July 7th, at 6pm will see the debut of the SLO Railroad Museum in SLO's art scene. See long-time historic artists and up-and-coming photographers. Don't miss the scale recreation of our historic railroads that is growing building by building and tree by tree in our model area. Admission to the Museum on this special evening will be FREE and we encourage everyone to enjoy the 1894 Southern Pacific Freighthouse that has become the home of the SLO Railroad Museum. More details can be found here. Painting by Joan Sullivan.
Train Order
May 23, 2017 on Facebook/slorrm...
This is a train order. Railroads used thousands of them a year in the era of "timetable and train order" operation, with dispatchers sending orders to operators along the line via telegraph, to modify the routine schedules found in the employee timetables (a different kind of document from public timetables). They were hand copied or typed on very thin tissue paper, with carbon paper to make multiple copies, and were very fragile --hence the common name for them: flimsies. It's Christmas eve, 1949, and the northbound (railroad timetable westbound) Morning Daylight, the Coast Route's premier L.A. - S.F. coach train, is told to wait at the small farming town of Guadalupe (near the S.L.O.-Santa Barbara county line, not a scheduled stop) for the southbound, all-stops mail train. Oh, the indignity. Both trains probably have extra cars. I'm surprised there's no reference to multiple sections (separate following trains operating a few minutes apart) to handle holiday business.
SLO steam era ended when the roundhouse came down
April 16, 2017 on Facebook/slorrm...
David Middlecamp's "Photos From The Vault" article in Saturday's San Luis Obispo Tribune. Read the story here.
Diane Marchetti Honored
March 11, 2017
Diane Marchetti was recently nominated as part of the SLO County Commission on the Status of Women as a Woman of the Year by the SLO Railroad Museum. More info...
Cinco de Mayo Wine Rail Excursion
March 20, 2017 on Facebook/slorrm...
Come celebrate Cinco de Mayo with trains, wine, and live music! Leave the SLO Amtrak Station at 3:35 pm on Friday afternoon, May 5th, and travel on the Coast Starlight over the beautiful Cuesta Grade to Paso Robles. Then get transported to Pomar Junction Winery for their Train Wreck Friday party.
Enjoy music by Ricky Monjito & The Mojitos. Wine-tasting is included in your fare, and diinner is available to buy or bring your own picnic. Transportation is provided back to the SLO Amtrak Station. Cost is $75 per person for the entire excursion. Contact media@slorrm.com for tickets and information. More info...
Movie/Talk at the Museum
January 24, 2017 on Facebook/slorrm...
On January 28th at 3pm, Movies at the Museum returns in 2017 with an educational talk and classic movie! Glen Matteson will be presenting a talk about "A Railroad That Never Was". In 1891, Myron Angel sought investors for a railroad to link San Luis Obispo with the San Joaquin Valley - a can't lose proposition that would be far superior to the approaching Southern Pacific and its connection with San Francisco city slickers. Glen will detail this planned railroad. Following the talk will be a showing of an old classic movie - "Hurricane Express". A very young John Wayne stands between a mysterious villain and railroad mayhem, with the help of some very early special effects, and amid some locations you may recognize. Cost of admission is $3, which includes access to the museum, talk, and movie.
Happy New Year! from the Museum
January 2, 2017 on Facebook/slorrm...
HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY NEW YEAR from the San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum. Here's to a great 2017 for everyone. Interestingly, the weather forecast for this weekend includes a slight chance of snow on Cuesta Grade...
Sunset at the Museum
December 12, 2016 on Facebook/slorrm...
The new signal/sign out front is beautifully silhouetted.
PCRy Historic Right-of-Way Bus Tour: 11/13/16, 7:45am
November 8, 2016 on Facebook/slorrm...
Sunday, November 13, 2016 starting at 745am. Advance Reservations Required. Do you want to learn more about the narrow gauge Pacific Coast Railway? Then join us on a bus tour that follows the old right-of-way. You won't see any of these old locomotives anymore but you can at least see where they ran and use your imagination to visualize the trains that ran on the central coast more than 125 years ago. We will begin boarding the bus at 7:45am at the south end of the San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum (bus leaves at 8am). We will follow the historic right of way of the PCRy. Lunch on your own about noon at Pea Soup Andersen's in Buellton. Return to SLO about 4pm. Karl Hovanitz will be our guide. Cost is $39 per person. To make reservations and pay, contact Diane at media@slorrm.com or call 805-548-1894.
Railborne Military Guns and The Great Locomotive Chase
August 10, 2016 on Facebook/slorrm...
SATURDAY, AUGUST 13th at 3pm, hear Glen Matteson's account of the events that occurred when some railborne military guns were fired on the California coast. Then immediately following, enjoy one of the finest silent movies ever made. Buster Keaton stars in "The General", a movie based on the Great Locomotive Chase which occurred in 1862. Keaton was famous for doing his own stunts and the ones in this movie are exciting (and dangerous). The American Film Institute rates this movie as one of the top 10 comedies of all time and we are proud to present it as the first in our series of MOVIES AT THE MUSEUM. Free admission for members and just $3 (regular museum admission) for non-members ($2 for kids).
South Street Roundhouse
July 12, 2016 on Facebook/SoStRoundhouse...
Did you know that South Street Roundhouse was named after a real place? It was an iconic building of the Pacific Coast Railway, and stood in SLO for many years. You can read about it in the book "The Pacific Coast Railway" which was co-written by South Coast Roundhouse band member Curtiss Johnson. You can pick up a copy of the book at the gift shop at the SLO Railroad Museum, then come talk to Curt about the history of the Pacific Coast Railway when SSR performs at the museum on October 8, 2016 (during the Central Coast Railroad Festival).
Happy 4th of July from the SLO Railroad Museum!
Museum Participates in Scout-O-Rama
May 27, 2016 on Facebook...
The railroad museum participated in the Boy Scout Scout-O-Rama event at Dinosaur Caves Park on May 21, 2016. Many scouts learned about the Museum's Railroading Merit Badge program. See The Facebook post for photos of this fun day. The next Merit Badge class at the museum will be Sunday, October 16th. Cost is $25 and includes all materials, including a model railroad car. Check the SLORRM website for more information about prerequisites and registration.
First Southern Pacific Train Arrives SLO, May 5, 1894
May 5, 2016 on Facebook...
On May 5, 1894 at 3:25 P.M., the first Southern Pacific train finally reached San Luis Obispo. The SP Railroad had reached Santa Margarita north of the Cuesta Grade on April 20, 1889. It then took 5 years for thousands of laborers using hand tools and dynamite to construct 8 tunnels, the Stenner Creek trestle, and the spectacular horseshoe curve to complete the track down Cuesta Grade to San Luis Obispo. Several thousand visitors and residents gathered at the Ramona Hotel to meet the train and celebrate the event. San Luis Obispo became a railroad town. This photo of a crowd at the San Luis Obispo Southern Pacific Station is circa 1913-1914 and from the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Kennedy Library Online Archives. See also "Photos From The Vault" - click here.
Surf Station Closes March 1, 1985
March 1, 2016. THIS DAY IN RAILROAD HISTORY (31 years ago yesterday) --- SOUTHERN PACIFIC SURF STATION CLOSED. On March 1, 1985, the last train order came and the windows were boarded up at the Southern Pacific Surf Station. Southern Pacific reached Surf (on the coast near Lompoc) in 1896, and by June 1899 an extension to Lompoc was completed. The entire Coast line from San Francisco to Los Angeles was finally fully operational on March 31, 1901.
For a story about John Roskoski and his photo chronicles of Surf, visit:
http://lompocrecord.com/news/local/train-buff-takes-story-of-surf-across-nation/article_242225de-7b28-5878-99b2-a97618cc43a9.html
Additional information is available at the following:
http://modelingthesp.com/Employees_%26_th /Surf_History.html
http://dogcaught.com/2008/02/29/memories-of-surf/
http://coscia-espee.info/sp_cs22_depots.html
Photo from:
http://dogcaught.com/2008/02/29/memories-of-surf/
Santa and Mrs. Claus Arrive by Train
December 12, 2015. Santa and Mrs. Claus arrived in SLO on the Amtrak Surfliner last Saturday as planned and visited with many boys and girls on La Cuesta all afternoon (on Facebook). Thanks to Brooke Schumacher and Cheryl Strahl Photography for the photos. More photos...
Southern Pacific Incorporated December 2, 1865
December 2, 2015 on Facebook...
THIS DAY IN RAILROAD HISTORY (150 years ago today) --- SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD INCORPORATED DECEMBER 2, 1865.
Today is the 150th anniversary of the creation of the SP. Southern Pacific Railroad Company was formed and incorporated on December 2, 1865 to build a transcontinental railroad along a more southern route. On October 13, 1988, Rio Grande Industries took control of the Southern Pacific Railroad but the merged company retained the name "Southern Pacific" for all railroad operations. The Southern Pacific name was retired on Sept. 11, 1996 when Southern Pacific merged with the Union Pacific Railroad.
Holiday Decorating
November 30, 2015 on Facebook...
The Museum was decorated for the holidays this past weekend, including the assistance of these young ones.
Central Coast Railroad Festival
October 4, 2015 on Facebook...
The Central Coast Railroad Festival was in full swing on Saturday and continues today at the Railroad Museum and other locations. All the photos will be at CCRRF.com. Pictured at left is a portion of the Central Coast Model Railroad being built at the Museum.
Click here for photos taken at the Museum on Saturday and Sunday of the Festival.
Railroad Story Time Kicks Off Railroad Festival
October 1, 2015 on Facebook...
The Railroad Festival got an early start on Tuesday at the San Luis Obispo Library where Amtrak Conductor Saphya gave an Amtrak/Operation Lifesaver presentation as part of Railroad Story Time. Come join us at Railroad Festival events tonight at SLO Farmers' Market, SLO Library, and Atascadero Library and all over the county this weekend. Full details at CCRRF.com.
San Luis Obispo made Southern Pacific an offer it could not refuse
September 29, 2015 on Facebook...
Some interesting history on Cuesta Grade construction was in David Middlecamp's "Photos From The Vault" article in Saturday's San Luis Obispo Tribune titled "San Luis Obispo made Southern Pacific an offer it could not refuse". Read the story here. Thanks, too, for the plug about the Museum's Central Coast Railroad Festival!
Southern Pacific Helpers Derail in Cuesta Tunnel 7
September 25, 2015 on Facebook...
In the pre-dawn hours of September 25, 1969, a five unit helper train operating light down Cuesta Grade toward San Luis Obispo derailed just east of Cuesta Tunnel No. 7. The lead locomotive was a new GE U33C, SP #8642 which had only been in service for 3 months. The accident was described as follows: "When the 8642 came out of Tunnel 7 it went straight into the side of the mountain. With the other 4 units behind it, they shoved it to the left and the other units started up the side of the hill. The frame of the 8642 was broken in two and was picked up in two pieces. The front half went on a flat car. The rear half went on another flat. The trucks, engine, pieces, etc., went into two gondolas. They used the LA hook on the east end and the Watsonville Junction hook on the west end." All three SP crew members on board lost their lives in this crash -- engineer Donald Holderman, 56; fireman Manuel Cardoza, 45; and William R. Garner, 21, a railway clerk riding with the crew.
Why a Railroad to Avila?
September 18, 2015 on Facebook...
Presentation: Why a Railroad to Avila? with Andrew Merriam. Saturday, September 19, 11am to noon. Learn about the now-vanished Pacific Coast Railway that connected San Luis Obispo to the pier at Avila in the late 19th century with Andrew Merriam, railroad historian and board member of SLORRM. Andrew will be giving an expert's overview of the history and importance of the first rail line on the Central Coast during a presentation on Saturday, September 19th, from 11 am to noon, at the Railroad Museum. We welcome everyone who would like to learn more about the crucial role this railroad played in developing the Central Coast area. His talk is included with your regular museum admission.
Pacific Coast Railway Exhibit and Talk
September 11, 2015 on Facebook...
Our Pacific Coast Railway expert, Andrew Merriam, has created an amazingly informative and beautiful exhibit about the PCRy which is on display August through October at the History Center in downtown San Luis Obispo (in the beautiful old Carnegie Library near the Mission). Andrew has put countless hours into designing this beautiful exhibit which presents vignettes of what life was like and why a railway from Avila to San Luis Obispo made a huge difference in the development of the town and, eventually, the entire county. The exhibit will stay in the History Center through the end of October and then move over to the Railroad Museum. Additionally, Andrew will be giving an expert's overview of the history and importance of this first rail line on the Central Coast during a presentation on Saturday, September 19th, from 11 am to noon, at the Railroad Museum. We welcome everyone who would like to learn more about the crucial role this railroad played in developing the Central Coast area. His talk is included with your regular museum admission.
Southern Pacific's SLO Depot Torn Down
August 13, 2015 on Facebook...
THIS DAY IN RAILROAD HISTORY (44 years ago today) --- SOUTHERN PACIFIC SAN LUIS OBISPO DEPOT TORN DOWN.
On August 13, 1971, the original San Luis Obispo Southern Pacific Passenger Depot was torn down to make room for a parking lot. This original depot was built in 1894 by Southern Pacific when they first arrived in San Luis Obispo and used as a depot until about 1942 (exact date uncertain) when SP completed the new (and current) passenger depot. This original depot was located just south of the current depot. After the new depot was opened, the former depot was utilized as a freight depot and railroad offices until 1968, when it was shuttered.
For more information and the complete Photos From The Vault article by David Middlecamp, click
here. Depot photo taken on April 8, 1968 by Pat Flynn. Demolition photo from the San Luis Obispo Tribune Photos From The Vault
Southern Pacific Reaches Guadalupe
July 1, 2015 on Facebook...
THIS DAY IN RAILROAD HISTORY (120 years ago today) --- SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD REACHED GUADALUPE. On July 1, 1895, regular trains began running into Guadalupe (from the north) over the Santa Maria River on a temporary trestle. A permanent bridge was completed in late June 1896. The Southern Pacific Coast Line gap was now from Guadalupe (on the North) to Ellwood (11 miles west of Santa Barbara on the South). This gap wasn't closed until almost 6 years later on March 31, 1901 when regular trains began running on the Coast Line between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Info from Coast Line book by John Signor. Photo of Guadalupe SP Standard Depot 22 taken on July 1, 1976 by Craig Walker (http://www.railpictures.net/photo/390460/).
Photos from the Vault: Cuesta Grade CTC
May 30, 2015 on Facebook...
Really cool "Photos From The Vault" by David Middlecamp in the San Luis Obispo Tribune about CTC (Centralized Traffic Control) Railroad Signalling on Cuesta Grade during World War 2. Full photo and Tribune article are here: "Photos From The Vault: The move that sped up train travel over the Cuesta Grade".
Southern Pacific Reaches SLO
May 5, 2015 on Facebook...
On May 5, 1894 at 3:25 P.M., 121 years ago this day, the first Southern Pacific train finally reached San Luis Obispo. The SP Railroad had reached Santa Margarita north of the Cuesta Grade on April 20, 1889. It then took 5 years for thousands of laborers using hand tools and dynamite to construct 8 tunnels, the Stenner Creek trestle, and the spectacular horseshoe curve to complete the track down Cuesta Grade to San Luis Obispo. Several thousand visitors and residents gathered at the Ramona Hotel to meet the train and celebrate the event. San Luis Obispo became a railroad town. Full photo and Tribune article are here: "Photos From The Vault: 1894 First Southern Pacific train service to San Luis Obispo".
"FIRE IN CUESTA TUNNEL NO. 7"
April 29, 2015 on Facebook...
Just after midnight on April 29, 1987, a westbound train passing through Southern Pacific's Cuesta Grade tunnel no. 7 reported a fire in the 1,354 foot long, partly concrete lined, partly wooden-beam timber bore. The fire burned for two days before finally being extinguished by SP Fire Specialists brought in from Eugene, Oregon. But the fire managed to get into some of the old wooden timbers behind the concrete lined construction and flared up again on May 3rd. Part of the tunnel collapsed 400 feet from the east portal. When the smoke finally cleared for the second time, SP was faced with rebuilding over 1,100 feet of the tunnel. The fire and reconstruction efforts closed the SP Coast Line for a total of 13 days, forcing the rerouting of all freight trains to the San Joaquin Valley Line and the annulment of Amtrak passenger trains. Finally, the tunnel was reopened on May 11, 1987 at a total cost of $1.9 million. (Info from the book "Southern Pacific's Coast Line" by John R. Signor and photo by Snob!k3r).
Ludwick Reception at the Museum
April 14, 2015 on Facebook...
Art Ludwick recently held a Ludwick-Jones Family Reunion at the Railroad Museum with about 130 people attending from many states. Waving from the platform are Art, his Aunt Lillian, and his brother Ted. Also attending the reunion were some Macaws owned by one of the family members who lives locally in San Luis Obispo.
MYSTERY PHOTOGRAPH
March 13, 2015 on Facebook...
Can you help solve a mystery? This photograph was recently donated to the museum. Could it be Cuesta siding on the north side of the summit? Remarkably, it shows a velocipede and a handcar like the ones displayed in the museum. The handcar is numbered SP XX279 with WO 9 9 15 in smaller characters below. The photo must have been taken somewhere on the Southern Pacific in the early 1900s. It's in mountainous territory, with a siding holding the vehicles and a main track curving to the left in the background. The vegetation appears to be chaparral and oak, with spindly or burned-over trees on the mountainside in the distance. Parts of three separate pole lines are visible. There are three sheds, one with a nearly flat roof, and all having rails and wide doors for setting off handcars. The closest shed bears the number 9, probably identifying this as Section 9. By now probably all that remains is a main track with heavier rails.
Any informed guesses on where this was? Special recognition if you can identify any of the men.
Read the full story in Issue 51 of "Coast Mail".
Ready for the Holidays
December 11, 2014 on Facebook...
The Railroad Museum is all decorated with toy trains for the kids and holiday treats for all. Come to our Holiday Open House this Saturday, December 13th, from 10am to 4pm. We look forward to celebrating with you, your family and friends.
Visitors to the Museum
November 27, 2014 on Facebook...
HAPPY THANKSGIVING! The last week has seen three tour groups come to the Museum. We thank the Cuesta Crankers Model A Club, the Friends of the Santa Maria Valley Railroad, and an energetic Tiger Scouts group who all came to see us in the last few days. You can see the boys as they wave at the Surfliner, learn about the unusual history of the velocipede and find out how engineers got their train orders in the old days. Thanks to all of you.
La Condesa Update
November 19, 2014 on Facebook...
The SLORRM Pullman Observation-Lounge-Diner passenger car is undergoing refurbishment and return to much of the layout that the car had when first built in 1926. The current effort is to restore the dining room which was removed decades ago to make way for an additional bedroom. This change was simple with the addition of a wall and small serving kitchen which then created a hallway next to the new bedroom to allow movement from the lounge to rest of the train. This wall (and serving kitchen) have now been removed and repairs to the entrance doorway and floor are underway as shown in the photographs. Our goal is twofold - show the car as it was originally built and allow us to host larger events in the lounge/dining room space.
Union Pacific Railroad Training Car
October 24, 2014 on Facebook...
Union Pacific Railroad has produced a state-of-the-art training car that will travel around the U.S. teaching rail safety and emergency preparedness to first responders. In its first official stop, the car arrived in San Luis Obispo yesterday and will be viewable today (Friday Oct 24) from 2-6 p.m. on the Union Pacific Railroad siding located just south of the San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum (1940 Santa Barbara Street) in SLO. You will see the railcar parked on the siding south of the museum behind our Emily Street Rail Yard and Miner?s Hardware parking lot. A Union Pacific hazardous materials director and a Union Pacific public affairs director will provide information on the new training boxcar.
Girl Scout Troop Visits
August 24, 2014 on Facebook...
The Museum had special guests when some of the youngest members of Girl Scout Troop 40300 visited, along with their moms and some siblings. They learned about the major role that railroading played in San Luis Obispo, and the importance of clear communication and safety in railroad operations. Popular activities included ringing a big locomotive bell and operating the wig-wag crossing signal. They also used ?scavenger hunt? work sheets to look for items ranging from a locomotive headlight to HO scale seals near the Port Harford pier.