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18th Annual Trainmaster Dinner Reception at the California State Railroad Museum 11/4-5/2006

Steve Grande of Trainweb.com asked me if I would like to cover this annual event organized by the California State Railroad Museum for the last fourteen years. I said yes but it would have to be for only for Saturday and Sunday. To maximize my time, I chose to take the Midnight Thruway bus from Santa Ana to Bakersfield then Amtrka San Joaquin 711 to Hanford. After a couple of hours layover, I would take the direct San Joaquin 701 to Sacramento, stay at the Vagabond Inn, attend the Trainmaster Dinner and return home Sunday on San Joaquin 702, the Thruway Bus then whatever Pacific Surfliner home to Santa Ana.

The timing of this bus is my least favourite and when I boarded, all that was left were aisle seats, which kept me for the journey to Los Angeles, where I finally was able to stretch out across two seats. I slept most of the way to Bakersfield and the bus dropped us off in front of the Bakersfield station at the door, rather than the usual bus bays. I walked out to the train, recorded the consist and waited twenty-five minutes for the doors to open to board my first train of the day.

The consist was F59PHI 2015, coaches 8030 "Napa River" and 8025 "Mokelume River", café 8813 "San Fernando Valley" and cab car 8302 "Mt. Shasta". After a series of long announcements, we departed on time and made our way to Wasco and Corcoran then all too soon, we arrived at Hanford, where I detrained and walked over to MacDonald's for hot cakes and sausage then back to the station to wait for some BNSF freight train action. We had a green going south on this very cold overcast morning.

BNSF 7078 East was the first and only freight train that I saw during my brief stay in Hanford.

Santa Fe Hanford station built in 1897.

This train arrived on time with F59PHI 2013 leading coaches 6465 "Moonstone Beach" (Pacific Surfliner seats) and 8014 "Colorado River", café 8808 "Cochella Valley" and cab car 6963 "Point Reyes". I settled into my seat in the 6465 for my trip to my state capital, Sacramento. We arrived at Fresno early so I went for a walk to loosen up my legs. Later at Gregg, we took the siding for our morning counterpart San Joaquin 702 on its way to Bakersfield then stopped in Madera and I bought an early lunch of a hot dog and pretzel before reading the Fresno Bee. My train stopped in Merced, then at Atwater, held the mainline for San Joaquin 712 before pausing at Turlock/Denair then did the Modesto stop before arriving at the ACE station in Stockton, where passengers detrained in the street on the former Southern Pacific line. We went to Lodi then onto Acampo, where we slowed awaiting a green signal after a southbound Union Pacific freight.

Later we passed the Siemens Plant with one of their newly-built trolleys sitting outside. We arrived at Sacramento a few minutes early at 12:18 PM and I walked over to the Vagabond Inn around the new light rail construction at the station.

I checked in at the Vagabond Inn and called Lets Talk Trains, the Internet Radio Show live Saturday 10-1 now or 24/7 in the archives, on their new three hour show starting today up from the old two hour format. I checked my e-mail before walking through the K Street Mall to the light rail stop at 7th and R Street to wait for trolley to Folsom.

The Sacramento Regional Transit District (also known as simply SacRT) began planning for a light rail system in the mid-1980's, after the successful opening of the San Diego Trolley in 1981 and amid a surge in light rail construction in mid-sized cities nationwide (Buffalo, Denver, Portland and San Jose also built systems at the same time). The first line of the light rail system opened on March 12, 1987 and the system was originally branded as RT Metro. On October 15, 2005, a 7.4-mile extension from the Sunrise station to the city of Folsom was opened.

I had to wait for three trains until one bound for Folsom arrived. Here is the second one that was going to Meadowview.

A few minutes later, a Folsom trolley arrived to pick me up and we went through downtown to the junction of the Meadowview Line and then over the former Western Pacific (now Union Pacific). The trolley travelled along US 50 to near 65th Street and onto the University Station then went under US 50, over the former Southern Pacific (now Union Pacific) line that I just come into town on this afternoon and started along the former Southern Pacific Placerville Branch. Power Inn was our next stop, which was where my new mileage started.

We next went to College Greens then onto Watt/Manlove and Starfire. Under US 50 again to Tiber and onto Butterfield, followed by Mather Field/Mills station, Zinfandel, Cordova Town Center and onto Sunrise. Before Hazel, I saw some box cars of lumber so there was some freight left along the line. After Milepost 17, we became single-tracked and the Placerville Branch ended. Our train went under US 50 for the last time then onto Iron Point, Silverbrook and Sutter (Folsom), the end of the line 21.8 miles from Sacramento.

My trolley in Folsom. I hurried back aboard for the return trip then walked through the K Street Mall to Old Sacramento to see if anything was moving there this afternoon railroad-wise.

The only item moving was a maintenance vehicle. I visited the Milepost 1 gift shop, picking up two copies of Extra 2200 South then returned to the Vagabond Inn to rest before the evening's event.

Some of us entered the lobby of the California State Railroad Museum before it closed for the day. Once it had, name badges for tonight's dinner were distributed to all in attendance and everyone went upstairs to the museum's Theater Two for tonight's presentation, "The Fine Art of Railroads" by Betsy Fahlman, Professor of Art History at Arizona State University. First, Paul Hammond welcomed us to tonight's event, followed by Mr. Carson, one of the Museum's Trustees, who discussed the Ted Rose Exhibit we would be seeing tonight. He thanked the Ted Rose family and their museum for allowing the California State Railroad Museum to host this fantastic exhibit and then Betsy was introduced and started her program.

Using twin projects, Betsy presented the history of art in railroads over the years.

She used Phoebe Snow of Lackawanna Railroad Fame and Indians of the Santa Fe as part of her program. It was very educational and one I learned a lot from. Once over, we exited the theater and went upstairs to the Ted Rose Exhibit. I, however, will detour to show you part of the museum's large collectino.

Central Pacific 4-4-0 1 "Governor Stanford" built by Norris Locomotive Works in 1862. Disassembled and shipped in crates around Cape Horn on the Herald of the Morning, the locomotive arrived in Sacramento on 6th October 1863. Once re-assembled, it was named in honour of the railroad's then president, Leland Stanford, who was also Governor of California. It hauled Central Pacific's first excursion train, first revenue freight on 25th March 1864, and first scheduled passenger train on 15th April 1864.

Downgraded from mainline service in 1873, 1 worked as a switcher and fire engine in the Sacramento area until retired in 1895. It was then presented to Jane Lathrop Stanford, Leland's widow, who donated it to the Leland Stanford Junior University. Soon after, the steam engine went on display in the university's museum. It remains the property of the university but is currently on loan to the museum.

The 10 Miles of Track Laid in One Day on April 28th, 1869 by the Central Pacific Railroad sign.

Virginia & Truckee 4-4-0 12 "Genoa" built by Baldwin in 1873. It was sold in a corporate sale to the Virginia and Truckee as 12 then in 1938, to the Eastern Railroads Conference and restored to look like Central Pacific 60 "Jupiter" for the 1939-40 New York World's Fair. In 1940, it was presented to the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society and in 1960, to the Pacific Coast Chapter of the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society. In 1969, it was donated to the State of California.

In a mirrored area of the museum is Virginia & Truckee 2-6-0 13 "Empire" built by Baldwin in 1873. In 1910, it was converted from a wood burner to an oil burner and re-numbered 15, perhaps because engine crews thought 13 to be unlucky. It was retired in 1918 and sold to the Pacific Portland Cement Company, in Gerlach, Nevada in 1924. There, it operated as switcher 501 until retired again in 1931. In 1938, it was donated to the Pacific Coast Chapter of the Railway and Locomotive Historical society and placed in storage in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1976, 13 was moved to join the museum's collection at the newly-built Central Pacific Railroad passenger station in Sacramento.

In 1978, a total restoration based on period photographs and original drawings returned the steam engine to very much how it looked when it was delivered to the V&T in 1873. The restored locomotive went on display in the new museum building when it opened in 1981.

Nevada central Railway narrow gauge coach 3 "Silver State" built by the railway in December 1881 at their shops in Battle Mountain, Nevada. It may have been constructed using the trucks and the underframe of a former passenger coach originally manufactured (circa 1870's) in Monterey, California. It was the only passenger car built by the Nevada Central Railway, which ran between Austin and a Central Pacific connection at Battle Mountain. Among the features of the bright yellow car are a "saloon" (toilet) and a marble washstand.

Christened the "Silver State" for the Nevada state motto, the coach saw irregular service as a first-class car on the Nevada Central until the early 1900's when it was placed in storage at Battle Mountain. When the railroad was abandoned in early 1938, the car was donated to the Pacific Coast Chapter of the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society. It appeared at the Golden Gate International Exposition in 1939 and 1940 lettered as Central Pacific for the aily pageants depicting the 1869 Gold Spike ceremony. From 1940 until 1977, No. 3 remained in storage in the Bay Area.

In 1969, the "Silver State" was donated to the State of California for future display in the Railroad Museum. Restoration efforts began in February 1977. The coach was examined and thoroughly documented for restoration to its 1881 appearance. New exterior wood was applied, worn parts replaced and all colors matched to the original paint. The oil-painted headlining cloths, brittle with age, were fully replicated by hand on fine linen canvas. The original ceiling cloths have been removed and preserved by the Museum. The interior walls proved particularly interesting: they are embellished with an intricate pattern of birds and flowers. Remnants of the designs appeared while the walls were being sanded and were restored to their period appearance. Elaborate multi-color floral brocade seat upholstery replaced the worn floral mohair plush material. All hardware in the car was re-plated with silver to match the original finish which is typical of an 1870's/1880's passenger car.

North Pacific Coast 36" gauage 4-4-0 12 "Sonoma" built by Baldwin in 1876. It hauled both passenger and freight trains on the eighty mile line between Sausalito and Duncans Mills, Calfornia. In 1879, it was sold to the Nevada Central Railroad, re-numbered 5 and named "General J. H. Ledlie" after the civil engineer then working for the railroad, who had also participated in building the transcontinental railroad as a Union Pacific employee. The following year, 5 was renamed "Jos. Collett" and worked as switcher and road engine until the Nevada Central line was abandoned in 1938.

It was then acquired by Nevada Central's General Manager, J. M. Hiskey, and was loaned to the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition where it was restored to look like Central Pacific's 60 "Jupiter" for re-enactments of the Golden Spike Ceremony at Promontory. After the Exposition, 12 was donated to the Oakland Chapter of the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society and went into storage in the San Francisco Bay Area, staying there for nearly forty years until it was moved to the newly-built Central Pacific Railroad passenger station in 1977. The Hiskey family donated the engine to the museum in 1978 and it was restored to its 1876 appearance by the museum and is displayed coupled to some narrow gauge passenger cars.

The largest and smallest locomotives in the museum.

Southern Pacific 4-8-8-2 4294 built by Baldwin in 1944. The cab-forward was developed by the railroad to deal with its thirty-nine tunnels and nearly forty miles of snow sheds in the Sierra Nevadas, which could funnel exhaust fumes back into the cab of conventional locomotives. After a number of crews nearly asphyxiated, the railroad experimented by running locomotives in reverse, but this meant the tender blocked the crew's view and put them on the "wrong" sides of the cab to see signals.

It was in service from March 1944 to March 1956, hauling both freight and passenger trains in Oregon as well as California, including the Overland Limited (Trains No. 27 and No. 28) over Donner Pass. It was donated to the City of Sacramento in 1958 and went on display at the Southern Pacific depot before it was gifted to the museum in 1977 and restored by to its 1950's in-service appearance. It is the only surviving Southern Pacific cab-forward.

Southern Pacific 4-2-4RT 1 "C. P. Huntington", nee Central Pacific 3 built by Cooke in 1863. It was named for the company's then vice-president and was shipped around Cape Horn arriving in San Francisco on 19th March aboard the Mary Robinson. The steam engine was used to help build the transcontinental railroad as well as haul passenger trains. In 1871, it was transferred to the newly organised Southern Pacific Railroad and re-numbered 1.

After transferring to the Southern Pacific, 1 operated as a light construction engine between San Jose and Hollister then in Oakland, before ending its career as a weed burner, clearing track. However, from 1894, 1 increasingly became a symbol of the Southern Pacific, appearing at station openings and exhibitions, including the 1915 San Francisco Panama-Pacific Exposition, the 1934 Chicago World's Fair and the 1969 Sacramento Gold Spike Centennial Celebration. Donated to the State of California in 1964, the steam engine went on display at the old state fairgrounds on Stockton Boulevard in Sacramento.

Then, in 1979, it moved to the museum's Central Pacific Railroad passenger station in Old Sacramento. It has been restored to how it appeared for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition. It is the only surviving example of a 4-2-4 locomotive in the country, the oldest locomotive owned by the museum and features on the museum.

Southern Pacific 4-6-2 2467 built by Baldwin in 1921. It regularly hauled passenger trains on the Ogden, Utah to Sparks, Nevada division, part of the railroad's "Overland Route". Then over the next few years, it hauled local passenger services in the California area. It retired from service in 1956 and was donated to the City of Oakland in 1960.

The narrow gauge freight train lurking on a trestle on the second floor of the museum led by Nevada Central 2-6-0 6, exx. Nevada Short Line 1, exx. Utah Northern 17, exxx. Utah Northern 13, nee Nevada Short Line 2-6-0 1 built by Baldwin in 1879. It was gifted by the Pacific Coast Chapter of the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society in 1969 and restored by the musuem to its 1920 appearance.

Back upstairs I caught up and followed the group towards the Ted Rose Exhibit.

Part of the Toy Train Collection that was donated to the museum in 2003.

This display shows the different gauges used in model railroading.

Looking down into the roundhouse area of the California State Railroad Museum where the dinner was being held.

The way into the Railroad and the American Industrial Landscape: Ted Rose Paintings and Photographs Exhibition. This exhibition recognized the work of Ted Rose, a Milwaukee-born artist who achieved national significance in organizations such as the American Watercolor Society and the National Watercolor Society. Offering viewers the opportunity to experience the nobility and beauty of railroads and industry in the 20th century, the exhibition included a selection of 40 photographs and watercolor paintings, all highlighting the artist’s fascination with the imagery and culture of railroading. The Ted Rose exhibition continued through January 2007.

For Ted Rose (1940-2002), railroads were a favorite subject of study. In his mind, trains and railroad yards retained a human scale, bound up inextricably with local culture. Rose infuses this perceived humanity into his images, with rare insight grounded in artistic realism. This exhibition made an important contribution to our understanding of railroads and industry as seen through the artist’s eyes. Subject matter aside, it was a fine display of work by an accomplished artist.

Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1940, Ted Rose developed a life-long passion for railroads after a family trip to the Chicago Railroad Fair in 1949. While in high school and college, he spent his summers working in the art department of Trains magazine in Milwaukee. Between 1956 and 1962 Rose traveled the rails in North America, photographing the last of steam locomotives operating in their vernacular environments. These experiences included several trips to Mexico and South America. Many of his photographs had never before been exhibited.

In 1962, Rose received his BFA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Following a 12-month tour of duty in Vietnam, he moved to New Mexico in 1965, ultimately settling in Santa Fe. It was there that he met his wife, Polly; built an adobe studio and home; and raised his family. In addition, during these New Mexico years, Rose worked as an independent graphic designer and as Graphics Director for the City of Santa Fe throughout the 1970's.

Ted Rose returned to painting in 1983 and quickly became a prolific, full-time artist. He completed over 1,000 watercolors in the 20 years prior to his death in 2002. Both his photographs and his paintings demonstrate Rose's disciplined eye and expressive tendencies—all are evocative interpretations of an industrial era now rapidly vanishing from the American view. Rose captured not just trains, but the very culture of railroads; how machinery and industry intersected with humans and their communities.

Rose exhibited his works at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts (2000); the Museum of New Mexico (2000); and the California State Railroad Museum (1999). A signature member of the American Watercolor Society (1993) and the National Watercolor Society (1999), his works are included in the collections of the Colorado Railroad Museum, the Minnesota Transportation Museum, and the California State Railroad Museum.

Conceived and produced by the Center for Railroad Photography & Art , in collaboration with the California State Railroad Museum, Railroads and the American Industrial Landscape was originally produced through a partnership between the Center for Railroad Photography & Art and the Haggerty Museum of Art, Marquette University, Milwaukee. The exhibition was curated by Dr. Curtis L. Carter, Director of the Haggerty Museum.

Guests enjoying the Ted Rose Exhibit.

The watercolour paintings of Ted Rose in this exhibit.

Steam era photographs.

Looking down upon Western Pacific F7A 913 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1950.

A behind-the-scenes look where the final touches to our dinner were being prepared.

The guests enjoying dinner, which was a selection of beef and chicken. After dinner, Catherine Taylor, District Superintendent of the California State Railroad Museum, spoke about the museum and its future then she opened the floor for questions and I asked if there was going to be another Railfair? She said most likely when the Museum of Railroad Science and Industry opens someday in the future. It was then time for dessert and one tired Chris returned to the Vagabond Inn for the night.

Following a fantastic French Toast platter at Denny's and one last check of my e-mail in the lobby, I checked out of the Vagabond Inn then it was a quick walk over to Amtrak and my waiting train south. This train had cab car 8314 "Mount Pinos", café 8807 "Imperial Valley", coach 8028 "Mad River" and coach/baggage 8202 "Drakes Bay" with F59PHI 2010. As we departed on time, the Coast Starlight arrived on this very damp and foggy morning. I slept until after Merced, then at Madera, a late-running San Joaquin 711 was in the station so we had to reverse out of the siding after he was done to do our station work. Add to that the fact that we had motive power problems and we were twenty minutes down at Fresno. This problem would continue for a total of seven times since our engine's computer had to be rebooted.

At Hanford, more time was lost to passenger loading and we arrived at Bakersfield at 12:15 PM and boarded the Thruway Bus for Los Angeles at 12:29 PM. I read for the whole journey and we arrived at 2:24 PM where I walked up to where Pacific Surfliner 580 would board and watched the Sunset Limited depart on time for New Orleans. The trip to Santa Ana was quick and I was glad to be back home in Santa Ana, ending yet another Amtrak adventure.

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