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The Los Angeles Live Steamers 10/16/2016

After Robin Bowers and I finished riding the Griffith Park & Southern Railroad, we drove to the Los Angeles Live Steamers and parked.

Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum is a non-profit public-benefit corporation that was founded in 1956 by live steam enthusiasts for the purpose of educating the public about railroad history and lore, and to promote the avocation of live steam and scale model railroad technology. The museum is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Sunday. In 1956, all the locomotive model engines were steam-powered, hence the name "Live Steamers". Over the years, gasoline-powered models of diesel locomotives and battery-electric locomotives and trolleys have also become popular. The museum operates a 7 1/2 inch gauge miniature railway on which these locomotives pull trains that the public can ride. The museum also has multiple layouts with smaller gauge track for model railroads.

The grounds were supposed to be opened at 10:30 AM but did not open until 10:46 AM.

This is where you buy your tickets then join the queue to ride the train.

The trains weree lined up and ready for passengers. The two of us would ride the first train on the left track.

Union Pacific caboose 25064, nee Union Pacific 3764, built by Mount Vernon Car in 1942. We then climbed aboard.

We first passed the water tower.

Texas and New Orleans caboose 524 built by Southern Pacific and American Car and Foundry in 1949, lettered Southern Pacific 438.

In a few minutes we would be on that bridge but first had to go under it.

After that bridge, we crossed a little creek.

We next crossed the route into the Carolwood Pacific Railroad barn.

Passing another train.

The steaming bays on this unique railroad.

A switchman's tower.

Rounding a curve to pass in front of the station building.

The passenger station with a wig-wag crossing signal.

The wig-wag crossing signal.

Passing by where we had boarded.

That really looks like a Southern Pacific SW1500.

Next we crossed the trestle.

A scene below.

Looking down to where we had just been.

We made it through the mine blasting area.

Going through an old west town scene.

Approaching the water tower.

Running along the hillside.

An old mine.

Next was a water wheel.

Going through Eppich Tunnel.

Local vegetation.

A real live steamer on an adjacent track.

A second mine along our route.

A miner on his front porch.

Looking down to where we will be in a few minutes.

The farthest curve on this railroad is right next to Travel Town.

Rounding that curve then we gained elevation.

Crossing over another bridge.

Rounding a curve and we were now on our way back.

Passing underneath a signal bridge.

Here comes that Southern Pacific switcher.

Curving into Nelson Tunnel.

We exited the tunnel but stopped short of the unloading area.

We watched other trains pass as we waited.

The train ran by the wig-wag one last time before we arrived at the unloading area. It had been a great trip and after returning to the car, Robin and I drove to the south side of the property and parked in that lot to visit the Carolwood Pacific Railroad barn.

The Carolwood Foundation's mission is to preserve Walt Disney's railroad legacy. We accomplish this through: sharing our volunteers' and supporters' love of railroading; teaching our children to understand the role that railroads served in building America, and encouraging the continual appreciation of railroading. Carolwood hosts several social events each year which have resulted in the creation of lifelong friendships among our members, and wonderful memories for all. We also operate Walt Disney's Carolwood Barn, located in Griffith Park on behalf of the Walt Disney Family Foundation.

In 1950, Walt Disney built a 1/8th scale live-steam railroad at his residence in Holmby Hills, California. He operated the "Carolwood Pacific Railroad" for family and friends until 1953 when he shifted his energies into creating a magical place where families could have fun together – Disneyland.

The CPRR center of operations was a quaint red barn that Walt built as a replica of one from the Disney farm in Marceline, Missouri. The Carolwood barn served as his workshop and he spent many hours here building miniatures and model trains. In 1999, Walt Disney's family moved the barn he called his "happy place" from his home to the Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum, of which Walt was a founding member.

Walt's Barn is a living showcase of Walt's passion for railroading and is filled with trains of all scales, many of which were donated to the Foundation by his animators and friends that shared his hobby. Many of Walt's personal items and tools are on display and he even hand-made all of the work benches. It is generally open every third Sunday of the month from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, subject to change without notice, where our members serve as volunteer hosts.

The trains in the barn.

Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad combine 101 "Retlaw", which is "Walter" spelt backwards. One such car was used on the Missouri Pacific train upon which Walt Disney worked as a 14-year-old news butch. He would take his breaks in the baggage half of the car and sometimes go out of the front door and climb over the tender to get to the cab. Walt would offer the engineer and fireman apples from his family's farm in exchange for getting to ride with them. The crews took a liking to him and it was on this train that he learned how to operate a steam locomotive.

Walt had great memories of that combine. This is why one was part of the "Retlaw 1" passenger train at Disneyland. In 1992, Bill Norred acquired the Retlaw 1 cars, except for the Lilly Belle coach. A few years ago, four of these five coaches were sold, but Bill's family retained the combine because of the special connection to Walt. The Norred family, concerned about the long term survival of the car, agreed to sell it to the Carolwood Foundation. We finalized that purchase on July 10, 2010. We have now completed the restoration that Bill started but still need to construct a permanent shelter to home for the combine next to Walt's Barn.

The Foundation saved Ollie's Station from the Johnston property before it went up for sale in 2007. The Station has been restored and is on display next to Walt's Barn.

Union Pacific baggage-dormitory car 6009 1956-1970, ex. Union Pacific CP-103 1947-1956, nee Union Pacific LA-103, built by Pullman-Standard in 1941. It was retired in September 1970 and sold to J. A. Christensen in Pomona, then stored in a salvage yard in Santa Fe Springs until moved to Griffith Park in April 1986.

Union Pacific 6-6-4 sleeper 1209, nee Union Pacific 6-6-4 sleeper "National Progress", built by Pullman-Standard in 1955. It was retired in September 1970 and sold to Thomas Pearson in August 1971, became Overland Rail Travel 1209 then was stored in a salvage yard in Santa Fe Springs moved to Griffith Park in April 1986.

Crystal Springs Railroad "Dinger Belle".

The stationary steam plant.

A Santa Fe GP60 powered another train.

Los Angeles Live Steamers 4-2-4 8 came by on the departure loop.

That steam train passed me and proceeded to the track along the hillside. It had been a great visit to the LA Live Steamers then Robin and I met up and we went to our final stop of the day just up the road.

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