The train was composed of the vintage 1927 Baldwin Locomotive Works Santa Fe 3751, a 4-8-4 wheel arrangement, the SBRHS Railway Express baggage tool car, the newly restored sleeper car Pacific Sands, ex-Southern Pacific lounge car Overland Trail, and ex-Canadian Pacific Royal Canadian Mounted Police stock car Pony Express.  The train was run from Amtrak's Redondo roundhouse through the Alameda Corridor and finally onto the Pacific Harbor Line in the Port of Los Angeles.  It was parked at Harbor Boulevard and 6th Street, just across from the Los Angeles Maritime Museum.

   

   

   

The educational outreach program was staffed by volunteers from the San Bernardino Railroad Historical Society, Operation Lifesaver and the private railroad car owners.  The school children arrived by various means including walking and bus.  Students were directed to the last car of the train, Pony Express, where they received a presentation by a member of Operation Lifesaver regarding highway-rail grade crossing safety.


Pony Express was built in 1941 in Montreal Canada as a baggage/express car with beautifully curved sides. It is an open car and up to two school classes could be seated on the floor.  After the half hour Operation Lifesaver segment, volunteer Nancy Fengler, used a laptop computer and projector for a lesson on modern railroads, including types of trains and local railroad companies. The differences were explained between long distance and commuter passenger trains, and also the different types of freight trains such as general freight and specialized container intermodal trains.


Next, the class was moved into the next car forward, Overland Trail, a vintage 1949 lounge car with the only operating barber shop in the country.  In the 39 seat Streamline Moderne main salon, Betty Campbell delivered a history lesson about the development of the United States through the expansion of the railroads and the transcontinental railroad which opened up the West.  One interesting fact in this segment was the use of railroads during the U. S. civil war.  The great locomotive chase was covered as well as the ceremony at Promontory Point.  The Overland Trail crew was dressed in 1950's uniforms as Conductor and Stewardess.     






The next educational location was on to a platform to view the steam locomotive cab and also to a tent outside the locomotive to get a lesson in science.  SBRHS engineers and volunteers explained the operation of the steam locomotive cab.  Steam locomotives are complicated to operate compared to modern diesel-electric locomotives.  They were also extremely labor intensive for maintenance.  Even though some modern railroads employ a fireman, he has no fire to control.  The 3751, once a coal burner was converted by the Santa Fe to consume bunker oil.  There are many gauges and sight tubes for liquids.  The steam locomotive engineer had a very small window in front of him and an openable window to his right.  They did not have great sight forward with 40 feet of locomotive ahead of him.  At the science table, Wolf Fengler explained the difference between base and acid solutions to the students.  This is important in the operation of a steam locomotive boiler.  Water must be kept at the proper ph level to avoid corrosion of the boiler interior and other steam pipes in the boiler.  Steam locomotives had such safety concerns as running low on water which could cause a boiler explosion.  A flat driver wheel was a lenthy process to remove and replace.  Modern diesel shops have drop pits to remove and replace traction motors and wheel sets.

Photo by Richard Elgenson