Western Railroaders' Hall of Fame & Museum newsletter Return to home page

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Keeping Track

The Official Newsletter of the Western Railroaders' Hall of Fame & Museum

Volume 1, Number 2 -- Page 2 of 2

STEAM news

Reprinted with permission from STEAM Lines, Vol. 1, No. 2.

Rare Rail Motorcar Donated, Palmdale Depot's Baggage Cart Recovered

Preserved examples of Fairmont track motor cars--the "speeders" that replaced the handcar--abound at museums. We're excited because our car is a comparatively rare example, built not by Fairmont, but the Northwest Motorcar Company.

Thanks to Walter and Fannie Chase, who gave us the car and speeder flat on behalf of their friend "Engineer Bill" Kaltriter and thanks to Denise Rivera who arranged the donations. While Denise was finding the track speeder, Ed Jones located the old baggage cart from the Southern Pacific Railroad depot in Palmdale, CA. It was purchased by the Friends of STEAM for the museum.

Membership/information: Friends of STEAM/Museum of America's Freedom Trains 2720 East Palmdale Blvd., Suite 127, Palmdale, CA 93550 Fax: 805 273-9577

Friends of Bodie Railway & Lumber Co., Inc. news

Reprinted with permission from Link & Pin, Spring 1997.

Original Rolling Stock Discovered

From the President's Report:

This has been a very eventful year with much support from the local communities and friends of our future railroad.

Two of the most exciting events of this year was the finding of one of the original tenders (still with the painted Bodie and Benton Railway sign on the tender) and locating one of the lumber flat cars near the railway right of way. Imagine finding these great relics after the railroad was abandoned nearly 80 years ago.

Some of the events we participated in for fund raising were the Bridgeport 4th of July celebration, June Lake Lions Club Chili Cook-off, Lee Vinings Mark Twain Days, and the Bodie Railway's Railroad picnic.

Calendar of Bodie Railway & Lumber Co. events:
July 4: 4th of July Parade at Mammoth Lake
July 17-19: Frontier Days & Parade at June Lake
Aug 28-30: Craft Fair at June Lake

Membership/information: Friends of Bodie Railway & Lumber Co., Inc., P.O. Box 148, Lee Vining, CA 93541

Orange Empire Railway Museum news

UP Locomotive Restoration Donations Sought

The OERM is seeking donations for the restoration of former Union Pacific steam locomotive 2564 and E-unit 942. For more information, contact OERM, P.O. Box 548, Perris, CA 92572-0546.

Don't miss OERM's Railroadiana Swap Meet on March 7, 1998 and Rail Fest on April 25-26, 1998.

Owens Valley Railroad Committee

$220,000 grant approved

A $220,000 "ISTEA" grant was recently approved to restore to operating the Death Valley Railroad No. 5 motor rail car, the Laws turntable, stabilize the fuel and water towers and build a pole barn repair facility. This grant will reimburse 88% of allowable expenses. They are currently soliciting donations for the 12% matching funds.

Thanks to Max Cox for the information.

Membership/information: Bishop Museum & Historical Society at Laws, P.O. Box 734, Bishop, CA 93515

All rights are reserved.
No part of this material my be reproduced, stored in a retrival system,
or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise without the written permission of an officer of
Western Railroaders' Hall of Fame & Museum.

Mr. James G. Hogben

President

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