Our next Student Brakeman Training Class will be held on Saturday and Sunday, August 24 & 25, 2024. The class will run from 9AM to 5PM both days. Saturday will …
Our next Student Brakeman Training Class will be held on Saturday and Sunday, August 24 & 25, 2024. The class will run from 9AM to 5PM both days.
Saturday will be an all day classroom session including a final qualifying exam. The classes will be held at the “Whitehouse” in the museum’s Brightside yard located at 5550 Niles Canyon Road. All training materials and lunch will be provided on Saturday.
Sunday will be a hands on session in Brightside yard where students will get practical training and experience by moving some of the museum’s equipment around Brightside yard. Proper PPE is required including work gloves and work boots with a defined heel.
Students must attend both days of the class.
Any interested student must become a member of the Niles Canyon Railway/Pacific Locomotive Association. You may join online here.
As has been our yearly tradition for many years, the Niles Canyon Railway hosts a picnic and train ride on the 4th of July for its members and guests. This year was no exception with somewhere over 150 people in attendance. They enjoyed a great BBQ lunch in the Sunol Depot Gardens, and a train ride which took the train from Sunol all the way east to the new end of track at Happy Valley Bridge then all the way west to Niles only to then return to Sunol.
As has been our yearly tradition for many years, the Niles Canyon Railway hosts a picnic and train ride on the 4th of July for its members and guests. This year was no exception with somewhere over 150 people in attendance. They enjoyed a great BBQ lunch in the Sunol Depot Gardens, and a train ride which took the train from Sunol all the way east to the new end of track at Happy Valley Bridge then all the way west to Niles only to then return to Sunol.
We want to thank our Commissary Department and Operating Department for offering their services to make our 4th of July event a success. We also want to thank everyone that came out in support of another one of our unique volunteer events. Interested in being able to participate in events like this? Please consider joining us today.
Here are some photos of the days activities thanks to NCRy volunteers Mike Pechner, Matt Petach, and Jim Evans. All images used with permission.
Getting setup in the Sunol Gardens including our newly built mobile BBQ. Photo by Mike PechnerCorn shucking crew hard at work. Photo by Matt PetachLunch is served with a helping of great conversation… Photo by Jim EvansOur Commissary Leader, Doug Debs, on the right talks things over with one of our members. Doug puts a HUGE amount of effort into our picnics, and he deserves an extra special thank you for all of his hard work. Photo by Jim EvansServing up lunch… Photo by Jim EvansLunch is served… Photo by Jim EvansLunch is served… Photo by Jim EvansSeveral awards are given out at the picnic each year. Volunteer, Mark Whitman, was the recipient of the Whistle Award for all of his contributions to the organization including leading our tree trimming team and Train of Lights parking team. Photo by Matt PetachVolunteer, Bob Pratt, was given the Volunteer of the Year award by PLA President, Henry Baum, for all of his contributions across the organization. Photo by Matt PetachGroup photo of many of the participants. Hard to get everyone together! Photo by Matt PetachTime for a train ride… Photo by Mike PechnerHeading east… Photo by Mike PechnerVerona Road going under the Union Pacific… Photo by Mike PechnerNewly ballasted and hardened track out east… Photo by Mike PechnerHappy Valley Bridge in sight at MP 39… Photo by Mike PechnerPulling up to Happy Valley Bridge… Photo by Mike PechnerConductor, Warren Haack, calls for a quick brake test after changing locomotives before heading west… Photo by Mike PechnerSP #5623 at Happy Valley Bridge… Photo by Mike PechnerSP#5623 at Happy Valley Bridge looking west… Photo by Mike PechnerThe train ready to head back west at MP 39… Photo by Mike PechnerLong time volunteer, Steve Coon, was able to join the festivities. Steve has been making a great recovery after a recent accident while working on some home repairs. We were glad to have Steve back with us! Photo by Matt PetachHeaded west to Niles… Photo by Mike Pechner
As we write this on April 23, 2024, we ironically find that it is World Book Day, and a book is something we are searching for. Read on to learn more about our quest to find an original Great Northern Ranch Car recipe book.
As we write this on April 23, 2024, we ironically find that it is World Book Day, and a book is something we are searching for. For over a year, our NCRy/PLA President, Henry Baum, has been meticulously working his way through the restoration of the kitchen in our Great Northern Railway Ranch Car ‘Hidden Lake’. From countless hours cleaning the stainless to repairing items around the kitchen, Henry’s work is now getting down to some of the smaller details.
We recently found him hanging the kitchen’s recipe book holder back up after being cleaned as shown in the lead photo above. The only problem, we do not have a recipe book to put into it. So… Our quest is underway to see if we can find an original Great Northern Railway recipe book for the Ranch Cars of which there were five built in 1951 by American Car & Foundry.
In the meantime, we wondered what recipes one may find in such a recipe book. Well, here is clue. Recently one of our volunteers, Chris Hauf, found an original GN Ranch Car Menu for sale on eBay and purchased as part of our growing collection of historical info on the car. Here it is!
The menu cover which is folded in half to form the menu as presented to a diner.The inside of the menu.
So what can we order? A Plate Meal of Meat or Fish with potatoes and another vegetable along with a cup of soup, bread & butter and pie or ice cream for dessert with a drink of coffee, tea or milk included all for $1.60! Various sandwiches are available all for less than $1.00 each along with Chuck Wagon Beef Stew for $1.35. Various salads and desserts are also offered including Pie Ala Mode where the type of pie is unknown. It appears this menu was introduced in May of 1954 based on the form code. Our Steward for this day on this particular car was Mr. Ken McCausland.
This at least gives us some idea of some of the items which may have been prepared or at least finished in the kitchen of the Hidden Lake early in its service life where undoubtedly the offerings changed over time in the combination lunch counter and seated lounge car.
So our quest for the recipe book continues. Have information or something to share, please Contact Us. We would love to hear from you whether it is another version of the menu to share, experiences on a Ranch car either as an employee or a passenger or maybe the small chance that you have a recipe book we could have or could duplicate.
Thanks for coming along on our quest for a book on this World Book Day! We hope someday to again be able to serve some of these dishes along with a cup of coffee stirred with a replica GN Ranch Car stir stick (anyone able to help us make repros?) to you as you ride the Hidden Lake on our Niles Canyon Railway. Donations to keep the work moving forward are also always welcome.
An original Great Northern coffee stir stick from a Ranch Car. Collection of Chris HaufA wide view of the kitchen which is nearing completion and just prior to the re-hanging of the recipe book holder. Image by: Chris Hauf – Used with permission
On Saturday, April 6, 2024 after a several month hiatus, our Build East Construction Crew gathered back to start laying track east of Happy Valley Bridge. Along with a side trip to and from Brightside yard to the work site for a thank you lunch, the crew was able to get 6 track panels put into place adding nearly 200 feet of new track
On Saturday, April 6, 2024 after a several month hiatus, our Build East Construction Crew gathered back to start laying track east of Happy Valley Bridge. Along with a side trip to and from Brightside yard to the work site for a thank you lunch, the crew was able to get 6 track panels put into place adding nearly 200 feet of new track.
Here are some photos of the work that day in chronological order you can watch at the length of track grows. If you are interested in helping, Build East takes place the first Saturday of each month and more details can be found on our Volunteer page. You can also always Contact Us with any questions as well.
Loosening spikes. The panel track we are using for this portion has the panel to panel joints not staggered so one rail is loosened, slid a few feet to allow the joints to be staggered.Getting restarted after lunch with two panels down already.Driving bolts into the joint bars that connect the rails. Fetching another panel with the museum’s Burro crane.View from the west side of Happy Valley Bridge looking east.Panel incoming.Rolling over Happy Valley.Placing the panel.Setting the gap between the rails.Setting the gap between the rails.Some of the spikes are real fighters!Assembling another joint.Sometimes… Bigger hammer!Sliding the rail.Discussing the work.Three panels down.Fourth panel incoming.Rail clamp used to slide the south rail.Some old fashioned track lining.Driving track bolts. Newer battery operated 1 inch impact wrenches make the work much simpler. This was originally done with long open end wrenches.Where we are headed and making progress…Fifth panel incoming.Sixth panel being fetched from the stockpile.
On October 8th, 2023, one of our trains departed Sunol with a load of Boy Scouts on board to carry out an Eagle Scout project to help bring more blooms to our Niles Canyon. Here is the story from what became the Mudball Express as recounted by Niles Canyon Railway volunteer, Jason Pate.
On October 8th, 2023, one of our trains departed Sunol with a load of Boy Scouts on board to carry out an Eagle Scout project to help bring more blooms to our Niles Canyon. Here is the story from what became the Mudball Express as recounted by Niles Canyon Railway volunteer, Jason Pate.
Becoming an eagle scout is no small feat. After many years of climbing the ranks, a community service project must be completed by those desiring to become eagles. After completing the Railroading Merit Badge at Niles Canyon Railway, Alex Clayson (Troop 199, Warm Springs, Fremont) decided to do his project along the right of way. Alex has spread native seeds ,”in order to increase the robustness of our ecosystem”. Clayson started his research last spring when he boarded a train with 2 local biologists to survey the canyon. He did this to insure that the seeds being spread would be Bay Area native wildflower seeds. Alex then acquired 7lbs of native seeds!
Along with volunteers, they mixed a pinch of seeds with Sunol clay and compost to form small seed balls. There were many seed balling sessions with nearly 6000 seed balls being produced.
Seed balls all ready to be tossed from the train. Photo by Jason Pate – Used with permission
On October 8, the train left Sunol loaded with all 300lbs of seed balls. Troop 199 tossed out many seed balls along 84 in Sunol. When we got near Vallejo Mills, other volunteers of all ages tossed seedballs into the flatter areas which got good sunlight.
Ready, aim, fire! Seed balls are tossed from the train. Photos by Jason Pate – Used with permission
The train did a runaround in Niles and returned to Sunol. By the time we were back, all the balls had been spread containing 13 different species of native flowers like Lupines and Clarkias. In this project, about 413 service hours were worked. Now, Clayson will complete his paperwork and do a Board of Review to obtain his Eagle, which only 6.5% of scouts have ever done (Long Beach BSA).
Alex Clayson enjoys the ride after all of his hard work creating the “Mudball Express” Photo by Jason Pate – Used with permission
The Pacific Locomotive Association and our Niles Canyon Railway would like to thank Alex, Troop 199, and all volunteers involved for their efforts in this amazing ecological restoration project. Also, thanks to Bob Pratt for coordinating the event for NCRY.
The canyon is continuing to come into bloom, and we hope you will join us for one of our April and May second and third weekend rides. More information and links to purchase your tickets at the button below.
Taken on April 6, 2024 of our M200 railcar heading into Sunol, we can start to see blooms! We hope you will join us to hopefully see more of the results of the Mudball Express. Image by Christopher Hauf – Used with permission
Our recent collaboration with the Knight Foundry to have them cast some new brake shoes for our steam locomotive, Clover Valley Lumber Co. #4, along with some other parts for the restoration of Southern Pacific steam locomotive was recently featured on a piece by Joe Rosato Jr of NBC Bay Area.
Our recent collaboration with the Knight Foundry to have them cast some new brake shoes for our steam locomotive, Clover Valley Lumber Co. #4, along with some other parts for the restoration of Southern Pacific steam locomotive was recently featured on a piece by Joe Rosato Jr of NBC Bay Area.
You can also find more information on our collaboration with images taken by our own volunteer, Christopher Hauf, during the casting event at Knight Foundry on our blog.
We are excited about this collaboration with the first parts already on hand in our steam shop where our crews can work on final machining the rough castings so they can be ultimately installed on the #4 which turned 100 years old this March.
The Niles Canyon Railway (NCRy) will host a special birthday celebration to commemorate 100 years of service of its restored and operating steam locomotive, Clover Valley Lumber Co. #4 on Saturday March 2, 2024 starting at 10:30AM. The locomotive has served most of its life working in the state of California and has been part of the museum’s collection since 1973; just over one half of its life after being built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, PA in March of 1924.
A birthday party for Clover Valley Lumber Co. #4
The Niles Canyon Railway (NCRy) will host a special birthday celebration to commemorate 100 years of service of its restored and operating steam locomotive, Clover Valley Lumber Co. #4 on Saturday March 2, 2024 starting at 10:30AM. The locomotive has served most of its life working in the state of California and has been part of the museum’s collection since 1973; just over one half of its life after being built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, PA in March of 1924.
A ceremony will be held at 10:30 AM at the railroad’s restored Sunol railroad station and will include photo/video opportunities of operations of the locomotive and speeches commemorating the history and significance of the locomotive.
Starting around noon, the museum will host a series of short, open to the public rides on its passenger train from Sunol to the museum’s Brightside yard and return. These rides will allow the media and public to experience the #4 in operation. We hope riders will purchase a ticket and return to ride one of the museum’s regularly scheduled weekend train rides between Sunol, CA and Niles (City of Fremont), CA, held typically on the second and third weekend of each month from February through October. We have also added an extra Sunday ride day behind the #4 of March 3rd!
The Niles Canyon Railway is the only museum and tourist railroad that runs on the original and best-preserved alignment of the Transcontinental Railroad now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The NCRy is operated solely by a group of dedicated volunteers.
The event is open to the public.
Saturday, March 2, 2024 Ceremony 10:30-11:30 AM Free for all to attend Rides starting around noon and ending at 3:30PM
The short rides for this special day are free on a first come/first served basis, but a donation toward the Niles Canyon Railway’s Steam Department’s ongoing maintenance and restoration efforts is encouraged. The museum is currently restoring the 1901-built Southern Pacific Railroad steam locomotive #1744 to operation via an extensive multi-year restoration effort.
The event will be held at our Sunol Station located at 6 Kilkare Road. Our Sunol station has parking in our lot with additional parking across the street from the station. The event will take place rain or shine.
Interested media may view our press release available in our Media Center.
Can’t make it on the 2nd, we have plenty of Sundays across March, April and May to ride behind steam and Saturdays with diesel power. Please visit our 2024 Rides Page for more info and to buy your tickets to come ride with us.
Steam locomotive, Clover Valley Lumber Co. #4, pulls a Niles Canyon passenger train in February 2024 east across Farwell Bridge on its way to the museum’s Sunol, CA train station where passengers will disembark after the 1.5 hour round trip train ride through Niles Canyon. Locomotive #4 will turn 100 years old in March of 2024. Photograph by: Christopher Hauf – Niles Canyon Railway
Operating historical railroad equipment comes with many complications; one being the availability or lack thereof of spare and consumable parts like cast iron brake shoes for steam engines. With members that volunteer at both museums, a wonderful collaboration between our Niles Canyon Railway and the Knight Foundry in Sutter Creek, CA, came to being.
Operating historical railroad equipment comes with many complications; one being the availability or lack thereof of spare and consumable parts like cast iron brake shoes for steam engines. With members that volunteer at both museums, a wonderful collaboration between our Niles Canyon Railway and the Knight Foundry in Sutter Creek, CA, came to being.
The Knight Foundry is a preserved late 1800s foundry and machine shop. It is the last of its kind to be fully water powered. The foundry remains active in casting and offered to help cast new brakes shoes for our steam locomotive. This process took place on January 20, 2024 with members of our NCRy on site to watch and document the process from start to finish.
A great collaboration, and a place to put on your places to visit in CA. The Knight Foundry offer tours twice a month of this historical gem, and more info can be found on their website. Thanks to the members of the Knight Foundry for their collaboration!
Here is a gallery of images of the cast iron pouring event on January 24, 2024.
All images by Christopher R. Hauf. Used with permission.
The view from the blast furnace charging deck of the Knight Foundry as their team of volunteers was getting ready to do a cast iron pour that included brake shoes for our Niles Canyon Railway and other shoes for Railtown among other items for their museum.The view from the blast furnace charging deck of the Knight Foundry as their team of volunteers was getting ready to do a cast iron pour that included brake shoes for our Niles Canyon Railway and other shoes for Railtown among other items for their museum.The sand cast molds for our brake shoes are ready and waiting for the iron to be melted and poured as visitors look on.The Knight Foundry buildings. The first building is the foundry and the buildings connected to it are the historic machine shop.The blast furnace charging deck where coke and iron materials are loaded through the door in the furnace chimney near the floor. On this day, the iron was coming from recycled brake rotors.With “suitcase weights” placed on the and collars around them to hold the two-part molds together, the brake shoes molds wait for the pour.Along with our brake shoes, the foundry was also casting different items needed by the museum and of interest to their volunteers like these small Knight Foundry anvils seen as the two-part mold or cast flask where the bottom is called the drag and the top is called the cope. Pots and other cookware were also being cast among some of the items.The coke is the blast furnace is getting to the point where the iron could soon be put into the furnace.The charging team works on the charge deck to make sure the levels inside the blast furnace are at the proper height. The “charges” which were cut up brake rotors were all measured on out on the floor, so they knew exactly how much to put in each time to get a proper amount of molten iron out to fill the ladle for pouring.Pouring the brake shoe molds. Two people handle the ladle while a third holds back the slag from coming out of the ladle on to the mold.More items are poured by the three-person team while the fourth member has a shovel with sand to cover any spills.Pouring the brake shoe molds. Two people handle the ladle while a third holds back the slag from coming out of the ladle on to the mold.Liquid cast iron leaves the blast furnace and is poured to the ladle which is the transferred by a hand operated crane to be poured.Breaking the plug… The exit path for the molten iron is formed in clay and is also plugged with clay to stop the flow. Here the clay plug is broken to allow for the molten metal to flow. A new plug will be placed when enough material has left the furnace.Pouring the brake shoe molds. Two people handle the ladle while a third holds back the slag from coming out of the ladle on to the mold.More molds are poured.Pouring the brake shoe molds. Two people handle the ladle while a third holds back the slag from coming out of the ladle on to the mold.After the pour, the foundry is full of wood smoke from burnt forms and supports.After the pour, the foundry is full of wood smoke from burnt forms and supports.The steam locomotive brake shoe pattern that the Knight Foundry made for our shoes. These are using the sand cast process to form the cavity for the material.
Update 3/26/2024
Learn even more about this collaboration in the great piece from Joe Rosato Jr. of NBC Bay Area.
Typically you find that many parts of restoring steam locomotives are never easy or simple. Take the task of re-drilling just one hole in Southern Pacific #1744’s frame. What sounds quite simple was just the opposite.
Typically you find that many parts of restoring steam locomotives are never easy or simple. Take the task of re-drilling just one hole in Southern Pacific #1744’s frame. What sounds quite simple was just the opposite.
With most of the suspension for the main drivers removed from the locomotive’s frame, it was determined that one of the mounting points that would hold a pin to hold a spring pack for the drivers had become worn and oval over the locomotive’s 100+ years of service. It was decided this needed to be repaired.
So… Our welder, John B., completed the process of filling the oval hole back up with weld to the point where there would be enough new metal to drill a round hole of the proper diameter out again. You can see him here starting the process of filling in the oblong hole which is about 4 inches wide as it is the same width as the 1744’s frame.
With the hole welded up, the next challenge was creating a mobile machining rig capable of drilling the hole. Our machinist, Art R., jumped in and over several weeks developed, testing and refined a drilling rig to handle the job.
On Saturday, January 13th, everyone was ready, the rig was mounted and even in part welded to the frame, and the hole cutting process was successfully undertaken over the course of a few hours. Here is a gallery of images of the work.
All photos and videos except as noted by Christopher Hauf – Used with permission
The rig in mounted through the engineer’s spring hanger hole and runs to the other side of the frame where the new hole is to be cut.The cutter, the drive shaft and the mount which was both clamped and welded.Machinist, Art R., who developed this machining setup watches carefully as he controls the mag drill providing the power.Mag drill being used as the power source for this drilling rig.The drilling continues carefully…The drilling shaft supported by two ball bearing pillow blocks on custom mounts.The cutter working through the weld filled hole.Art checks the progress to insure the hole is machining properly. It was…Welder, John B., keeps an eye as the cutter is about to be reinserted to continue the multi-inch hole as evidenced by the width of the frame member.More inspection…And more inspection…Cutting away…John keeps a close eye on things; supplying lubrication as needed.John keeps a close eye on things; supplying lubrication as needed.Art controls the mag drill which has an electromagnetic base to help it grip to the 1744’s frame.The final cut hole!The new fireman’s side hole perfectly lined up with the engineer’s side hole on the other side of the frame. Mission accomplished!The cutter breaking through… Success! Video courtesy of John Blaine – Used with permission
See the drilling rig in action in this short video…
With the hole complete, the team can look at starting the process of re-installing some of the 1744’s spring packs so ultimately its rebuild drivers can be placed back under the locomotive.
Please consider a donation today to help us keep this work moving forward.
After 28 operating nights, 25,000+ riders and the contributions of over 150 different volunteers giving thousands of hours of volunteer time, the 2023 Train of Lights season has come to an end. As we head into the New Year and our 2024 operating season, we wanted to take a chance to thank everyone for their support of our largest annual fundraiser.
After 28 operating nights, 25,000+ riders and the contributions of over 150 different volunteers giving thousands of hours of volunteer time, the 2023 Train of Lights season has come to an end. As we head into the New Year and our 2024 operating season, we wanted to take a chance to thank everyone for their support of our largest annual fundraiser.
We thought we would share some images of the train, our riders and our volunteers along with a video of the train running through the canyon at different locations. We did not do another walk through video this year, but we are also sharing last year’s walk-through in case people are interested.
See the 2023 Train of Lights in action…
See the 2023 Train of Lights as it traverses up and down Niles Canyon.
Images from the 2023 Train of Lights
All images by Christopher Hauf – Used with permission
Walk through the Train of Lights…
Walk through the 2022 Train of Lights.
Thanks for the incredible support! Did not get to ride the Train of Lights or want to experience one of our regular train rides between diesel and even a steam locomotive, please check out our 2024 Train Rides.
