Our Niles Canyon Railway was recently informed that we are the recipient of a 2023 John H. Emery Rail Heritage Trust grant in the amount of $31,000 to be used toward the manufacture of new staybolts, staybolt sleeves and staybolt caps for the boiler of our Southern Pacific #1744. This was the largest of the 19 grants awarded this year.
This grant adds to over $35,000 already raised for the boiler components starting with Giving Tuesday last November to give us just over $67,000 raised in the past 5 months! The NCRy has a goal of raising $75,000 total in 2023 for this project although we have now stretched that goal to $125,000. This will allow us to cover not only the manufacture, but some of the installation of the staybolts into the boiler by our boiler contractor, Stockton Locomotive Works.
We are still actively fundraising for this work. We thank those of you who may have already given and ask those who may not have made a donation to please consider one soon. Tax deductible donations in any amount can be made via our website on our Donation page. Additionally, checks made out to the Pacific Locomotive Association may be sent to: Pacific Locomotive Association,SP#1744 Restoration, P.O. Box 515, Sunol, CA 94586-0515
We want to thank the John H. Emery Rail Heritage Trust with this grant; the second the NCRy has received in the past several years. Previously they gave us $10,000 for the men’s bathroom restoration in our Southern Pacific twin-unit coach. We greatly appreciate their support, and the recognition of the hard work of the volunteers of the Niles Canyon Railway!
Photo by: Chris Hauf – Used with permission