The Placerville & Sacramento Valley Railroad is happy to announce the return of steam to the Placerville branch.
The Santa Cruz Portland Cement #2 also know as the “Chiggen” will be making our railroad her home. Look for special excursions during the 2020 operating season.
The #2 was built by H. K. Porter in 1909, she is a 0-4-0T steam powered locomotive. #2 was purchased in 2006 by Efstathios I. Pappas and rebuilt from the ground up. For over 30 years before it was purchased it was a billboard for a fried chicken restaurant in Stockton California. You can learn more about the #2 at its website. http://www.scpc2.com/
We would like to thank Mr. Pappas for the opportunity to run this locomotive on our line. We would also like to thank Jerry Bernau of Bernau Development Corporation for help fund moving #2 to Folsom and the City of Folsom for allowing us to bring this piece of history to our city.
We are still looking for help to fund a building to store the #2 securely and out of the weather. We are looking for sponsor ship opportunities with local businesses and individuals. Please contact us at info@psvrr.org or call us at 916-597-0107.
Heber Valley #4028 landed on Oct 30th, look for her on the line in spring 2020!
Here is a little history on the locomotive from Utahrails.net
U. S. Army RS4TC No. 4028
Built by BLH Davenport in 1954 (BLH 61258)
Built after Whitcomb merged with Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton
Part of an group of 74 units built for United States Army Transportation Corps (USATC)
Stored at Tooele Army Depot Rail Shop (at Hill Air Force Base, Utah) from about 1980 (seen at Hill AFB, Utah in July 1992, March 1993, and 1999)
Rebuilt by Tooele Army Depot (at Hill AFB) in 1986, including a Caterpillar 3508 V-8 diesel engine, EMD switch gear, and a modernized AAR brake stand; used at Hill AFB until 2003
To Heber Valley Railroad in March 2008
Repainted to a Rio Grande-inspired black and gold scheme in January 2009
Out of service for about two years
Loaded on truck and moved from Heber to California starting on October 28, 2019
Photos Courtesy Taylor Heavy Hauling.
Photos Courtesy Taylor Heavy Hauling.
We are still raising funds to pay for the remainder of the shipping costs. Your contribution will make an impact, whether you donate $5 or $500. Every little bit helps.
Placerville & Sacramento Valley Railroad is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving California’s rich railroad history. Please help us fund the shipping of this locomotive with a tax-deductible gift today.
If you are on Facebook, please donate via Facebook as they charge no fees and 100% of your donation will go to us. Or use our Square website.
Our diesel locomotive, Howard Terminal #8, suffered a major failure of its traction system while on a deadhead run to Hampton Station this past weekend.
At least one of the engine’s traction motors and one of its generators has suffered catastrophic failure, forcing us to cancel this weekend’s diesel train rides and wine tasting trains.
This is what a damaged locomotive traction motor looks like. NOTE: This is not HT8’s actual traction motor. Photo courtesy Associated Rewinds
We are now without a diesel locomotive capable of hauling our trains, and the cost to repair the damage is likely to be tens of thousands of dollars, so the historic locomotive has been sidelined indefinitely.
We need a new locomotive [anyway]
We’ve been growing rapidly, and #8 has always been too small for our needs, especially on the long, hilly, and curvy Placerville Branch on which we operate, so we’ve been searching for a locomotive that is larger and more capable than HT8 for years.
Heber Valley Railroad #4028 is a 60-ton Baldwin RS4-TC locomotive that is larger and much better-suited to our needs. Photo courtesy James Belmont.
After finding Heber Valley #4028, a larger 65-ton Baldwin RS-4-TC, for sale in 2018, we’ve been making preparations for the last several months to purchase and transport it from Heber Valley Railroad in Salt Lake City to Folsom in mid-2019.
We need your help
Our original plan to bring the engine home this summer was based on expected income from ridership donations on this spring’s train and motorcar rides, but with our diesel train now sidelined, our income will be reduced significantly, delaying our acquisition of the new locomotive.
Many of our trains were sold out in 2018.
We are now actively making arrangements to finalize the purchase and transport #4028 to Folsom as soon as possible, and we’re asking for your support to help us with the costs so we can restore train service with minimal disruption.
Please donate today
Our goal is to raise $40,000 to purchase this locomotive and transport it from Salt Lake City to Folsom.
Your contribution will make an impact, whether you donate $5 or $500. Every little bit helps.
Placerville & Sacramento Valley Railroad is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving California’s rich railroad history. Please help us fund the purchase of this locomotive with a tax-deductible gift today.
If you are on Facebook, please donate via Facebook as they charge no fees and 100% of your donation will go to us.
