Customer Review of Steam in Los Gatos by Warren B. Enos
Steam in Los Gatos
On a beautiful Tuesday morning in the Summer of 2006, a highly polished black 1/3 scale 2–6–2 prairie type steam locomotive designated Number 2 worked hard to climb "Squirrel Hill" in Los Gatos, California, hauling four revenue–producing open passenger cars. It was part of the world famous Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad.
In 1939, Southern Pacific engineer, William "Billy" Jones, found the locomotive on the docks in San Francisco headed to the scrap heap. He purchased it, rebuilt it, and in 1941 started his own railroad on a ranch not far from Los Gatos. After his death in 1968, a not–for–profit Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad Corporation purchased the equipment and moved it to its present location within Oak Meadow and Vasona parks, also in Los Gatos.
The railroad has been in operation since 1970, operating trains over a mile of 18–inch gauge track. In 2005 it carried more than 115,000 riders.
In mid–2006, TSG Multimedia of San Jose, CA sent crews on–site and made an impressive full color film of this popular railroad, including the beautiful park property, rolling stock, the track with trestles, switches, and even a turntable, engine house, car barn, machine shop, and passenger station, as well as the many volunteers who work in operations, maintenance, and administrative functions.
Early in the morning diesel Engine Number 3502, sporting the green and yellow colors of the Chicago and Northwestern, moved out of the engine house, down the track to the turntable, moved into position, and assembled a three car work train that traveled to an area which suffered damage during winter storms. Volunteer track maintenance workers, using mostly picks, shovels, and brute strength, spread new ballast onto the track and tamped it firmly into place, insuring added safety and a more comfortable ride. Efforts have been made on a continuing basis to maintain the track and associated equipment to very high standards.
Diesel Locomotive 2502, painted it the Southern Pacific "Black Widow" color scheme of black, orange, red, and silver, moved onto the turntable and was coupled to a string of passenger cars for the day's revenue passenger runs. The locomotive is now used as backup for Engine Number 2. It appeared an easy task for one person to physically push a passenger car along the track, move it onto the turntable as necessary, and make up the passenger consist.
As the first passenger run of the day rolled away from the station and down the track, it came upon the returning work train waiting at the switch, producing a wonderful photo opportunity for casual observers and passengers alike. Oak Meadow and Vasona parks are often crowded with people enjoying the area and the trains.
The facilities are extensive and include an engine house, a car barn, the rolling stock, a machine shop, a wood shop, and a wide variety of tools, making it possible to build or rebuild everything from the locomotives to passenger cars and maintain all the equipment and facilities on the property. Equipment is often donated, and the financial resources needed to meet requirements come in part from ticket sales.
In the past, Engine Number 2 was fitted with a new boiler. Currently, volunteers are building a switch engine that they hope to put into service soon, a significant addition to the rolling stock. The car barn stores the open passenger cars. A close inspection of one of the cars shows a unique design to accommodate wheelchairs.
A highlight of the video shows Engine Number 2 moving out of the enginehouse and being prepared for a revenue passenger run, flags fixed to the front, everything sparkling clean and highly polished. The process of firing the boiler, taking on water, lubricating the components, systems, and subsystems, and in general making all preparations for the day's activities is sure to be of interest to those who like trains, especially steam trains.
The locomotive moved down the track, past Oak Meadow Station, through a switch, to the turntable, and arrived at the departure track with its passenger cars arranged and properly coupled. Soon the passengers were aboard, and with an audible signal the train moved away from the station, past road crossings, gaining speed, and approaching the main line switch. The passengers experienced a thrilling ride indeed.
Within just a few minutes the locomotive was moving at speed and parallel to one of the park's paved roads, through gorgeous July park scenery, both open areas with wide vistas and wooded areas as well. The locomotive, built in 1905 and weighing about four tons, the six drive wheels spinning at a fast clip, had plenty of power for the flat country and the park's hilly areas.
At one point the train crossed Los Gatos creek on a bridge made from an old flatcar. Soon the train approached "Squirrel Hill". The locomotive was working very hard to reach the summit at the trestle, but then the downgrade to the parking lot was ahead and shortly thereafter the terminus at Oak Meadow Station came into view, the end of another very interesting and pleasant steam train ride.
Warren B. Enos
Steam in Los Gatos
