After many years of sitting at the Santa Clara Fairgrounds, I see that SP engine 2479 has been moved to the Niles Canyon Railroad Museum for restoration.
I'm not a member of NCRR, but have seen some activity around the engine this week. There is a posting on the NCRR web site about this engine. A link to their Aug 2022 news letter tells the story: https://www.ncry.org/wp-conten...Car_HighRes_2208.pdf
RAY
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Very interesting. Thanks for posting this, Ray.
The railroad had sister engine 2472 for many years. For reasons that no one would explain to me, the Niles canyon railway club and the club that owned 2472 were constantly at loggerheads. It seemed to me that both clubs should have embraced the synergy, but apparently it was not there.
Hopefully 2479 will fare much better.
What I heard, although I can not verify, is that 2472 was moved out of Nile because they needed room for SP 2479. Niles Canyon also has SP 2-6-0 number 1744 which they are hoping to put back into service - most likely before the 4-6-2 number 2479.
SP 2472 was moved to Schellville Ca, (northern Ca in the wine country) and is located at the Northwestern Pacific Railroad. The engine was overhauled last year with the hopes of running excursions in the Sonoma and Marin area.
In fact, 2472 was scheduled to run excursions over labor Day weekend this next month, but it was found that some bridges would not support the weight of 2472. So the owners of 2472, Golden Gate Railroad Museum, had to cancel this for now. Hopefully, other arrangements can be made to run her again on a main line soon.
I saw 2472 in excursion service several times from San Francisco to San Jose. And in 1991, when she went to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the California RR Museum, I shot photos and video of her run through San Jose.
RAY
PS Yes, the last photo is of me in the cab!
Wow! I rode on that train and had lunch in San Jose.
We both had dark hair back in those days. 
Access to this requires an OGR Forum Supporting Membership
