Only a few hours left... Anybody go, any pics?? Historic Locomotive to Steam up Saturday California State Parks, the Timber Heritage Association and the North Coast Redwood Interpretive Association will sponsor the June steam-up of historic early day locomotives at Fort Humboldt State Historic Park on Saturday. The event will take place at the park between 10:00 and 16:00. Participants can observe the engineer and brakeman operate the Falk and Bear Harbor steam locomotives and ride in an open-air car through Fort Humboldt. Admission, parking and train rides are free. Additionally, the park's bookstore, operated by North Coast Redwood Interpretive Association, will be open with all Eureka and Humboldt County books on sale in commemoration of Eureka's 150th birthday. The Falk, a “gypsy” type locomotive, was purchased by Noah Falk in San Francisco and shipped to Arcata, where it was first used at the Dolly Varden Mill until 1885. In 1886 it was moved to Falk, Calif., for use on the Elk River Mill & Lumber Co. railroad. The Falk was retired in 1927 and was given Eureka for use in a 1936 Fourth of July parade. It was then displayed at Fort Humboldt and given to the State of California when the military fort became a state park. The gypsy Bear Harbor Lumber Co. train was purchased new in 1892 and was used to haul tanbark to the wharf at Bear Harbor. The railroad operated until 1905 when the mill owner was killed in a freak accident. The locomotive was donated to the state of California, sat outside at Fort Humboldt until 1972. It was rebuilt in 1979. - The Eureka Times-Standard
