I've heard rumor of a move over UP, by Museum equipment. Anyone out there have a camera, and captured this event? Know what they were hauling back and forth? Boxcab E50
Hey Boxcab, From what I understand and may someone correct me, UP has asked that all museum trains be kept secret so as not to create safety problems with fans trying to photograph these moves. As for whats moving, I heard it was GP WP707. Should be the trip to pick up the steamer in the bay area that the WPRM is aquiring.
Odd policy coming from a railroad that runs its steam locomotives on excursion trips each year.......don't hear them squawking about safety problems with fans then.
I believe this is what they are goin to pick up: http://www.wplives.org/PRM_Home/Locomotives/WP_165/wp_165.html
Cal HW 70 thruogh the Fether River Canyon is a two lane road with only a few passing lanes. It does have wide shoulders, howerever. When Steam is in the Canyon, the Highway Patrol is really active because of the nature of the road. Traffic may indeed be a UP concern
Yes UP has asked to keep it quiet. There have been a few close calls with railfans running across the road to take pictures and normal traffic zipping by on HWY 70. The museum is using WP 707, WP F9B 926(?) and WP 2001. The move entails equipment transfer from the Golden Gate RR museum in San Francisco to the PLA in Niles Canyon and back to Portola. Also some UP equipment bound for Cheyenne Wyoming will be moved also. We will be bringing the WP 0-6-0 switcher back to Portola on flat cars along with some SP commuter subs for use on the new V&T in Virginia City NV. While some of you might not like Trainorders.com, there will probably be pictures of the move posted there first. Greg
If you have not seen it already check out what it took just to get it out of the Park in 2003. http://www.pleasantonmodelrr.org/newsletter/wp165move.htm Brad
Somebody in the Parks and Recreation dept. thought it would look nice. That will be one of the first things we take care of when it gets to Portola. Greg
Pictures of the museum move are up on Railpictures. http://www.railpictures.net Do a search for most recent Western Pacific pics. Brad
Had to either be a female. Or someone who'd spent too much time at places like Disneyland. Boxcab E50
HEY!!! Disneyland has their engines painted very authentically. In fact Walt would have had it no other way. I'm not surprised UP made that requirment. When I made my trip up the canyon last October I found it very hard to get good shots without causing potential traffic problems. Luckily there's a turnout near the Keddie wye or there'd be a lot of railfan deaths there every year. Now if only it were on the other side of the road.
I'm not surprised either, and I think the safety concerns were not about the canyon but the move down the SF peninsula and through the Bay Area. And it arrived, if anyone was wondering; I was in Portola about two weeks ago.
