The Great Western Railroad Museum released a list of rolling stock available for immediate sale this morning. Most of the equipment is passenger cars and ex-McCloud River maintenance-of-way equipment currently stored in McCloud, CA, but four of the items on the list constitute the current Yreka Western excursion train, which (as noted on this board previously) is not running this year due to financial problems created by the closure of Tunnel 13 on the Central Oregon & Pacific, which has caused the tiny road to lose most of it's freight business. Four of the cars on the list are one flatcar (converted to an open-air passenger car) and three Harriman style coaches that are located in Yreka, CA. The flat car and two of the coaches have formed three fourths of the Yreka's recent excursion fleet, with the fourth car being an ex-McCloud River, nee-Great Northern half open caboose. The third coach has not been sitting behind the Yreka shop building for as long as I can remember. The YW leased this equipment from the Great Western organization; it appears now that unless the company can step forward and purchase the equipment (not likely) it will be sold and go elsewhere, meaning that the road will have to go shopping for new excursion equipment in the future if they are able to resume passenger operations. There are a pair of ex-Milwaukee coaches that were on the road last I knew, but they do not appear to have been used in the last couple years. Ironhorseman...can you comment on this? JDLX Elko, NV
Bummer! If this equipment is sold, how difficult will it be in the future, for the YW to restart passenger service? Boxcab E50
I have not heard anything about this, but I'll look into it. By any chance does Fred Kepner own the Great Western Railroad Museum? If not .. who are they?
Jeff, I am suprised and saddened to hear the news about the YW. I never figured that it would ever come to this. Also Bill, If Fred does indeed own the GW that could be the reason for the sale. I have a long history with Fred and his mother. Not a good history just a long history. Shannon WP LIVES (so does the ATSF)
Great Western Railroad Museum is Fred's organization. As noted by some others, the cars on the YW currently ride on friction bearing trucks...which means they can't be interchanged unless they are put on flatcars or trucked out. JDLX Elko, NV