As some of you know, the 1915 Baldwin 2-8-2 Mikado of the YWRR has not run for the past couple of years due to a host of problems. Those problems have been pretty much taken care of to date, and the old locomotive has been undergoing renovation to her boiler to bring her up to FRA standards. We expect FRA certification by the end of March. In addition to the boiler work, a team will start working on the bearings on the Main Rods and Side Rods early in April. Then the real work begins to install the lagging, plumbing, boiler barrel skin .. etc. We are hoping to have her up and running by the 6th of June, but there's so much work to be done that we need volunteers to help. We need help, regardless if you have experience or not. If you can do nothing else, you can paint and clean. We also need someone, (a wood worker) to rebuild the doors and put in a new floor in the cab. If you are interested in helping, contact me at: yrekawesternrr@snowcrest.net, Attn. Bill Killion , or leave me a private message here on Trainboard. Hope to see some of you here, soon.
Bill, that's good news. Wish I lived closer. I could move down there for a while but I think Sharon would veto that operation. We have a little work to do around here too.
Wish I was near. I'd be happy to help. It's great to know she'll breathe again! Looking forward to reports, and photos! Boxcab E50
I have been taking some pics of the work being done to the boiler. I'll get them in here as soon as they are finished working on her. Tubes are supposed to be installed, rolled and beaded today.
I wish I could get up there and help, but I've been busy with college, swimming, and music lessons. I save up enough money I would like to do that Rent-A-Locomotive program you guys are starting. Will the "rental area" be on that track the runs towards the south past the yard?
Yes Tim .. that's the rail. It has a run-around and the student can move a couple of cars if he/she wishes to do so.
Bill- back in August that track was plugged full of chip racks and hoppers. I take it all of those are already gone, or will be soon? Jeff Moore Elko, NV
How has business been, since the tunnel re-opened? Has it climbed back to near pre-fire levels? Boxcab E50
What days of the week do you guys work on this project?? The weather she is a changing so can make it down there soon!! JIM
Jeff - yes, the cars are all gone now. It seems it's either feast or famine for cars! Boxcab - The YWRR is back where it was, if not better than before the fire. Jim - We have not yet begun to work as the boiler contractor is still doing her thing. I figure it will be after the first of April. PM me your e-mail address and I'll notify you when we are ready to go. Thanks.
Bill- Martin Hansen is reporting over on Trainorders that the #19 WILL NOT run this year, that it may run again someplace, but that someplace WILL NOT be the YW. Can you comment on this? Martin says he is relying on very good information that is not public... Jeff Moore Elko, NV
Jeff - I have been told the 19 will be pulling the Blue Goose Steam Excursion train, and is expected to be operational by 1 June 2006. The boiler work has been completed. Now they are working on replacing the studs on the steam dome, safety valve mounting and turret manifold in the cab. Additionally, Mr. Hammond is having the bearings on the driver and side rods rebuilt. While the rods are off, a crew is polishing the siderods, etc and they really look spiffy! There's lots of work to do yet so I'll have to sort of wait and see if it's going to run by 1 June. I hope so. Oh yeah ... he is returning the lubrication of the driver / side rods back to the heavy block grease. That should help keep the 19 quite abit cleaner. The zerk-lube grease that was used before would get flung all over the place! Additionally, Mr. Hammond has spent a ton of money on getting the rails in shape to support the 19. Unless there's something else going on that I do not know about, the 19 will be working at YWRR. Stay tuned!
I have been taking some photos. I have not been going over the hill to Yreka too often due to the high cost of gasoline ($3.279 here) and it's about a 30 mile drive to the railroad. I am going to try and get there this weekend, that's when the siderod bearing people are supposed to be back.
Things are starting to come into focus. Bob Larson posted the following earlier today on the northwestrails Yahoo! group: "There are a number of Court Cases filed in the Siskiyou County Court system that could hit the Yreka Western Railroad real hard. Checking with court records the Yreka Western Railroad has been ordered by the court to pay the former receiver of the railroad O. J Labaron $20,000 for his work when the entire railroad was in receivership.(Case # SCSCCVPT040002038). Also on file is a claim by the CPA Ross P. Singleton: Case # MCYKCVG1060000417, and the Lebaron Family Limited Partnership: Case # SCSCCVCV060000036. The amounts of money that the Yreka Western owes seems to be large and summed together could be in excess of $100,000.00 plus. Also a note of record, O.J Lebaron has attached some of the earnings that come from Yreka Western's only shipper "Timber Products". This is in reference to the Court Judgement that has ordered Yreka Western to pay. Yreka Western Railroad also owes "Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad" for track work done on the line. Other claims are starting to come in, some have been settled before court action. But the above cases do have some teeth to them that could bring the railroad to full stop. All of the information listed here is in Public Record at the Siskiyou County Courthouse in Yreka." Interesting development. Jeff Moore Elko, NV
All I can say, Jeff, is yesterday Mr. Hammond and I sat down and found a solution to our negotiations about what my wage would be as an employee. He hired me and I will be one of the persons running the steam locomotive and will be known as 'Steam Operations Mgr'. I am not, however, not privy to the financial status of the YWRR. I can only say a whole bunch of money has been spent on rolling stock and roadbed to run it on. I don't think that would be the case if there was any chance of not being able to operate this season. That would not only be disasterous for the YWRR, but also the community's businesses, all of whom are gearing up for the flux of tourism.
