If you skip through the boards and find the together again event, there are links to the Ranch and pictures from the Carolwood event. At the event, the combine was hitched to her 4 sisters from RETLAW1. By far the restoration of the combine was the most impressive. One of the cars was restored, but looked nothing like the combine. One car was so bad off, it was closed off for rides. One of the cars was renamed and the heraldry changed from Santa Fe and Disneyland to Santa Margarita's herald. That really broke my heart to see.

They also have CK Holliday's tender on the siding. The Mexican coach looks like what you would expect from years of weathering. They are doing the best they can and can't be begrudged for their efforts. It costs a lot of money to run a private railroad and even more to maintain and build new sheds for it all. I am sure they would love a donation to aid them in their efforts. The family was very gracious to us at the event and it was a pleasure to meet them.

Consider joining the Carolwood Pacific Historical Society to stay in the loop about events related to the trains.

Cks tender and Kisolo loco belong to San Luis Obispo RR museum. The Kislo is no longer located on the ranch and if any of you see its bell out there it was recently stolen from the museum. It was locked in a box car with 1/2 inch hardened chain and someone cut through it and it was right by the door. We have checked all scrap dealers ebay and local CL no luck. As for the ranch they are down to 1 loco and 2 diesels both Apache Powders. The Mexican car is sitting and rotting on the siding. As for the building its going to happen when money comes in. I used to work on that railroad and know a bit about it and a bit about it up until a month ago when I was there last

Here is the link showing the condition of the cars. Painted Desert was the one which got refurbished, and Colorado Rockies is now Mary Francis.

http://www.yesterland.com/passengertrain.html

The "Roger Linn" (a 2-4-0) has been out of service since Nov. '07 after two leaky tubes, upon closer investigation, were discovered to be the result of a ligament crack in the rear tube sheet. Following a teardown and preliminary assessment, it was decided to replace rather than repair the current vessel and continue operating at reduced pressure in its current condition. I was the fireman its final day in service for the Carolwood event and, ironically, had one of my best days firing it ever (kept the thing within 2-3lbs. at all points throughout the day!)

Melodia/Frankenporter/Thumper/SMR recently received a tube job and is presently the only operable steam power on the roster. The Harpur, "Caroline," is presently off the property receiving a major overhaul.


If it's any consolation, the new lettering on the 103 (in both places) is on placards placed atop the originals, leaving the original lettering undisturbed. This was done very early in the railroad's history—hence the "Avila Beach and Pacific Coast," which references a previous pipe dream of where it would all run. Subsequent work on two other coaches saw the SF&D lettering left as-is or restored entirely.

I heard from someone that the railroad only currently has diesels running as all their steamers are down for repairs.