I have the 2000 Altamont Press calendar in my office. October's photo shows WP 4-6-0 94 in action in 1956. Does this locomotive exist today on display somewhere? The photo looks as though the paint scheme is black with gold-colored lettering and striping. Was this the case? Thanks.<br>



shawsrus@dellnet.com

According to Wes Barris' North American Steam Locomotives List, this engine is "stored" at the Western Railway Museum in Rio Vista Junction, California. They have a web site, http://www.wrm.org/, but there's no mention of WP 94 on the site.<br>



rjenkins@railfan.net

The closest the Western Railway Museum comes on the website in mentioning WP 94 is:<p> "A complete roster describing all of the over 100 interurban, streetcar, rapid transit, electric, STEAM(emphasis added)and diesel locomotives, workcars, and classic heavyweight mainline passenger cars is in preparation"<p>I remember #94 set off to the west(?)side on "panel track" back in 1978-1981 (as I was attending school at Berkeley). We made a brief visit to Rio Vista Junction a year ago, and I don't remember seeing #94 there at the time although the docent/volunteer mentioned that "the steam train rides to the north" had been discontinued "for the time being".<br>



utweyesguy@aol.com

This last spring the #94 was stored inside the steel-framed equipment storage building.<p>Western Railway Museum has decided to refocus its mission to be limited to electric interurban and street railway history and equipment. This is where the organization (Bay Area Electric Railroad association) began. It also complements the on-going restoration of the former Sacramento Northern track used by the museum.<p>The museum is located along side the former Sacramento Northern interurban line from Oakland to Sacramento. The track structure is essentially unchanged from when it was in use as an eletric railway (it is also little changed from its construction before WWI). The museum is re-installing poles for the new electric overlead and is faithfully recreating the look of the SN. It is locating the old locations and installing new poles in the exact location of the old ones. The crossarms, etc on the poles follow the practice of the SN predecessor who built here. Photos taken by one of the members who hiked the line in the late 1930s are being used to help recreate the look of the line.<p>Hopefully, the #94 will soon be finding a new home were it can be displayed and eventually returned to operating condition.<p>Brian Norden<br>



bnorden@gateway.net

As a young man I learned quite a bit from a couple of "Old heads" while we were getting the 94 ready to move to RVJ from it's long term storage in the Oakland Key System Shops, next to the Bay Bridge. This project facilitated my entry into the preservation world. I also spent a couple of pleasant summers on her during our regular operations. Hopefully something good will one day come of our efforts and this locomotive will again be available to the general public for display and interpretation, or better yet, a good old fashioned steam-up.<br>Chris Allan<br>



wsflco@earthlink.net

Anybody out there have her specs and a little history on her? Thanks!<br>



kbcotton@flash.net

Ah, a western engine. Built Sept 1909 Alco-Brooks #46446, 21 X 26 cylinders, 60" drivers. Essentially the same as the D&RG/W T-29 tenwheelers. #94 and #334 (2-8-2) of the WP are at the Western Railway Museum in Solano County, CA. 94 was run at the Museum until its mechanical time was up about late 1982 as I remember. Although an electric Museum - I don't think they would give 94 up.<br>



yrfavsob@aol.com

Dennis,<br> The museum has decided to stick to only electric stuff, they don't even run the diesel excursion on the north section of the track anymore. The have already traded off one steamer that had a LOT of volunteer hours and dollars spent on it.<br> Focusing one's energy on a unified theme is good, and considered modern museum practice, however! Sometimes I think that having a balance of similar things can give a group more breadth in membership experience and expertise, and the visitors can benefit too. Only time will tell if the current change was a good one.<br> There are at least two museums intersted in the 94, the 344 is a bit harder to move, but interest is there too.<br>Steamcerely,<br>David D.<br>



djdewey@cncnet.com

Anybody know the mechanical condition of both the 94 and the 334?<br>



kbcotton@flash.net

I had the pleasure of seeing the 94 last month at Members Day at Rio Vista Junction. Like Mr. Allan, I enjoyed a great many hours as part of the Steam Department and the 94 team.<p>The 94 is simply a worn out machine. Like all machinery, it can be restored. However, based upon the current dictatorial attitudes of the BAERA towards steam and diesel operations and the people who support the same, you won't see it happen for quite some time. Despite official platitudes, Steam projects and Diesel train operations were ended to chase away the people who supported them. Hence the Robert Dollar 3 project was terminated (at a 60% level of project completion) and the locomotive was traded to the Pacific Locomotive Association for a pile of rail! The Prairie Train operations generated over $250,000 in revenue in five years. Most of the volunteers who supported both the Steam and Diesel programs have left the Museum and will not return. Sadly, these people also contributed to a great deal of other projects at the Museum, and that contribution is now lost as well.<p>The 334 was moved inside next to the 94 several years ago to mitigate the asbestos problem on the locomotive. Both the 94 and the 334 will have to see this issue addressed at some point -- before they go anywhere. Trukcing is the only way they would leave as the SN north of the Museum is out of service with a bad ordered trestle and severe wash outs. The 334 is not in bad shape, but just needs all the usual things a park locomotive of it's age does. Yes, it was moved on it's own wheels to RVJ in 1966, and the WP track people said it would never go out that way. The 94 also arrived on it's own wheels, coming from Oakland via special train.<p>The condition of the 94? Last overhauled by the WP in 1949, and minor work performed in 1953. The tender is a pattern. The water tank is rusting from the inside out. It still rides on arch bar trucks. Boiler Shell condition, unknown. Tubes, flues and superheaters will need to be replaced. There are suspected problems with driving boxes as the rear wheel set has rubbed against the firebox on the fireman's side. Last time we tried to do a hyrdostatic test, water was coming out of tubes and flues as the boiler was being filled.<p>The tender suffered damage when the WP F-Unit 917 had a low speed collision with the 94. The wood under the tender has rotted in a number of places.<p>It's not impossible, just improbable under the current regime. It's sad as there exists all of machinery needed to do this job at RVJ -- including the 70 inch wheel lathe from the UP and a drop table from the SP. <p><br>If you want to see this happen it only takes new members in large enough number to make a difference. There is room for all interests -- steam, diesel and electric at RVJ.<p>Nothing is impossible... somethings take longer than others.<br>



rogerc38@aol.com

Speaking of the Robert Dollar #3, I understand Pacific Locomotive Association really wants to get it running. They said they are missing parts. Does anyone know what happened to the missing parts? It would be really cool to see the Robert Dollar #3 run alongside their Quincy Railroad #2!<p>Joe Bob<br>



jojb@hotmail.com