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Reply to "Can UP 9000 get restored"

Mention of the SP 4-10-2 5021 at Rail Giants reminds me of a good day.  Back in 1970, my wife and I were returning to California from a visit with family in Michigan, in our 1965 Ford Mustang.  A head gasket started leaking, not too far east of Tucumcari, New Mexico, and we coasted downhill to the conveniently-located Ford house there.  

The shop Foreman said they could get it fixed in a few hours, so (and you knew this was coming, didn't you?) I walked a couple of blocks over to the Southern Pacific-Rock Island depot and looked around.  The Roadmaster was returning from lunch, and asked me if he could help me.  When he found out that I worked for Santa Fe in San Bernardino, he invited me into his office.  There were numerous photos on the walls, and he pointed to one dated 1947, depicting an SP 5000-series 3-cylinder 4-10-2 on its side.  "Do you know where this was taken?" he asked.  I replied that it looked like San Timoteo Canyon (between Colton and Beaumont).  It was indeed there, near El Casco.  A rancher had crossed a private crossing with a load of coarse rock gravel, and spilled some as he bounced across the crossing.  The pilot truck of the steam engine had been derailed by rock stuck between the rail and the crossing planks, and the engine derailed and turned over.  The Roadmaster explained that he was then on a section crew which had been called to respond and that it had been his first time to view a locomotive on its side.  Meanwhile, my wife was taking advantage of the air conditioned waiting room in the depot, so the Roadmaster and I were able to have a nice visit about his photos.  

The Ford house put us at the head of the line, since we were traveling, finished the job in two hours, and the charges were quite reasonable, proving that there were honest repair shops on Route 66, along with the dishonest ones that had the wider reputation.

Last edited by Number 90

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