Glad to see this online! I am cleaning out old stuff and found the VHS tape. (If anyone wants it lmk). Dave Parker(the creator of this video) gave it to me when we did a little AV business together years ago. A real kind soul. I've since moved out of CA but the history of the state is fascinating. Real workers, real times.
Awesome old video! 3 original cabooses are still discoverable. Caboose #50, originally owned by the Ball family of Friant, has been donated to and meticulously restored by the Central Sierra Preservation Society at Camp Edison, Shaver Lake, CA, under the watchful eye of Brooks Wilson. During restoration a hundred plus year mystery was finally laid to rest, “Who built the cabooses?”. The lumber used to the construction of the caboose bared the SJ&ERR stamp, which means they were build using lumber stocks purchased by the SJ&E itself. Originally the cabooses were a simple box car, later cupolas were added. Caboose #51 is owned by and on display at the East Fresno Historical Society of Tollhouse, CA. While it has not been fully restored it has been delicately maintained. Then there is Caboose #52. Sold to the Lesher family, whose home was adjacent to the El Prado Station, the caboose was taken off its wheels and placed in the back of the property on 3310 E. Copper Road in 1935 and has not moved since. Today it is in a horrible state of disrepair. Engine number 205, a Baldwin 2-6-2, was sold to Santa Maria Valley Railroad in 1933. It was retired in 1950 and donated to the City of Santa Maria. In 1983 it was purchased by George Lavacot with the intent of restoration. January 30, 2015 Mr. Lavacot reported they had successfully put a fire in the engine for the first time in 65 years. Winter 2021 Engine 205 has been fully restored and is rideable at Santiam Excursion Trains & the Albany Eastern Railroad Company in Lebanon, Oregon.
I cut those trees down below that picture of the view from Mushroom Rock after the fire of 1994. I got dropped off in a helicopter right by that picture. The trees were damaged by the fire. I cut the whole side of that mountain and the trees were flown out by a Chinook helicopter.
just read the 'The Railroad That Lighted Southern California The Story of the Edison Big Creek Project - San Joaquin and Eastern' book you can find it at any good library or place with local history of California.
nice Grew up on S.J. & E. rd in the 80's-90's. My father worked on the Helms Project . This holds a special place in my heart.
Glad to see this online! I am cleaning out old stuff and found the VHS tape. (If anyone wants it lmk). Dave Parker(the creator of this video) gave it to me when we did a little AV business together years ago. A real kind soul. I've since moved out of CA but the history of the state is fascinating. Real workers, real times.
Nice hearing Charlie Hull again.
What a great record of our Central Sierra history.
So sad that much of what we see in this video has burned in the 2020 Creek fire.
Awesome old video!
3 original cabooses are still discoverable. Caboose #50, originally owned by the Ball family of Friant, has been donated to and meticulously restored by the Central Sierra Preservation Society at Camp Edison, Shaver Lake, CA, under the watchful eye of Brooks Wilson. During restoration a hundred plus year mystery was finally laid to rest, “Who built the cabooses?”. The lumber used to the construction of the caboose bared the SJ&ERR stamp, which means they were build using lumber stocks purchased by the SJ&E itself. Originally the cabooses were a simple box car, later cupolas were added.
Caboose #51 is owned by and on display at the East Fresno Historical Society of Tollhouse, CA. While it has not been fully restored it has been delicately maintained.
Then there is Caboose #52. Sold to the Lesher family, whose home was adjacent to the El Prado Station, the caboose was taken off its wheels and placed in the back of the property on 3310 E. Copper Road in 1935 and has not moved since. Today it is in a horrible state of disrepair.
Engine number 205, a Baldwin 2-6-2, was sold to Santa Maria Valley Railroad in 1933. It was retired in 1950 and donated to the City of Santa Maria. In 1983 it was purchased by George Lavacot with the intent of restoration. January 30, 2015 Mr. Lavacot reported they had successfully put a fire in the engine for the first time in 65 years. Winter 2021 Engine 205 has been fully restored and is rideable at Santiam Excursion Trains & the Albany Eastern Railroad Company in Lebanon, Oregon.
Thank you for the upload!
This is nice!!!
Pretty neat!
Man like I life in Fresno and I almost went to shaver I went to milwrton first though so I was close
I cut those trees down below that picture of the view from Mushroom Rock after the fire of 1994. I got dropped off in a helicopter right by that picture. The trees were damaged by the fire. I cut the whole side of that mountain and the trees were flown out by a Chinook helicopter.
just read the 'The Railroad That Lighted Southern California The Story of the Edison Big Creek Project - San Joaquin and Eastern' book you can find it at any good library or place with local history of California.
anyone know what year this was made?
visited big creek today and shaver and huntington lakes beautiful! took my 88yo father his uncle worked on the original project
Thats so cool I'd have all kinds of questions for him lol
Now look at it.
That's pretty neat
Love these documentaries of the sierra Nevada ⛰️🏜☀️🌲