II^OR^ITIDTJ WILLET III NO* 7.1 SAIL^AY HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF SAN DIEGOf INC* JANUARY, £//£• 3 Railway Historical Society of San Diogo tvao formed in 1949 by a small ^r«2L.p of people inborastod in th© preservation of rail ©quiproonto Thro wore six poople in attondarj-j© at th© first meetingo Eddlo Junghans was ©looted President of th© newly formed organisation* At this time the San Diogo Transit System had far sal© som© old conventional \sypo streetcars for $300 each (scrap price)/ By the time tho: small group had apcfdir>/ ©d on nigh celf„confidence to tackle such a project the price had risen to $1800 30 this idea vjg.s abandoned« Tri© first excursion was a hike over the aba-ids nod roadbed of the National City and Gtay Railroad through Sweateater Gorge in 1951c A brief talk on the history of the Railroad was given by lifelong resident,, Richard V* Dodge* In 1952 Douglas Duncan was ©looted President,, in which office ho served until 1956 when Jack Stodelle succeadod him* The nestings faring the period of 1949-1952 •%-ore few and far between* In ’1954 ib was learned that San. Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway was about to scrap conto of the equipment that had served the Snn Diage area for yearn* After much psrsuas5onp the Southern Pacific Company (c.-rars of SD&AE?) graciously donated 7.0 co $104 „ a S-S-,0 Consolidation type steam iGGorarbrlve* and car $050p formerly the priv&te car cf John D» Spreckels, founder and past president cf thG railway0 te the RHScfSD* This equipment is now on permanent display at tho S&n Diego County fair« grounds in Del 2£aru California« Even though Southern Ps.c5.f5.© had donated th.j equipment., it was to cost aneroid «> mate ly 11500 to have it moved from the siding in • -‘olona Beach to th© Del *rar Fair« gvoundo by truck* She momtez'ship, now nl-tsibering about 15, started a virtual .door to door campaign to raise the rvsocod money® It was no small task but- it was accom^: ’’■ plished after much leg work by the loyal members? ‘ ■£ At one of the ear?/ler muetlngs of the Scoiety a Newsletter,., edited by Eric Sanders0 was published to notify interested people of the meetings and activities cf the society* In ’:955 it was decided by the is?.mb-jrrhip that the rail fans’ in San Diego e.ud vicinity would like a periodical bulletin published about- San Diego’s gwd Rail-1 ’ roade, past and prosent a7-5.k?;o The Nows letter was Get a^ido and a now publioatiorij, the ^Dispatcherwaa borne Eric Ssindors was ani is th© Editor with Douglas Duncan c-.ad Richard Dodge serving as associate editors * (Vi© rogrstfu.ll;^ note her© that Mr* Dodge parsed away late in 1932)O The :’DiRpat©her.’Tt has since grown into a regular publication with irabsci'iters throughout the United. States* In .1956 an ercui’sion was run frora Oceanside to Escondido bohind th© regular daily freight that serves that area* Throe coacaee wore connected to the end of this freigritc In 7.957 Ed Shodakor was -elected to the of floe of Prosldont but scon afterward his work took him- out of ths city and tho caoaw,/ filled by I/yle Judd.. Y?.ce Pres* Duvlnp’ 1957 the Socior'^’ ran excursion fo T2 Tijuana to Tooate on the regular onoG^^aay tj ain which is a . omblnatian frolght pe.Gs.n'.gov train (or© passenger coach)/ cm the re?.AirA5xg interurban lines lotraCa?-;h Lines., ??or« Pago 2, Railway Historical Society of San Diego Information Bullet! No© II xaerly Pacific Electric in Los Angeles0 and an annual excursion over the shcWi narrow gauge track of the U«S® Gypsum Co® at Plaster City in Imperial Valley was started• Until 1957 the Society had mot in private homes* By this time the attendance at these meetings had reached the point that it made it more than a little crowded to continue mooting in living rooms* At this time it was decided to find a public building in which to hold the meetings* A Park and Recreation Department building was rented for the purpose and it was decided to meet regularly every other month* In 1958 it was decided that interest in the Socioy had reached the point that we were becoming large and wo 11 knwn enough to expand our membership and attempt to realise some of the long dreamed of projects that we wo-e onoo too small to tackle* At this time it was unanimously decided to incorpox*ate as a non-profit organi sation,, draw up tho by-laws and charge a yearly d^es* New officers sere elected. Sooth L* wCorky” Thomson became President* It was also decided to hold meetings the f2rst Monday of each month* The Safety Room upstairs in the Santa Ro Dopoto Broadway at kettnor,, downtown San Diego was leased from tho AT&SF Railroad for the regular meeting place at a token charge. In the meantime, the San Diego Tx’ansit System sold the eight remaining ox®San Diego Electric Railway PCC cars to a scrap company® Ths Society decided to purchase #528, th© last car bought by the San Diego Electric Railway® The price was #1200© This necessitated another fund raising drive* After much more hard work t'-’is was accomplished and #528 was placed on permanent display at the Del liar Fairgrounds along with locomotive #104 and car #050® In the early part of 1958PT.L”3* Nellie Glower of Logan Heights, San Diogo,, donated the body of #54, an old time San Diogo streetcar used in the early 1900to tho Society® This relic had been discovered '»y Lyle Judd some years ago in her backyard© It had been used aa a real estate office and later as a sowing room© It was moved to- a frog farm at 46th and Imperial., San Diego, for restoration asd was eventually to be noved behind the Y-haley House in Old Town. San Diego, in August^ 1962 after a temper ary stay in the parking lot of the Star Machine Works on South Tenth Avenue© In early 1963 this is the prisso restoration project of the society and help is wst welcome froia members and friends alike© The return of the and Barbara. Thompson© Newsletter also It is now being oom© about 'In 1958 under the Editorship of Corky publi she d me nthly © As of Junen 1958O tho Society had received national recognition as an active rail fan group with membership reaching toward 100© The Society in 1958 hoped to start on a long dreamed of Travel Museum to ba lo=* oat-sd in the San Diegp area© This museum would display and ©very type of past equip** me nt used for transportation as well as a large (w© hope) display of different types of steam locowtivos and other rail equipment © This is a ’long range project and cannot b©’accomplished overnight but with proper planning and cooperations hope to have one ofo if not Tho3 host Travel .Viusewo. in the U©S«A. (in 1963 there is a museum consultbeo working on this aim) In 1958 tie Society joined in meetings with the Orange Enpire Trolley Museum ab P©rri80 California and th© Mt© Rubidoux Chapter of th© Pacific Koilroad^g^g^ to Com a joint ’’United Railway Museum’1 for Southern California in the Perris to^Raiiroad Canyon section of tho fort’er Santa Fs Railway right of way between San Diegp and points ISbrtlu '.>■> I'.’/ny Hlatorioal Society of San Dlegp Information Bulletin ho® -* ^ifked projeot unfortunately fell through but, the Orange Empire Trolley Vuseua b^-an to take shape* (In 1963 the OET has 51 St® Cara any Ry* oars, with ope^-t’ •/:'y-v'’ 1956 a] 30 caw a ulrts minute lone Carrico Gorge filxr produce^ and mad.« 1 -table rent or purchase* It was obtained from the railway ituoJf* Car 54 made :'' '•ind’sr chairfawn Charles Gerdes© Oct 12th saw H»abern making n trip to th-s 7‘.r laity to clmw and ride tna two private roadsx Pioneer and •• ' < ’ /1-ite Rysc In ‘^Twlorv^ purohaaod. Sun Frixioisoo Muno©1paX Railway Jtre-y*-'* //17X for fc22Jin In Oowwb-r w had our first hobby Show on the 7th« Ia 1*59 ib*r. LcV.’o MoCleary v/ac* installed in January ao Prosiderto 'io. Fobuusry \ »wul an axouralon over the narrow gauge of the UoS« Gypsum interests at Fit*"ter -I Mr. • j >i-aroh6 sar 171 wae placed at the Ora&ge Empire Trolley Museum at Perris^ California .5 ter paying utettt 050.; n&vlru; costs from San Franc!boo© In May w«j had a ftuona&rfu.l r Uuidot- l-omrA Baja. C&M fornia excursion just h^lew iJm border in Itoxiftu 1 IfoTOlw w«a helped give the Orange Empire Tro Hay Museum Itss .first grand public < vnteg by ruling an &ll«->traln excursion direct from San Diego w Perris? and mtec*no 7 p wte complete with a barbecue provided by the local popul’s,oefi a free teur e>f ■■'! estate pro ocu.slag plant with free sampler-not to mention tte teo>* cf the muaeva * i the fact that aon*i horseless carrigers joined us in our so jura® T^e year 1960 saw us under cha leadership of Towy Mann as president* The Gr-in^? £”->ire Trolley Museum which w had now joined as. an organization along vil th other ?site .t u groups In Southern CaliforMa operated tho firat streetcar under Uro trolley xl:* vc king it the first operating trolley wuseum in stern United States® Tbi ? gew ?ap» C ••? ability to o'^erate our ’’standard** atr&stoar 173 uTxd'&r power* Xn Mwtfh v^e had a Mgp Mg? Sonora Baja California Ezoureloa 5£0**ard ou/° ^xovrsicn train* In ?fcry v?a holp«d bld faxwaXl sows; 3** the last c tics onoe largest interurban in the vyarld^-’the Pacific Electric ?.ail'wy ‘ the An^eloa Vicinity o October war. excursion co nth with a trip on the I Sth to Travel " 5-* > ; /I the Gri»sley Flatts private in Loa Analog* The 30th of Goto bar fou.-id vs Pacific rails on a bus^rttii-bo^vPackags to Calico* In Howml-ar w were osre f;. ’t •< cud &’r our kb?:mber Richard Vc Doshlng the Rails of the S3iwrgcte uhe»ut ’• 19C1 us tv»th two Presidents^ flrsi^Dick Peimlck and ther ifter h-' ’’/a.- 1 5 ?>o th® ^er’zJ’.aOy Mr® Ttondel Byerii? ^oeeptad the he Imo Aferah xu. hie fVxrev'-j i the la:rb of the Pacific E la str la Systemo During this yeur '«v added te our equipns&t roster by ©btaitdng ?.Tom th** ’JoS. •!/»>• ^•m°s Wirrw gauge railway their c on the narroif g,aug^ line? by Sousll Averys©hi«f officer c? the ccripaay^ Ih O' at us $^G. to purchase.* $160 to locate it o.t Gillespie riel4 In £1 Csjrm jR^-rfc ’,. js'-'.’ill resxs in 1963)0 and about $60 in rail ^xponec for storage?o April fou/• tell • a trip by tralH to the San ileraardino Orange Show by traino V^brthy of ^t nilor- :la September a local group of San Diegans 1 no lading soma maters of th'? Society (‘©rate inde|«ndant corporation and purchased a private raiIway/^roxn tte boo Llr^* lb : ?;j «;3 us taking c nrrthor Soixira^Baja California axcursion to'El Doctor^ I Laxter tud lr/b~ had 0. Yw*& Holiday trip via the sawi Ry* to Guymas Mexioo® In j,9d2 TeadeX tuyere continued his loadorship as Preaidento In March, ^.x? oc-?w’ t onli jit or^iau around S n Diogo Bay© In Septew’v/r xr»? .?• • r-’p;;''bus trip to the Los AngoltHj C ’Cnv.y Fuir ^rhez’o a ’Bir ■••.. trp axtraci;ioY/ao ?:;la year nlsc sav; the Soof'oty Li brary eatah L •■'; 3 Page Railway 'istoriaal Society of San Diego Xnfarmation Bulletin i-?.v IMbarger2 a Model Train He ad quarter sa 3886 Fatox>ntP San Diogo 5V ’/no nr# A’rt.i >W3.-. Gladys Skeer^ member- offleera and owner of the eb;?p woulc. wlco^sS contributions te it '-.u addition^ w looking memhera browse thx’ough it<. Tha wiaterehip e.pproaahed 150 « 1963 eo63 us charting out ufader the loadership of Fterl Swrtrnj* Tnose.of you that read this bulletin and that volunteer to help cn various projects will determine hces meh progress a future historian or information bulletin writer can pub'devm in this yao.r; Earl and. I hope it oan be one to compare with or better our tesK^cowing-of■’-ago-'-year*-*1953^9. Sinoorely^ Info* Bulletin Revisers 1st V*P<,«>Publ$o Relatione ®IB£RSHIP INFORMATION The Railway Historical SooLety of San Diocpo Ino© r.sotsJbhe first 'onday of each month in ths Safety Room of the Spnta Fo Depot at Kottaer and*b roadway p Sun Die?:o the exception of Jaxsuary when the regular meeting is replaced by an officers inataJ /a- tiou banquet and in July -when the S4U County Fair is in progress and our cosciTlt^orhs with cur ezlbits there make too moh conflict ion« The business is kept, to’a rtnxiflc^? no st of it having bteh taken. oare of beforehand by ths Board of ’'Directors*/ k part 6£: ’ the meeting is devoted to the members and guests to give them an opportunity to toll anything of interest regarding railroading* Refreshaxen-ua arc? served and ths .program for th© owning generally consists of slidemovies^ or talks of members or guests A table is available for the mrnberc and guests to display tMir railroad lame Besides rail ■Gxeua’sio-jSc, activities of the Society ir-ay inolv.de picnics, hikes over abandonsd railroad right-of-ways.and various other aot.Vd.tio3 -pertaining to rail transportation* Lot uo know what your pleasure is at a regular moating or a board of directors meeting planned to be held in 1963 at least,, on the vfe-dnosdo.y proceeding. thr£Gv.q ber ships and dues applicable a- e? 3’° P3rjpn& 18 yeai’s of ago or older who are active in the affairs of uha* SooicrEy^ • §2o50 per year.:. 2- Su3taining'~«xor persons who do not or cannot partioipato actively in the 8boiotys.” |K^o“ oi7 raoro if the person wishes to holo njrnitartly* So Jpnlor-^for psrsons under 18 ^ars cf age- (‘ust huvo the consent of their parents< ) por ye&r^ * ’ : • 4- r the moaftbers of a regular meinberts fa‘;iilyp §1*00 ever regular dv.es a;.’ • ^3c5O total* Any awibar of family members may ho included ‘but about the only tership priviledge they have is the right to haro an individual n-ovibnr ship car<5 * J * tenter ship • privily gfis include a subscription 'to thettDispatoherw and the ^Ncwslettort plus reduced rates on society excursionso,. Haring the yeai* tho xaaintanance o.C the Soc-= iotyas oquipr.emi gives the rrambors who like to wrk on actual prototype e^ipmsrt (on a Veqmls ^/basis) an opnox’tunity to de soc .During the Southern California Exposition And San Bleep County Fairc, wiabors who wish tdj’staff the exhibitg located -there:- The Society operates several excurciona each year?* Th!?.; bulletin (Nos- II.) is a rortsion and updating of Info* Bulletin No* J. published in 1958 > Additional copies should te requested from the SooiotiJs address telcAVc Corroetior^ of suggestions for iiAprovomemts will bv? welcbirscu A’pelioabXe addrvcsc>< Society Addroaag Railway historical. Society c-f S^Do^ Ince,s l\0M Box 9351 San Disgp 9r Ce\1xx< letter AddrooB^ % of Curky and Barbara Thorason,, 3204-.HoGrsr^ SoD« ?v/.. Caiifc .Th/2^’3 3236 Dispatcher Address.: % of Eric Sando2-ac 7861 Wovri'-L Avo’.iugi9 La TA?r>a , California- B.> 9 123J Library f.ddroris; % of Gladys Skeen at Vnbargert ?£.>del Train Hep.<5qixai*bert.i? 3886 Fair mont. San Diego «5r. California AT 4 3449 inolv.de

RHSSD #112 Info bulletin No 2 Jan 1963

Publication

Pacific Southwest Railway Museum

Name/Title