Orange County Field Trip Planned

Thursday, June 5, 2008 – 7:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Download flyer and registration for this event. (171kb)

No. 340 and No. 41 Steam Locomotives at Knott’s Berry Farm
Photo by Richard Unfried

Put yourself in the engineer’s cab of the Denver & Rio Grande Western #340 steam locomotive when it steams out of the roundhouse on the Ghost Town & Calico Railroad at Knott's Berry Farm.

LARHF offers its latest and exclusive behind-the-scenes field trip on Thursday, June 5th

The day begins with a luxury motor coach trip from downtown Los Angeles to Knott's Berry Farm, in Buena Park, Orange County, California.

While members and guests are munching on a continental breakfast and seeing the “behind-the-scenes” action in the Roundhouse, each guest will have a turn at riding in the cab of the No. 340. This locomotive was built in 1881 and is the oldest locomotive in the United States to continuously maintain active duty.

Galloping Goose No.3 at Knott’s Berry Farm
Photo by Joe Lesser

The Rio Grande Southern Railway’s Galloping Goose #3 will also be taking guests for a ride on the Railroad. The “Goose” was built in 1931 by combining a “33” Pierce-Arrow touring car with a second-hand freight. Even in its present shape it dates back to shortly after World War II.

From Knott’s Berry Farm we have lunch planned nearby at the Hometown Buffet. Following lunch, our motor coach with Mark Borja as our guide, we will explore the present day extensive network of the Union Pacific’s branch lines (formerly the Southern Pacific) throughout Orange County.

Union Pacific Local Train on Santa Ana Street in Anaheim, California
Photo by Mark Borja

One of the highlights in the afternoon will be seeing a Union Pacific local train running along the streets in Anaheim. There will also be a BNSF surprise and other highlights.

The final details including costs and sign up procedures will be mailed to LARHF members and posted on the web here for guests.

Belmont Station Mini-Museum to Open

What used to be the Pacific Electric Toluca Yard, in downtown Los Angeles, has been transformed into 275 rental apartments. The PE Subway Terminal tunnel portal and sub-station generator building are unique sights on the Belmont Station’s apartment property.

Belmont Station Apartments in construction located on 2nd Street at Glendale Avenue.

LARHF has been invited to create a mini-museum in Belmont Station’s Rental and Welcoming Center. This will entail over 40 archive photographs detailing the construction of the PE subway as well as the Terminal building and the area along the route of the PE cars that operated out of the Terminal.

A majority of the photographs to be displayed have not been seen by the general public before. LARHF in an alliance with the Huntington Library has been given access to the Huntington’s incredible collection of Pacific Electric and Los Angeles Railway photographs.

Pacific Electric – Future Toluca Yard showing construction preparations for the boring of the subway’s west portal, 1924.
Photo from the Henry E. Huntington Library

LARHF’s archivists and curator have spent many hours in the Huntington photographic vaults viewing this collection and selecting a number of photographs to be reproduced and displayed at the Belmont Station Apartments.

Opening Day Ceremony and first Pacific Electric car to run through the tunnel.
Photo from the Henry E. Huntington Library

Pacific Electric ephemera and artifacts will accompany the photographs.

The display will be open to the public and special interest groups desiring to visit the mini-museum.

Further details to follow.