May Volunteer Meeting

There was a very good turnout for the volunteer meeting on May 15.

Daniel reviewed the upcoming holidays and special events.

Megan discussed CSRMF activities at both Railtown and Sacramento. She announced a new program to help pay for bussing to enable more schools to visit Railtown.

Amber presented staffing changes including the hiring of a new park manager and Avery's departure. The 2025 special event planning will start in July. A volunteer survey is available now to help us determine interest and solicit suggestions. Every volunteer is encouraged to respond to the survey.

Complete the survey

Patrick Karnahan was our guest speaker. He presented a video on his father's passion for railroad photography. He brought a collection of photos and paintings to present. His connection and passion for railroading, and Railtown in particular, was inspiring.

The next volunteer meeting is scheduled for Saturday, July 6 at 5:30pm at the Jamestown Community Hall. Light snacks will be available.

Special Event Survey

There was a suggestion at the volunteer meeting to create a survey for providing input into the special event and activity planning process for 2025.

Below is a link to a survey to express your opinion of the current Railtown special events and activities that you have participated in as a volunteer.

At the end of the survey you will be able to suggest a new, or previously held, event for consideration.

Link to survey

Depot Storage Shed repairs

Over the past two months, our crew of maintenance volunteers have been hard at work making repairs to the old storage shed at the south end of the Jamestown Freight Shed/Depot. The shed dates back to the 1970s and despite its age has held up very well. However, it has become increasingly evident over the past couple of years that it is in need of extensive repairs.

The 1897 Freight Shed and its additions (the last addition dates from 1920) have settled significantly over the past 127 years, which has caused the storage shed to shift to awkward angles, making it difficult to fully open and close the doors. The framework and deck boards at the base of the shed have also deteriorated.

The primary cause of these problems is the rotten wood sills and footings on which the building rests; the issues with the storage shed are merely a symptom of a larger problem which has been observed and documented by State Parks management over several years. While we await a more permanent solution to the larger problem of the Freight Shed's gradual deterioration, approval was given to begin repairs on the storage shed.

First, the old deck boards had to be removed in order to stabilize the shed's footing. Old rotten 2x4's and 4x6's were replaced and concrete footings were installed. Old tree roots also contributed to the upheaval of this portion of the building and were cut back. Once the foundation work was completed, new deck boards were installed. The lower framework of the storage shed also required repairs. Lastly, all of the old plywood siding was replaced.

As usual, our volunteers continue to demonstrate just how valuable they are as well as the work that they do is! The amount of effort it takes to maintain a historic site in the 21st Century is simply too much for State Parks to provide with paid staff alone. Sherry Anderson once said, "Volunteers are not paid – not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless." We wholeheartedly agree! Thank you everyone for your contributions to Railtown!

A Walk on the West Side Trail!

On Wednesday, April 17th, a group of volunteers joined us for a late morning walk on the West Side Trail in Tuolumne. The day began at Railtown with a short presentation on the history of the West Side Lumber Company and its logging railroad, leaving the park around 10:30. We arrived at the trail's starting point at 11:00, a location named "Flume" a.k.a. "Friedenberg". West Side log trains once stopped here to test their brakes before descending the grade into Tuolumne.

While our walk on the trail was a bit short, it was packed with beautiful views of the Tuolumne River canyon. The old railroad grade was lined with wildflowers and various species of trees and plant life. The railroad was built along the steep canyon walls between 1898 and 1900, and was abandoned in the mid-1960s. A lone picnic table near the half-mile mark hosted our group while we enjoyed our lunch. It was a wonderful highlight of our day!

Due to our busy Spring schedule, we will not be hosting another volunteer enrichment activity for a while, but we are actively thinking about what to do next! Keep an eye out for the email announcing our next Volunteer Enrichment!

West Side Lumber Company Shay No. 10 sounds the whistle during a brake test at Flume in 1958.

Custom Caboose Cushions

 A special Thank You to volunteers Paul and Laura Huston for making custom seat cushions for Caboose 7. These look fantastic and will greatly enhance the visitor experience as they bounce along the track in our favorite freight car. Just installed in the car earlier this week, they are ready for use starting this weekend with our Mother Lode Cannonball excursion trains.

Volunteer Training

Welcome New Volunteers to the Railtown Family!!

New volunteer orientation with Daniel Lewis

GCOR class with Martin Caestecker.

Curatorial class with Lisa DeLacy.

History Class with Mike Ninneman.

Steam Orientation with Garrett Franklin.

Steam Orientation with Mike McReynolds.

Car Host Narration with Brian McMahon.

Caboose Narration with Walt Pierson.

The final day of training included a train ride.

Work continues on Sierra No. 3!

Progress is being made on Sierra No. 3, as our mechanical team draws closer to performing the final hydrostatic pressure test on the boiler! Meanwhile, work is being done to repair and repaint the wooden cab windows and door frames before they are reinstalled in the cab. 

Over the ten or so years that Sierra No. 3 had been in service, a fair amount of wear and tear has taken its toll on various cab components. Nails and screws had begun to work their way loose, and the constant exposure to grease and grime proved impossible to clean. The best solution was to repair the stripped nail and screws holes with dowels, which were inserted into the worn holes in the wooden windows and doors, and new holes drilled.

While the repairs were being performed, this occasion proved to be a good opportunity to apply newly researched colors to these components. Since the locomotive was first restored in 2010, additional research has proven that the orange trim color more well known in recent years did not become common practice on Sierra Railroad steam locomotives until 1937.

Sierra Railway No. 3 on the point of a scheduled passenger train at Standard in 1927.

Before the railroad was reorganized in 1937, the exterior face of the windows and doors were painted black, while the interior faces and edges were painted green to match the rest of the locomotive cab interior. This was the common standard from at least as early as 1920 until the locomotives were all gradually repainted starting in 1935. As the chosen restoration period for Sierra No. 3 was its revenue service appearance circa 1929, the orange color was deemed inappropriate, and the new color research was applied. This research was based on color analysis performed many years ago on Sierra Railroad No. 34 by retired California State Railroad Museum Curator of History and Technology Kyle Wyatt.

While the mechanical work on the locomotive was being handled, our skilled maintenance staff and volunteers took on the work to restore the cab windows and doors. Great job everyone!

Maintenance Volunteer Lead Gary Hosman discusses the progress with Volunteer Steve Monroe.