MUSEUM COMMITTEE STUDIES DATA OBTAINED FROM QUESTIONNAIRES
Museum committee members have been surveying responses on questionnaires submitted to and returned by United States operating railway museums. Replies to date have been received from the Connecticut Electric Railway, Monadnock Northern Railroad, Miami Railway Historical Society Arcade and Attica Railroad and others.
Chairman Walter Hayward reports that museums generally attract many visitors on operating days. Monadnock reported 190 daily in 1962, 400 in 1963. One museum-reported 1000 attendance on one operating day.
Hayward states that railway museums have all types of operation on all kinds of terrain.
Strasburg suggests the use of a 4-4-0 locomotive. Less fuel is required and maintenance is relatively simple.
Routes vary from 1 to 52 miles. Most museums utilize steam and/or electric power, although two report diesel operation. Many, if not most, operate over existing track or track rebuilt on one time railroad right-of-way.
Seven out of 17 questionnaires were returned in two weeks time. Committee members include Stanton Kerr, Charles Gerdes, Wally Duthie and Walt Hayward.
WHAT A HEADING!
"REFLECTIONS ON THE FALLBROOK EXCURSION"
Subject only to further negotiation concerning the minimum guarantee, Wally Duthie and excursion committee members are continuing to develop plans for the Saturday, May 16 Fallbrook excursion.
For the first time in many years a passenger train will depart the Santa Fe station in National City. Not since the discontinuance of the San Diego-National City mixed train has passenger service been operated in National City. That was in the year 1935.
Jack Stodelle arranged a September 30, 1959 three car Santa Fe San Diego-National City excursion train for the Advertising Club. This train did operate into National City but it did not enter the station yard. Troop trains traveled south to Navy facilities during World War II days but they, too, did not operate into the National City terminal facility. Probably passenger trains have used the National City wye, also.
There has been other railfan activity in the National City area. Railfan members of the Balboa Park Model Railroad Club, "0" gauge club which was eventually absorbed into the San Diego Model Railroad Club, inspected Santa Fe's one time tie-treating facility at National City. Led by Aylmer Keith, members of the group paid particular attention to the "fireless cooker."
And so-on Saturday, May 16, 1964, under the sponsorship of the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum Association, an excursion train will travel on what is now yard track from National City to San Diego. Then it will proceed on the main line to Del Mar, Encinitas and way points to Oceanside. From Oceanside, or more accurately, from Fallbrook Junction (once known as Los Angeles Junction), the special train will ride light branch line rail which at one time was part of California Southern's transcontinental route connection. This was the line which ran from National City to Oceanside, Fallbrook (canyon), Temecula Canyon, Temecula, Perris, Riverside, San Bernardino, to Barstow (Waterman).
Railfan clubs have run excursions on the Fallbrook branch but the May 16 train will be the first excursion from the San Diego area.
Following picture taking at Fallbrook the train will return to Oceanside. Here, passengers will de-train and ride the City of Oceanside buses to the Armed Forces Day exhibits and demonstrations at Camp Del Mar.
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