R-35-6
N E W S O F T H E P A C I F I C S O U T H W E S T C O R N E R
LA MESA MODEL RAILROAD CLUB, San Diego Model Railroad Club, and the Pacific Beach and Western Railroad are holding a banquet at the Campus Chuckwagon, near College and El Cajon on Saturday, March 4. The time is from 8 to 10 p. m. The fare will be $3.00 per person. The occasion is commemorating the driving of the golden spike, connecting; six scale miles of track, at the La Mesa Club, 4726 Nebo Drive, La Mesa. The spike driving ceremony will follow the banquet, taking place at the LMRRC layout, about 10:30 p.m. If you are interested, contact a member of one of the clubs.
PACIFIC SOUTHTWEST RAILWAY MUSEUM MEMBERS should note that it is dues time again. Dues are $5.00 for regular members and $3.00 sustaining. Please contact Charles Gerdes, treasurer, if you wish to join up. Old members should send their dues to Gerdes at 10642 Garden Way, Spring Valley, California 92077, or better yet attend a meeting and see him in person. And don't forget, we need still more help to pay the bills on our locomotives.
PARK BELT LINE: Portlons of the short-lived Park Belt Motor Road railroad grade are still discernible in Wabash Canyon near Nile Street.
Completed in 1888, the line ran steam-dummies between 18th and "A" streets in San Diego, and the undeveloped tracts of Steiner, Klauber, Chote, and Castle in what was called University Heights. It terminated at 5th and Fir streets after going by way of University Avenue. The total mileage being about ten miles.
Cuts and fills of the old grade can be seen along the west side of the canyon below Haller Street, and below 36th and Myrtle, where the line made a sharp curve to the south before negotiating the canyon's east side. After turning and twisting along the canyon wall, the tracks reached the rim again at the foot of what is now 38th street, below Redwood. A good section of this east-side road bed can also be seen.
However, within this year, a new freeway will obliterate most, if not all of the old grade in the canyon. For those wishing to take pictures or just look, a short walk to the canyon rim from Spokane and Thorn streets offers a good vantage point. The more adventuresome could of course hike along the old grade and maybe reward their efforts with an old spike or other souvenir...(Richard Pennick)
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