PSRMA ACQUIRES UNION PACIFIC COACH
By Eric Sanders
P.S.R.M.A. has purchased Union Pacific Coach #576, for $1250. plus tax. Present plans are to use it as a private car and for excursions on the regular railroads. Eventually it will be used in the Museum.
The car is a modernized heavyweight, in very good condition except for slight fading of the upholstery and exterior paint. It is air conditioned, equipped with roller bearings, and in interchange condition, so it should be acceptable to most railroads. It has vestibules at both ends, equipped with Dutch doors, which will be appreciated by railfans who like to feel the breeze. It has 44 double seats, for a seating capacity of 88. The rest rooms are large, and there is a baggage locker.
The car was built as U.P. #1266 by Pullman in 1931. Pullman air conditioning was installed in 1935. It was remodeled by U.P.'s Omaha shop in 1948, at which time the present Safety Car Heating & Lighting Model R7 air conditioning was installed. This is a steam ejector system, so we'll only have air conditioning when the car is used in a regular passenger train, or if we equip the Museum's locomotives with passenger steam line equipment. At other times, the car could be ventilated through the end doors, windows are removeable (by removing a lot of screws,) or some windows could be modified to permit opening them. Length of the car is 82' 11-1/2" uncoupled; height 14' 0"; width over handholds 10' 3".
The coach is now in U.P.'s East Los Angeles yard. We will take possession of it on July 12, with an excursion to pick it up and ride it back on the San Diegan.
The purchase has been financed to date by $300 in donations and $900 in loans. Additional donations are needed to pay off the loans. The excursion will pay for nothing except the cost of bringing the coach down here. Please send donations to "576 Fund", PSRMA, P.O. Box 12096, San Diego Ca 92112.
YARD OFFICE BOUGHT
LAND COMMITTEE
By Dick Pennick
A land committee has been in existence for some time, and most of the recent land negotiations have been taken care of by committee members working in small groups of two or three. This has been quite successful, as there are presently two very good proposals under consideration.
The first involves a museum track at the Southern California Exposition grounds, Del Mar. An exploratory meeting with Exposition officials is planned for some time in the next couple of months. The fairgrounds, incidentally, may be the recipient of the retired Encinitas depot.
The second proposal involves land owned by the Fenton Materials Company in the Otay Valley. Fenton contacted us after seeing a certain page full of photos in the March 6th issue of the Evening Tribune (thanks to member Jerry Windle). In fact, Fenton was sufficiently impressed with what we have to offer that they proceeded to grade us about 500 feet of road bed off the end of the S.D.&A.E.'s Goodrich spur south of Chula Vista. If negotiations with the S.D.&A.E. - S. P. are successful, we plan to lay some track on the roadbed and store some of our equipment there, on a temporary basis initially. Some operation may be possible as well. Fenton has shown interest in a permanent installation there, so future possibilities seem good. Fenton owns considerable undeveloped land in the Otay Valley. I strongly encourage all members to take a trip down to the Fenton plant on Hollister Street, just south of Main. Drive under the S.D.&A.E. trestle and look left.
Editor's note: On June 12, a meeting was held between me S.D.&A.E. and P.S.R.M.A. at the railroad's freight office. The San Diego & Arizona Eastern was represented by W. B. Barker, Superintendent, and K. D. Frye. Traffic Manager. Sanders, Pennick and DiGiorgio represented P.S.R.M.A. The S.D.&A.E. officials were completely cooperative on the two main questions that we considered essential to operation at the Otay site. A permanent connection with the S.D.&A.E.'s spur would be allowed, provided only that one rail is removed and a bumper installed across the end of the spur. This can be easily restored when we need to move equipment in or out. We would have complete freedom to operate on our side of the break, including over railroad-owned, Fenton-leased land. The railroad will also handle our equipment on its own wheels if it's in interchange condition, and the local officials will help us get reduced rates when appropriate. Those of us who attended felt the arrangements were completely satisfactory. (R. R. D. )
RARE STEAMER NEXT?
An 1873 Mason "Bogie" may be our next steam acquisition, according to Dick Pennick. We're one of four organizations, including the Smithsonian, who are negotiating for it, and Dick feels we have a very good chance of getting the rare locomotive.
The "Bogle" is an 0-6-4 coalburner, with the locomotive and tender on a common, rigid frame. Although it is not believed to be in running condition, it is thought to be repairable. Even if it couldn't be fixed up, it is in good looking condition, and as the only Mason "Bogie" left in existence, would be well worth having even if just for static display.