Vintage Locomotive May Make The Trip

It´s looking promising for the Sierra Railway steam engine Number 34.

Organizers of this weekend´s Iron Horse Round-up and employees of the Sierra Railroad have been working feverishly these past few days to get the vintage locomotive ready for the journey from Railtown 1897 State Historic Park in Jamestown to Oakdale.

Patrick Karnahan, with the Sierra Railroad, says they want the 87-ton steam engine for a centerpiece display during this weekend´s event. If all goes well, they will spot the Baldwin locomotive by the historic Oakdale railroad depot near Highway 120.

He says all the necessary paperwork and authorization by the locomotive´s owners has been completed. Now, they are waiting for the final go-ahead from the Federal Railroad Administration.

The steam engine, sitting in storage at Railtown since 1980, will have to be towed to Oakdale for the railroad festival, since it can´t move under its own power.