From The Headlight July – August 2014
Central Pacific 29
Truck Assembly Continues, and Some Track Assembly is Completed
By Mike Manson
The truck frames are finally assembled using new and recycled bolts and tie rods. With the exception of the pedestals, wheel sets and brake gear, all hardware that can be bolted to the frames has been added. We must wait until the pedestals are cast before assembly can proceed.
As mentioned in the previous issue, we are financing the creation of a pattern for the pedestal and the casting of eight pedestals with our “Buy a Pound of Pedestal” campaign. Over $1200 has been raised so far, but more is needed. Your generous donation of $10 will cover the prorated cost of the patterns, steel, sales tax, energy and labor needed to cast one pound of a pedestal for CP 29 and bring it to the De Carli Trolley Museum. Please send a donation today so the Society can continue the restoration of this historic car.
Narrow Gauge Track is built in the De Carli Trolley Museum Yard
Last February the Society purchased a pair of narrow-gauge wheel sets from a retired logger in Oroville. These were salvaged from the site of an incline railway. Each of the wheels was cast in 1907 by the Saint Louis Car Wheel Company, and has the letters “NWPRR” cast into its back face. Jeff Millerick had located these wheel sets and negotiated their purchase. He also donated a pair of rails to build a display track at the De Carli Trolley Museum. The track was built by Steve Atnip, Dave Dietz, Jelani Hall, Demitri Kosdrosky and the author.
An added bonus to the “NWPRR” letters is that four journal boxes came with the wheel sets. One axle has a journal box at each end. Three of the box lids have a 5-pointed star cast into them. The star is the emblem or trademark of the Carter Brothers, who built much of the narrow gauge rolling stock of the North Pacific Coast Railroad, a predecessor of the NWP. These journal boxes and wheel sets will be studied by fans of the NPC to determine their rightful place in the history of that railroad.
