On a recent road trip I managed to fit in several hours at Roaring Camp, first time I had visited in quite a few years. Neat little railroad that has to work hard to get up their short stretch of 9 percent grade. Need to go more often.
March 7, 2020. The Dixiana Shay, the original power for Roaring Camp, and No. 2, the ex-West Side Lumber heisler No. 3, sit in the engine house while No. 2 gets steamed up for the days work.
March 7, 2020. No. 2 sits at the Roaring Camp depot ready to leave.
March 7, 2020. Leaving Roaring Camp station .
March 7, 2020. Heisler 2 heads up the hill via the lower loop.
March 7, 2020. No. 2 heads uphill with a train.
March 7, 2020. No. 40 pushes a train up the grade with Heisler No. 2 on the point. Little No. 40 was built by Plymouth and worked at the Kaiser Fontana steel mill before coming to Roaring Camp.
March 7, 2020. No. 40 drifts back to the Roaring Camp station after helping a train up the hill.
March 7, 2020. The Roaring Camp engine house has much of the "rustic" look of a steam age shoreline engine facility.
September 5, 2021. First train of the day approaches the bottom the the switchback. The track at the lower right is a stub of the old mainline via the burned trestles. On the hillside you can see the switchback.
September 5, 2021. The first train with Shay No. 1 was able to make it up the switchback unassisted. But diesel 40 had to help Heisler 2 with its train. The rail on the switchback is almost buried on all the sand that gets used. It is a tough grade.
September 5, 2021. Tall trees above the switchback.
September 5, 2021. Even more tall trees.
