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Above is a fine watercolor by Stan Yelnats of a photo found on the web at
CarolCamera.com
( Both used with permission ) of what's probably the best remembered Shay of our
time: The famous "Dixiana" that still plies the rails of
the
Roaring Camp and Big Trees Railroad
down in Felton, California, a few miles from Santa Cruz on the Monterey Bay.
The RC&BT as they call it, can be found there in amongst a magnificent
California Coastal Redwood preserve, winding its way up steep grades only privy
to geared locomotives, and ending up at "Bear Mountain". It's a Shay Lover's
paradise in that they have not only the Dixiana, but also Heisler #3 and three
truck Shay #7, formerly of the West Side Lumber Company ! And they RUN 'em for
all to see and enjoy !
( An aside here is that the RC&BT has owned and operated the #3 Heisler, which
was constructed in 1900 by the Stearns Manufacturing Company, longer than the
West Side ! Pretty amazing, eh ? P-B-L produced the #3 Heisler in the
mid-nineties. )
The Dixiana is what could rightly be considered as a real 'Boomer" having been
originally constructed as a "Class B" 42 ton Two Trucker to operate on the
broad gauge ( "Standard Gauge to the uninitiated.) by Lima for the Alaculsy
Lumber Co. of Conasauga, TN as their #3 spot. She was completed on 10-15-1912.
According to the
The Shay Web Site,
she went through three different owners between 1912 and 1919 when she was
"slim gauged" by her new owners, the W. M. Ritter Lumber Company's Smokey
Mountain Railway at Proctor, NC where she became their second #3. In 1938, she
went to the Coal Processing Corporation in Dixiana, Virginia, also as their #3.
In 1962, she was transported to the Roaring Camp & Big Trees Narrow Gauge RR
where she was restored, becoming their #1, and appropriately acquiring the name
"DIXIANA". It was then when she was converted to burn oil. So, as of this
writing, the Dixiana has seen 94 years of operation. Whew. Quite a history, eh ?
Our plans include modeling the Dixiana as you see her today, up to and
including the antlers atop the headlight ! We figure that, since she has such a
nomadic history, she could fit right in on just about any slim gauge operation
and be right at home as "borrowed" or "leased", or even fan trip power. Your
pal and mine, Jimmy Booth says the Dixiana WILL be added to his roster of
Shays, which up until now consists solely of the Mich Cal #2. Maybe your
operation will have reason to see the likes of an "old soaker" like the Dixiana
in use too? ( In Railroad speak, the term "soaker" refers to non-superheated
steamers. )
Of course, we'll also offer her as the Coal Burner she was for some 50 years
prior to coming to Roaring Camp. And if enough interest is shown, we'll take
some
artistic license and bring some of these models in as Wood Burners, replete
with the huge "balloon" type stack seen on a good many Logging shows throughout
the land.
Like almost all of our geared models of the past, ( The West Side Lumber Co #12
we imported in 1982 being the sole exception. ), our model of Dixiana will be
powered by a Precision Coreless Motor, through an indestructible gear train so
as to offer you the same reliability and smooth operation as that of the
prototype.
And as always, these models will be Factory Painted and Lettered per their
respective prototypes unless ordered otherwise. And too, until the final
quantities are cast in stone, any desiring theirs un-lettered may order theirs
that way.
SoundTraxx
has agreed to make us a special version of their
Tsunami®,
with the characteristics of our "three bangers" pre-programmed into them. And
of course, the models will be available as our "conventional"
P-B-L Foreground Models
® as well.
CLICK HERE
TO RESERVE YOURS TODAY !
NOTE: These models will be constructed from Firm Reservations ONLY, same
requiring a deposit. Any over-runs will be on a first-come-first-served basis.
Click here
to return to "New Projects."
Click here
for a to visit to our Photo Gallery.
Copyright 2002 - 2006 -
P-B-L
® ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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