Steam Train Rolls During Fund Raiser

A fund raising event will bring steam to the Mother Lode.

The Sierra Nevada Logging Museum near Arnold is in the process of purchasing an historic steam logging locomotive, the Yosemite Lumber Company Shay Number 2.

To help raise funds for the locomotive´s purchase, a special winter steam train express will leave Sonora tomorrow afternoon and wind through the Mother Lode on a three hour trip.

The train excursion is in cooperation with Railtown 1897 and the Sierra Railroad.

Event organizer and museum vice president Patrick Karnahan says the group is closing on the purchase of the locomotive, now owned by the state of Nevada.

“Right now we´re down to our last payment with the state of Nevada,” Karnahan said. “Once it´s purchased, we´re going to transport the Shay, so we´re also raising money for the transportation, which isn´t cheap.”

He says just to haul the vintage steam engine to the museum site – at White Pines Lake near Arnold – will cost about $10,000.

For the trip Saturday, another Shay locomotive, Sierra Railway Number 3, plus passenger cars housed at Railtown 1897 State Historic Park, will make up the train.

Besides the train ride, wine tasting, food and live music on-board, riders will be treated to a surprise train robbery. The special train leaves from The Junction shopping center at 1 p.m. Saturday afternoon. Some tickets are still available. Call Beat Music or The Mountain Bookstore in Sonora, for information and tickets.