The first is to the Hillcrest & Wahtoke Railroad at the Hillcrest Christmas Tree Farm in Reedley, Friday, May 2nd. The bus will leave the convention site at 9:00 AM and return about 2:00 PM. We will be treated to a steam-up demonstration, a tour of their locomotive and car shops, and the several acres of 15 inch gauge, 5” scale layout. NEW! Video

The Hillcrest & Wahtoke Railroad operates a live steam, 15 inch gauge, 5" scale, "Consolidation" locomotive, pulling 5" scale gondola cars handmade at the on-site Hillcrest Shops. This engine is a one-of-a-kind built by Ken Kukuk in Los Angeles. They also have a scale 1930's track inspection "speeder" a functional, scale hand car, and a World War I vintage park scale steam engine.

The cost is $35.00 and includes transportation, lunch, and train rides. Several of us will be allowed to actually run the train!

NEW ! ==> Video: Low resolution: 12.0 MB; High resolution: 52.1 MB WARNING - LARGE FILES. For improved playback, right click to save/download and play from your PC. Running time: 5:18

-- Source: Hillcrest Shops Website

The second excursion is Friday, May 2nd, 4:00 to 10:00 PM, to the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad at Fish Camp, on Highway 41 north of Fresno. This extra fare item includes the bus ride to YMSPRR, a delicious BBQ dinner, and entertainment. Oh, yes, the train ride is also included.

The fine folks at YMSPRR have agreed to throw in a couple of cab rides during our excursion activity there. A drawing will be held for these cab rides. All those who registered for the convention and the extra fare YMSPRR train ride by December 31 will be entered in the drawing.

Sounds and scenes from the era of steam powered railroad logging come to life at the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad in the Sierra National Forest south of Yosemite National Park.

From 1899 to 1931, the Madera Sugar Pine Lumber Company operated miles of narrow gauge railroad track. During that time, nearly one and a half billion board feet of lumber were harvested from the forests. Five wood-burning Shay locomotives hauled massive log trains to the mill over the extensive rail network.

Today, the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad is a restoration of the old narrow gauge Madera Sugar Pine Lumber Company Railroad. A section of the original railbed has been reconstructed using the same techniques used at the turn of the century. Two vintage Shay steam locomotives have been brought in from the Westside Lumber company and restored to provide authentic motive power for the trains.

Shay number 15 was built in 1913 and weighs 60 tons. Number 10, built in 1928,  weighs 83 tons and is the heaviest operating narrow gauge Shay locomotive today.

Railcars once used to provide transportation for logging and track repair crews have been refurbished and are now operated for passenger excursion. Antique Model "A" Ford gas engines power the trolley-like "Jenny" cars over the route.

-- Source: YMSPRR Website