Grizzly Flats 2-6-0 Mogul Emma Nevada Locomotive - Locomotives on Waymarking.com

The story of the Grizzly Flats Railroad began in 1938, in the backyard of Ward and Betty Kimball's San Gabriel, California orange grove. Ward, an animator for the Walt Disney Studios and part-time railroad hobbyist, decided to purchase the last remaining passenger coach from Southern Pacific's narrow gauge railroad. About the same time, a railfan friend suggested the Kimballs should have an engine to go with their "new" 1881 coach. The historic Nevada Central Railroad was about to be abandoned, and had for sale a nice, vintage Mogul-type steam locomotive, numbered 2 and once named "Sidney Dillon", which had operated in the Nevada desert since 1881.

The rest is history. The newly-acquired locomotive and coach were brought to Southern California by rail and by truck, and soon were resting on a short section of track among the Kimball orange trees. Ward and Betty decided to name their new operation the Grizzly Flats Railroad, and heralded it as the "Scenic Wonder of the West".

Friends and family helped to restore and refinish locomotive number 2 to its former glory and Ward renamed it "Emma Nevada" after a famous opera star of the late 1800s. Coach 5 was colorfully painted and its Southern Pacific letterboard re-lettered to "Grizzly Flats Railroad". This activity all took place on weekends during the late1930's and early 40's. The intervening years saw additional rolling stock added and a Baldwin plantation locomotive arrived from Hawaii. More track was laid and a Victorian railroad depot that was a leftover from a Disney movie set became the line's station.

Photos of visits are encouraged but not required for this category.