BIGGEST STEAM-UP IN PSRMA HISTORY SET!!
What promises to be the biggest STEAM-UP in the history of PSRMA will take place on Saturday, June 27th, when the Shay and the No. 11, locomotives are delivered to the Miramar Navel Air Station for temporary storage.
The Navy haa granted PSRMA permission to use the entire two miles of trackage on the base to switch our engines and earn and then to offer rides to Navy personnel and their families and MEMBERS of PSRMA only.
The locomotive will be switched to the Miramar siding during the week of the 22nd. Friday evening Master Mechanic Bob DiGiorgio will spend the night with the locos. Saturday morning fire-up of the shay will begin at 8 am outside the West Gate of Miramar NAS. At 11 am the Shay will steam through the gate and across the base with the No. 11 in tow. Beginning at noon, free steam rides using coach 576, will be given to Navy personnel and PSRMA members ONLY.
A Visitor's pass will be required to gain access to the base. The pass may be obtained from the Base Security Office which is located at the Main Gate. The Security Office will have the current roster of PSRMA members so there should be no problems getting on the base itself.
The taking of pictures will be allowed in the Museum Storage area which is located just South of the Main Gate and can be seen to your left as you drive onto the base. Pictures will be allowed along the entire trackage, but the Navy requests that no pictures be taken South of the storage area or track right—of-way. This is for Security purposes.
Since this will be our first contact with the Navy after they have graciously agreed to permit us to store our equipment on their property, PSRMA Members should remember to put their best foot forward. Hopefully, if we put on a good show, we will be permitted to have more steam ups in the future. So bring your camera and plenty of film and be there on the 27th for a day of STEAM RAIL ROADING IN SAN DIEGO!!!!!!
PUERTO PENASCO WRAP-UP - SUCCESS!!
More than 600 people joined PSRMA for our annual Puerto Penasco excursion on May 16th to make the trip a huge success both financially and PSRMA in the public eye.
Originally scheduled for November of 1969, the trip had to be postponed due to Operation Intercept being put in effect along the United States-Mexican border. For the first time in PSSMA's history, the trip was a SELL-OUT in only two weeks. Orders had to be turned down and money returned.
There were a few problems, but this is to be expected, especially when riding in a foreign country and since this was the first time that PSRMA was in complete charge. Eric Sanders acting as Tour Director with Kent Anderson co—ordinated the car agents, bus agents and a number of other details that added up to make this one of the most successful trips that the Museum has operated.
Bus riders totaled 170 as they crossed the border to board a section of the train which was placed at the border for their convenience. Once the train was joined with the other section at the Mexicali depot, our special was on its way to Puerto Penasco.
An innovation on this trip was the wearing of bright red shirts by the Museum members, worked very well as the passengers were able to immediataly recognize and seek any assistance required.
Unfortunately, the late time of year for running this trip made it unbearable for some of the passengers as the temperatures of the desert were quite high. However, as a whole, the passengers were a good group, taking the discomforts of the trip with a smile and that is what counts especially as far as PSRMA in the public's eye.
With the success of this trip, hopes are held high for a planned excursion to Kelso on the Union Pacific in the fall of this year. Keep an eye out for further details in upcoming REPORTS. Also don't forget about the excursion in September on the San Francisco Municipal railway which is outlined in this issue in another story.
TROLLEY EXCURSION IN SAN FRANCISCO
Final plans are being made by PSRMA for an excursion on the San Francisco Municipal Railway on Sunday, September 6th, The six-hour tour of the entire trolley system will begin at 11 am. A lunch hour will be included in the tour.
Municipal Railway Officials have given an indication that the system's car No. l, which is used for excursions only a couple of times a year will be available for our excursion. However, this is only tentative and the use of the car may be cancelled at the last minute. Should the car be used, it can only be operated in the outskirts at the city since the railway will not let the car into the downtown area. For that portion of the system our group would transfer to one of the more modern PCC type cars for the remainder of the excursion.
Fare for the tour will be $7.50. Members must provide their own transportation to San Francisco. Excursion Chairman George Geyer will provide information on several possibilities in reaching San Francisco by air, car and evea RAIL with each ticket purchased.
Members desiring to order their tickets before a brochure mailing is made should direct their orders to George Geyer in care of the Museum address; P.O. Box 12096, San Diego, CA 92112.
SUNDAY EXHIBIT OPEN HOUSE ENDS
During the past 14 months, from 13 April 1961 through 31 May 1970, PSRMA has held Sunday afternoon open house at the locomotives at Harbor and Crosby Drive. These Sunday afternoons have been an enjoyable experience for many PSRMA members. This has been our only regular contact with the public. Some Sundays the turn out was down right poor, 3 or 4 people showed up. Others, have been briskly busy, with over 25 persons asking questions and examining our locos.
Now that the engines are being moved to Miramar NAS this public contact will be broken. Hopefully this past year will not be forgotten by the time we move to our permanent site. Donations of over $70 were received during these open house periods. This isn't a large sum but it more than paid for the Museum brochures that were passed out at the locomotives.
Our record for these 60 Sundays was rather good, only three Sundays were missed. Normally, we don't pat individuals on the back for good works, but I do believe those who serve regularly should be mentioned. A big thanks to the following for their help. Names are followed by the number of times exhibit duty was rendered: Barich,l; Carr, 2; Boyd,4; DiGiorgio,3; Durkin, 1; Geyer,4; Hathawy,3; Hobson,4; Lyerla,3; C. Kerr,6; Matson,3; Parkinson,3; Pennick,6; Sanders,3; Swanson,2; Windle,4; and Richards,2 .
Once again our thanks to those who gave of their time and services to the Museum on this project.