The Railroad of Knott's Berry Farm Amusement Park
Contributed by Thomas Cruse
| Last October, (1999), I had the opportunity to make a business trip to Los Angeles. While there I visited with my good friend and Locomotive engineer Don Conner who operates the Knotts Berry Farm equipment. Don took a vacation day to show me and two others around the shop and equipment. While an amusement park setting is not a railfan's preference, through Knotts efforts to use actual railroad equipment several important pieces of history have been preserved. |
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| For those who may not be aware Knotts acquired several pieces of Colorado narrow gauge equipment in 1951 and 1952. Locomotives 41 (formerly RGS 41, formerly D&RG #409 Red Cliff) and #340 (formerly D&RGW #340, formerly D&RG #400 Green River) both C-19's operate on the Knotts property along with RGS Goose #3. Rolling stock consists of a healthy collection of former D & RGW closed vestibule coaches, a business car (B-20 EDNA) and parlor car, Durango. Rounding out the collection is RGS short caboose 0402. |
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| What is most impressive about the operation is that the management has permitted the shop crew to restore the equipment to the original D &RG and RGS colors shedding the Hollywood appliances and gaudy paint jobs. The first to have the new image was locomotive #340 which was restored in 1995. It wore a green boiler jacket, silver smokebox and black cab and tender. The tender had the Denver and Rio Grande Western pre-1940's logo. A color version of the toilet seat herald was applied with a slight word change to Ghost Town and Calico. Other changes included the return to a pilot tube pilot, rectangular number plate and straight stack. This transformation met with great success and many favorable comments from the railfan community. |
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| Next out of the shop was RGS 41 sporting a black boiler and silver smokebox with red rings on the domes. The tender wore the RGS mountain herald. With this locomotive overhauled the 340 will go back for maintenance and I have been recently told the tender will receive the FLYING RIO GRANDE herald. |
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| The shop crew has a full compliment of equipment and expertise. They have been restoring the Business car B-20 EDNA to its original glory. The roof has been recovered and the sides have been repaired and repainted. The window frames are being rebuilt with matching hardwoods. The interior woodwork has been refinished. The original; stain glass windows have been removed for safekeeping and new plastic ones matching the originals have been installed. The car will be used to entertain dignitaries and for special occasions and parties. |
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| The railroad equipment gets some heavy abuse from the visitors. The passenger cars have had their bathrooms removed along with stoves and washbasins to provide for more seating. The seats have the folding backs and these mechanisms get broken frequently. The upholstery and interior woodwork receives constant wear. These cars must be constantly worked on to keep in service. Although they currently wear a gaudy yellow and green color scheme, I have been told when a car is due for exterior work it will be re-painted back to the Pullman Green color scheme with D & RGW gold lettering. (This is how the EDNA is now painted.) |
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| One of the greatest treats was to tour the parlor car Durango. The interior is all original with the large plush seats carpeted floor and kitchen. This car is rarely used, but is planned to be restored. At this time the exterior is in need of repair especially the wood window frames. |
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| RGS Goose #3 is used in the off-season when there aren't enough visitors to justify firing the locomotive. Goose #3 has had several engines, latest of which is a Cummins Diesel. Because it has to perform on a regular schedule a more reliable power plant had to be used so the original Pierce Arrow to GMC power plant have been replaced. |
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| Perhaps the most significant news was that Knott's has been purchased by a larger conglomerate which has plans to expand the current operation across Beech Blvd. When we were there the asphalt had already been removed. The crew of the railroad has met with management and discussed plans to operate the railroad around the perimeter of the park making the train a more meaningful part of the park by being a people mover rather than strictly an amusement park ride. According to Don management was very receptive of their proposal and is considering some expansion of the trackage. As Don says we're ready with the track gang and anxious to get started. |
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Mark L. Evans
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