Copyright © 2008 Santa Maria Valley Railroad

The Santa Maria Valley Railroad A Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of Coast Belle Rail Corporation Press Release March 10, 2008 For Immediate Release SANTA MARIA VALLEY RAILROAD COMPANY PO Box 5665 Santa Maria, California 93456 Telephone (805) 922-7941 FAX (805) 922-9554 www.smvrr.com Historic Railbus #9 to Run on SMV Rails after 46-Year Hiatus Santa Maria, CA - A piece of Santa Maria Valley Railroad (SMVRR) history, Railbus #9, will return on April 5, 2008 after a 46-year hiatus to lead a "train" of 40-plus speeders (track maintenance vehicles) on an enjoyable day of railroading on the Santa Maria Valley Railroad tracks. The SMVRR will host the second annual Central Coast Rails, Big and Small, Motorcars Operators West Speeder Run on Saturday, April 5, 2008. This event is organized by the North American Railcar Operators Association (NARCOA) Motorcar Operators West (MOW). Those wishing to bring their speeder to the event should contact Bill Schertle (at bschertle@juno.com). Speeders, or Maintenance of Way cars, are railroad motorcars used by railroads for track inspections and to haul tools and workers to work sites. Speeders have been replaced by hi-rail vehicles - standard pickup trucks with railroad wheels. The SMVRR is one of the last railroads to use speeders. Ownership and operation of railroad speeders has become a very popular activity for railroad enthusiasts. SMV Railbus #9 last saw service on the SMVRR in 1962. It was built in 1932 by Fairmont Railway Motorcars of Fairmont, MN. It saw regular service on the SMVRR as a mail and express package delivery vehicle between the mainline exchange in Guadalupe and downtown Santa Maria. It was retired from that service in 1936 at which time it became a maintenance-of-way "speeder" for the SMVRR carrying track crews and equipment to and from work sites. It was sold as scrap in 1962 to the Valley Pipe & Salvage Company of Santa Maria. In 1965, Valley Pipe donated the railbus to the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum, also known as the San Diego Railway Museum (www.sdrm.org). That group worked on the railbus for 26 years at which time it became the first piece of functioning rolling stock at the museum in 1991. Railbus #9 made her first restored debut at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento at RailFair '91. The San Diego Railway Museum will be bringing Railbus #9 to act as "Grand Marshall" for the SMVRR-hosted speeder event in Santa Maria on Saturday, April 5th. Maintenance-of-Way (MOW), track maintenance in railroad terminology, is an ongoing and critical responsibility of the SMVRR, on a par with maintaining their nearly 3000 horsepower of locomotives. The SMVRR's MOW gang is probably the finest track gang of any shortline railroad in the U.S. For years they have kept the track in great shape despite very limited resources. When the Coast Belle Rail Corp. purchased the railroad in 2006, the new owners quickly determined that a massive amount of track rehabilitation was top priority. In just over a year's time, many ties and rails were replaced, track tamped, and ballast renewed with just basic equipment and tools. Third-generation SMVRR employee Jesse Flores is the track foreman. Jesse's father and great grandfather worked on the SMVRR as well as many extended family, numerous cousins, uncles, and great uncles. Jesse brings much pride and loyalty to the railroad and it shows in his work. He has been able to keep a well maintained track through the years despite a lack of materials and resources. Jesse is very resourceful. Contract worker Sergio Silva previously worked for the SMVRR and is back now as a talented track worker with a deep knowledge of track maintenance and construction. Rafael Sanchez is the newest track gang member having started just over a year ago. The team of three can do amazing things. In a typical tie replacement project, a backhoe is their only "heavy machinery". The rest is done with hand tools, picks, shovels, spike mauls, lining bars, track jacks, and tamping bars. The SMVRR has a reputation for well maintained level track despite the use of hand tools. SMVRR tracks are smoother than most shortline railroads and smoother than even some parts of larger railroad's main line track. Through the 1980's the SMVRR depended on large track gangs to perform maintenance work. The purchase of the Pandrol Jackson track tamper in the late 1980's and a backhoe in the early 1990's greatly reduced the work force. The current management plans to purchase other critical pieces of equipment so the MOW gang can gain further productivity. Although the speeder event on April 5th is a private event, the public is invited to the freight depot (at McClelland and Jones in downtown Santa Maria) for free guided tours of the speeders and SMVRR's maintenance of way equipment. Also, the speeder movement schedule will be published (at www.smvrr.com) so those who wish may watch the parade of speeders as they travel along the SMVRR tracks from downtown Santa Maria to the Guadalupe yard. Rob Himoto, President Santa Maria Valley Railroad Company PO Box 5665 Santa Maria, CA 93456 Tel: (805) 922-7941 Fax: (805) 922-9554 E-mail: rhimoto@smvrr.com ##### || About || Services || History || News || Events || Excursions || Store || Contact ||