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On the side of the #56 California and Western Baldwin locomotive I noticed this artwork which made me chuckle. It's likely the locomotive served as a prime mover for the "Skunk Train" which runs from Willits to Fort Bragg than doing anything for the Lockheed "Skunk Works" which was once located in Nearby Burbank. Still, I liked this design, and I figured a few folks here on FA might enjoy seeing it as well.
Category Photography / Still Life
Species Skunk
Size 899 x 1000px
File Size 189.1 kB
i rode that line for many years both the diesel and steam loco that was some fond memories form my youth. many summers .. here is some great video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd264HiRHrE
--Rick
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd264HiRHrE
--Rick
california wastern, willits to ft brag (nr mendicino). had 3 baldwins in 66 when i was there. they were the freight engines, hauling logs to mill near the ocean and finished lumber back to the nwp connection at willits. all painted catapillar yellow at the time, as were also three doodle bugs, from which came the skunk name. not yet a tourist/railfan only opperation yet at that time. the return of steam was new that year, i forget the loky, but i remember it had small diamiter drivers, may have been a 282st. erie stilwell coaches to pull behind it were only things painted in that red at the time. the name skunk existed, but i don't think the skunk logo appeared until a couple of years later. unlikely the baldwin freight diesels ever pulled passengers as a regular thing, unless the steamer was out of service or additional loco hauled passenger trains in addition to the skunk cars, 100,200 and 300 which were still in service at the time.
66 was the year i graduated high school and the trip to ride the doodlebug 200 both ways was my celebration instead of the prom.
66 was the year i graduated high school and the trip to ride the doodlebug 200 both ways was my celebration instead of the prom.
Oh that is a great story. I mean if I was given a choice of a train ride for my graduation party, back in 1976, I believe I would have taken it too.
Yours is the most concise account on the Skunk Train history I've read thus far, and it gives me a good starting point to do a little research on the line. I'm curious as to how the line got it's "Skunk Train" nickname.
Yours is the most concise account on the Skunk Train history I've read thus far, and it gives me a good starting point to do a little research on the line. I'm curious as to how the line got it's "Skunk Train" nickname.
there should be a book or two about it somewhere. the railroad's name was california western, so that would be the one to look up for notes on its history. i know there's at least one really good railfan book about it, that i'm not sure who wrote.
but the short story for the name skunk, is that's just what local people called the doodlebugs when they were introduced. probably some time in the 1920s or 30s.
but the short story for the name skunk, is that's just what local people called the doodlebugs when they were introduced. probably some time in the 1920s or 30s.
That's definitely not the skunk works logo. I drive past Plant 42 pretty often and the fifteen foot tall skunk on the hangar looks nothing like that other than being a skunk. 83
Also, a quick Google shows me the Skunk Train mascot looks a lot like your image. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:.....train_logo.PNG
Also, a quick Google shows me the Skunk Train mascot looks a lot like your image. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:.....train_logo.PNG
Say... Do you recall the dismantling of the Lockheed plant in Burbank? You see, there used to be a couple "Furry" cons at the Burbank Hilton in the early 1990s, and next to visiting the Fry's electronics near the airport, I also liked looking over the then closed factory and try to imagine it in it's heyday.
When the wreckers finally came, some of the machine tools were so huge, they were left in place while the shed was torn down around them. To see a two story tall, 10 foot wide brake press standing while the steel structure was allowed to fall on top of it, kind of gave the machine a sad, "Molten" appearance. To me it also signified the end of an era.
When the wreckers finally came, some of the machine tools were so huge, they were left in place while the shed was torn down around them. To see a two story tall, 10 foot wide brake press standing while the steel structure was allowed to fall on top of it, kind of gave the machine a sad, "Molten" appearance. To me it also signified the end of an era.
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