History of Bitter Creek Western Railroad...
Land just begging for a railroad in the early 1980s.
Fall, 1983 - Talk, plans, talk, plans, talk, plans, etc.
2/6/84 - Best plan with reasonable grades; simplified loops, cuts, and fills.
2/26/84 - First stakes of track plan put in with tape measure only.
3/10/84 - Restaked loops 50' more uphill to decrease amount of lower fills.
3/25/84 - Argued and restaked entire line, even upper loop. Unloaded 22 sections of track panels.
4/1/84 - Offset stakes put in, some with tall extensions for deep fills.
6/23/84 - Doug (owner) starts cuts and big fill with dozer.
7/1/84 - Most of lower fill done. Upper fill started.
10/28/84 - Lower fill enlarged for double track. Upper fill completed.
12/2/84 - Oversized ballast rock reloaded from upper gate to lower layout.
12/8/84 - More dirt taken out on lower fill; transit readings varying.
1/20/85 - Side-rod diesel, Eula, and 4 cars arrive. Also, first Christmas trees planted. Track panels almost halfway around first loop.
1/30/85 - "San Luis Southern" chosen as name of club by Doug, John, Karl, Everett, Gene, Iran, Dave, and Pete while at lunch at Bob's in SLO.
2/3/85 - Planted 18 small pine trees. Hand carry all water.
Some of the BCWRR crew in February of 1983.
Some of the mainline is in place. January 1985.
April 1985.
May 1985.
The cuts are made for the track. May 1985.
A tunnel is underway. October 1985.
1985.
The first of the locomotives to ride the BCWRR rails - No. 3004. December 1985.
December 1985.
This is the car barn area of today as it looked in December of 1985.
2/8/85 - Loaded five pickup trucks with wet gravel granite at SLO.
2/9/85 - Dumped gravel at layout. Completed last 50' of first loop. Ran Eula. Big ice plant planted on North side of big fill. Harry Haas and Jim Jury visit.
2/10/85 - Cut over 1000 railroad ties at Jack's house, then Karl put in the first switch.
3/3/85 - Doug attempted to teach Eula to fly. She tried hard.
4/13/85 - Flowering ice plant and more trees planted, watered by hand sprayer and temp sprinkler lines from upper loop.
5/18/85 - Underground water lines installed, feeder lines added later.
11/3/85 - Jack planted 47 cedar trees. Tunnel frames being mass produced.
12/1/85 - First 24' tunnel done with dirt added on top.
1986
Surveying in February of 1986.
Pullmans on the mainline in September of 1986.
Today's boxcar storage shed (far right) is in place in September of 1986.
No. 3004 heads out across what looks like the prairie.
No. 18 waters at the water tower out in the middle of nowhere.
The large tree was a 1983 Christmas tree that's already grown to this size in 1986.
This bridge runs along the yard and the view is roughly to the south.
This is the "Gold Spike" ceremony at the railroad where and when the mainline was completed. An oak tie was used to mark the spot, along with a plaque that reads "SLSRR 12-86" (December, 1986). Gold and silver (colored) spikes were used and are still there today.
A view into what is today's yard area, with the future car barn area in the distance (along the row of small pine trees).
1987
Preparing for the turntable.
Eula!
The turntable is nearly in place (note the shadow beneath the closest wheel does not touch the wheel as it is not yet on the ground).
The turntable for the San Luis Southern (BCWRR's original name) is placed.
