Hi everyone!
This is Eddie K, Your host and photographer here at Eddie's Railfan Page.

Like many of My fellow railfans, I am a fan of steam era railroading. Although I was born too late to experience it first hand in daily operation, the photographs, first hand accounts and locomotives preserved in railroad museums have always fascinated Me.

I found this photo at My Link page Yesteryear Depot.Com, located to the right of Your computer screen.

One of My favorite North American railroads I have always enjoyed reading about, and viewing the many photographs of...was the west coast regional railroad that was known as 'The Western Pacific Railroad. The WP began operations in the year of 1910, and operated as the WP until it was acquired through merger by the Union Pacific Railroad in 1982.

The Western Pacific loke most American railroads, operated steam locomotives in regular service until the late 1940's and early 1950's era. The WP operated small 4-6-0 Ten Wheeler locomotives from the early years in freight and passenger service, as well as these huge articulated Challenger types photographed here. Standard medium size steam locomotives like the 2-8-0 Consolidation and the 2-8-2 Mikado Types, were the mainstay workhorses of the WP, as well as 4-8-2 Mountain and 4-8-4 Northern types.

The Western Pacific had quickly dieselized, and most of their steam locomotive fleet was cut up for scrap. A few WP steamers were preserved, and one of their 0-6-0 steam switchers is currently undergoing restoration, at the Western Pacific Railroad Museum in Portola California USA.