Public Invited to Carson & Colorado Open House Weekend

March 12, 2025
For Immediate Release

Public Invited to Carson & Colorado Open House Weekend

Owens Valley railroad history will come back to life when the restored, historic Southern Pacific #18 steam locomotive gets steamed up and rolls once again over the weekend of April 11, 12, 13. The free event is open to the public.

The Slim Princess will run on short stretches of track all three days at the Eastern California Museum, 155 N. Grant Steet, in Independence. The weekend event will give visitors a chance to watch the historic steam engine in action. Watching the locomotive steam over narrow-gauge tracks is an impressive sight and recalls the long and important role played by the Carson & Colorado and Southern Pacific railroads in the history of the Owens Valley. The locomotive and tender will be operated over the weekend by volunteers who are experienced, licensed steam locomotive engineers and firemen to ensure safe operations.

The rejuvenated steam engine is also a testament to the dedication of the all-volunteer, nonprofit Carson & Colorado Railway which has worked for decades to bring #18 back into operational shape and keep the locomotive running.

The weekend will feature tours of the Larry Peckham Engine House that will include educational displays about the locomotive and restoration of the historic SP Boxcar 1C. Knowledgeable volunteers will be on hand to discuss the workings of the locomotive and the mechanical details that make a steam locomotive operate. Volunteers will also point out the challenges and work involved in restoring the 1880-era boxcar back to its original, historic state.

The three-day event is a family friendly event. Kids of all ages are encouraged to come see the locomotive. There will be a coloring/drawing activity with prizes and a scavenger hunt for the kids.

The event starts Friday afternoon, April 11, when #18 gets fired and builds steam pressure before its first runs. On Saturday, April 12, the locomotive will be running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., kids’ activities will take place, and the Engine House will be open to the public. At 5 p.m., things move to the historic Independence Legion Hall for a tri-tip dinner (suggested $20 donation). Several speakers will relate the story of the restoration of #18 and other rolling stock and outline some future goals for the locomotive and the Carson & Colorado group.

The event will wrap up on the morning of April 13 with more locomotive runs and visitors will also be given a glimpse of what it takes to shut down the engine.

Of course, donations will be accepted and greatly appreciated any time over the weekend and will go toward ongoing operating and maintenance costs for #18.

The Slim Princess is a 1911 Baldwin locomotive that Southern Pacific brought to the Owens Valley in the 1920s, along with its “sister,” SP #9 (which is at Laws Railroad Museum in Bishop). The steam engines ran from Laws to Keeler into the 1950s, when they were retired and donated to Inyo County, which installed #18 in Dehy Park in Independence. The locomotive was a well-known landmark for decades.

In 2001, several local residents and train fans started literally tinkering with #18 and eventually completed enough work to actually fire the engine. With that promising start, work began in earnest in 2001 to restore the engine. From the start, the volunteer group working on #18 included current and retired mechanics and engineers at such historic railroads as the Virgina Truckee, Durango Silverton, Knotts Berry Farm, Southern Pacific, Northern Nevada RR and others. By 2010, extensive work had been performed on the locomotive’s components, such as the cab, trucks and boiler.

In 2016, the restored locomotive was successfully fired and ran on a short piece of track at the park. Work began on the Larry Peckham Engine House, which was completed in 2017 and became the home of the Slim Princess.

Donations have fueled the entire restoration and operating budget for #18.

The April Open House co-sponsors include The County of Inyo, the Eastern California Museum, PAWS, the Friends of the Eastern California Museum and hundreds of donor and benefactors who have supported the Carson & Colorado Railway. The locomotive is housed at the Eastern California Museum, 155 N. Grant Street, Independence, CA. For more info see Carsoncolorado.com or carsoncoloradorailway on Instagram.

News Staff