Carson Car Shops

I was doing more research on the Calistoga steam locomotive and discovered that it was not built for the original Napa Valley Railroad but rather was built for the California Pacific (supposedly Cal-P #2 although there seems to be some conflict on that). According to the only source I had the Calistoga was built by Booth & Co. in 1859, and, after some research I discovered this to be a San Francisco based firm who's real name was Union Iron Works. It turns out that the engine was actually built in 1869 just before they built the three mogals for the V & T. The Union Iron Works page; http://web.mac.com/vtlyon/iWeb/The%20Ly ... story.html has a good deal of data on these engines and one good sketch of the Storey. Hopefully this might be of some use to you.

My copy of the Encyclopedia of Western Railroad History arrived today! (Vol IV California)

First thing out of the gate it resolved an issue that I had with the "Calistoga" having been built for the Cal. P. Turns out that the original Napa Valley Rail Road Co. had three engines!

#1 (no name?) 0-4-0 built by Casebolt in 7/65
#2 "Napa City" 2-2-0 54" Vulcan #6 1/65 (later Cal. P. #15 "Flea" and later C.P. #229)
#3 "Calistoga" 2-2-4 - Vulcan #9 5/67 (later VV&CL #1 Vacaville)

Very cool!

Well with those clues I went web hunting and found all sorts of information.

http://discussion.cprr.net/2005/03/re-two-engines.html

http://cprr.org/Museum/images/I_ACCEPT_ ... Roster.pdf

It turns out that the #1 was a pony engine built by a harbor pilot in three weeks and was so unsafe that it was replaced by horses.

The "Napa" and the "Calistoga" were both steam cars



After a fire at the Vaca Valley and Clear Lake the "Calistoga" was rebuilt as a locomotive

The "Napa" was retained as the "Flea" by the Cal. P. when they took over the Napa valley road and was used as a maintence vehicle. It was apparently used by the Central Pacific when they got a hold of it and was used by the SJV on loan as pictured above. It is rumored to be buried somewhere in a SP yard in Sacramento.



No. - Type - Builder ------------- Date ----- Dr. Cyl. Body Weight
Napa 2-2-4T Vulcan Iron Works Nov. 1865 54 9x8 21 tons

Local Intelligence: The New Locomotive - The new locomotive for the Napa
Valley Railroad, is described by the Alta, as a compact and elegant specimen of
artistic skill and workmanship. It weighs about 10 tons, and has a 9 inch piston,
with 18 inch stroke. The diameter of the driving wheels is 41/2 feet. The boiler is
of Lowmoor iron, 12 feet long and 40 inches in diameter. All the modern
improvements are introduced. the company have appropriately christened the
locomotive the Napa, and will place it upon the track immediately. It cost about
$9,000.39
Built as a steam car. Locomotive only 10 tons. Built for the Napa Valley RR as
Napa. Presently believed to be buried in the grounds of the Southern Pacific
shops in Sacramento.

No. ------ Type - Builder ------------- Date Dr. Cyl. Body Weight
Calistoga 2-2-4T Vulcan Iron Works 1867 54 9x8 21 tons

Very neat! That would make for a nice engine in Trainz!

Indeed it would!

I rather like both versions of the Vulcan 2-2-0, steam car and locomotive

I turned up a couple of more photos of the "Napa".

This one is believed to be from her time with the Sierra Nevada Wood and Lumber Co. (near Truckee)


And this one is from her time with the San Joaquin Valley Coal Mining Co. as is the large one above.