Santa Maria Valley No. 1000 was built in 1920 by American Locomotive Company for the Hetch Hetchy Railroad #4. This 2-8-2 Mikado has 20 x 28 cylinders, 48-inch drivers, weighs 88 tons and has an overall length of 79 feet 10 inches. As such it helped build the dam that now waters San Francisco. In 1924 when HHRR sold five engines No. 4 went to the Newaukum Valley Railroad in Washington where it was renumbered No.1000. In 1944 it was sold to the Santa Maria Valley Railroad where it hauled petroleum and agricultural products. The June 2013 of Trains Magazine has an excellent article by Tom Murray on the present day Santa Maria Valley. In 1958 No. 1000 was donated to the Travel Town museum in Los Angeles, California.
Travel Town is located in Griffith Park Los Angeles CA and is owed by the LA Department of Recreation and Parks. It was the brainchild of Parks employee Charley Atkins in 1952. He wanted it to be a haven for retired steam locomotives and be a "railroad petting zoo" allowing the children of Los Angeles to play at being engineers. Since that time, the collection and the museum's mission has evolved. Most fortunately, it has been greatly improved since the 1970's and while there is much to do, it now has a much clearer vision of it's future. Admission is free! http://traveltown.org
