Espee99-- Here is some more info on "Little Puffer" at the San Francisco Zoo.

Little Puffer is a 1904-05 Cagney Class "E" (22 inch gauge).


From the desk of CEO John E. Rimmasch, WRC (Watsach Railroad Contractors)

The truth is... the Zoo has worn it out. Truth be known, this is one of the most used amusement trains in the US. By the way, yes this is the Santa Cruz Cagney and yes, one of only a handful of the 22 inch engines made by Cagney.

Our relationship with the GGRM goes way back... almost twenty years now! After the group left Hunters Point almost two years ago, the GGRM recommended that some other shop do the work on the engine as they no longer had the facility to do it. Further, the Zoo needed the engine repaired and returned as soon as possible. The all-volunteer staff at GGRM had a hard time doing that part of the job. Because of our long term relationship, it was actually Don Micheletti of the GGRM that recommended WRC to the Zoo. The Zoo contacted us and asked us to do the work.

WRC looks forward to submitting a full article about the work performed on the locomotive to be published-- perhaps in Live Steam Magazine. Suffice to say here, the engine, after ten hard years of operation needed a great amount of work. It is noted however that the needed work was not a result of the rebuild ten years ago nor does it have anything to do with how the engine and train are handled currently. It just has a LOT of miles on it! The locomotive received a number of new bearings, had wheels treads turned and profiled, and a number of other larger mechanical items repaired that the Zoo just can not do on their own.

We can tell you this, the Zoo and the operators were very pleased with the engine when it returned. The WRC staff members that returned the locomotive actually operated it and the staff at the Zoo was very happy with the new running gear work and the other repairs that were made. This little engine gets a real work out! It has done very well over the past ten years thanks to the work that GGRM did. We hope it will get another good ten years or more on the new bearings and such that have just been installed.

John E. Rimmasch, WRC

Cheers to all,

KRK