I am the one who obtained the locomotive back in 1964. She was built as the Steptoe Valley Mining & Smelter Company's number 3. She was built as an oil burner and did not look anything loike she did when I purchased her. She was a mill engine at McGill and stayed there her entire life. When I found her she was a low clearance locomotive and looked like a flat iron had been dropped on her. I had her moved to Rio Vista Jct. in 1965, and in 1968, she was moved to Castro Point. Numbered back to her original number of three, she was the second steamer to operate at Castro Point (The number 6 was the first). As noted, Pete Rogers did a lot of work on the locomotive, but he was not alone. "Bones" Andrews did the work or raising the cab to a decent height, and also shortened the saddle tank so that the smoke box was exposed. However the first operations were made with a fifty-five gallon tank strapped to boiler for a water supply and a wood plank for a seat. "Mac" McCallister later took on the project and "finished" her. At first she operated without a tender and her fuel supply was in front of the fireman. However, within a few months, McCallister and Andrews built a small four wheel tender out of a hopper frame that I had also obtained from Ely. The tender was only for wood, and the number 3 burned a lot of wood during an operation. It was at this point I dontated the locomotive to the Association with the only provision that she be returned to me if they no longer wanted her.

In 1988 the number 3 was moved to Niles Canyon, and she became the first steamer to operate on the Niles Canyon Railway. At first she operated as a wood burner, but in 1991, she was coverted to oil, as the residents of Sunol were not happy with the wood smoke. I suspect that the oil firing is what finished off the firebox and by the late 1990's she was out of service. A new boiler was obtained for the locomotive, but proved to be too large. Last year, the Assocition decided that the little number 3 no longer fit their needs, and after some discussion, I arranged for her to donated to the Ely group.

Over the years, the number 3 became the Nevada Consolidated Copper number 309, and then the Kennecott Copper Corp. number 309. I suspect that she was out of service a very long time before I acquired her in 1964. Tom was correct in that she was a smooth locomotive to operate and she was fast for her size.

The McCormik Tie Company 202 (I am not sure of the spelling) was a similar locomotive. I am not sure where it at the present time.