The V-twin locos are called Heislers... When we used to play at Travel Town in the 60s they had an F9F Panther jet-fighter, a V-1 buzz-bomb, and a WWII USN cargo plane that the bigger kids broke into so they could smoke their funny cigarettes, and we little kids swarmed it. Keep up the good work Toy Man!
Thanks for the heads up. [V-Twin... Heisler...] Got it.. I think. I'm still learning! LOL! Lots of great things at Griffith Park! Loved Travel Town! What a fun trip!
It was really run down for quite some time. Didn’t stop me from liking it going there but seeing the potential was sort of sad. But now it’s just amazing
I grew up in the San Fernando Valley and my father took me there in the early 1950s & 1960s. I escaped L.A. in Jan. 1970 and tell people I’m a refugee from there. I love Travel Town and took my son there in the early 1990s while visiting Mom & Dad. My wife and I stopped by about 10 years ago and saddened to see how much it deteriorated. I didn’t ever want to return, I was so sad to see no one cared to maintain the RR cars and engines. After viewing your wonderful video, I wouldn’t mind visiting it again. Glad to see this place is under new management and preservation is back, plus new improvements and expansion. Nice video work as always.
Yeah it was a real mess for quite a while. So glad they got that straightened out. It’s actually a world class museum now. I still have a lot of work to do but they’re doing it
We need to keep escaping.. or hope for spring! I don't think we will be heading for Chicago real soon... Not until the place thaws! Crazy weather! Thanks for watching!
It's a great train museum. The Shay is a Popular Geared steam locomotive like the Heisler and the Climax. I have saw some Shay steam locomotives back then at Tourist Railroads and Railroad Museums.
I have waited a WHOLE WEEK for this video and let me tell you, it was worth it! I've been to Travel Town so many times over the years, starting when I was around 5 or 6, then took my own kids, and then the grand kids. It'll be a few years, but I'll be taking the great grandson that's on the way, soon as he's old enough. Another great episode of massive screwing around!
My Grandmother always loved Gene Autry's music. But a bit far away in Australia. She also made sure I had a train set for Christmas early in my life. Railway books also were early gifts from her. Bless her. A Heisler similar to 2:50 was my first cab ride, but in New Zealand on a railfan holiday.
Rode the Train from Byron Bay, To Sydney.. Was traveling around, w/ a friend.. Very cold on the Train at night - Was so glad that I insisted on bringing my down sleeping bag into the car, w/ us.. We would’ve froze, otherwise.. lol
It's the friend from Bountiful. My first trip to travel town was around 1975 (I was 5ish). It was different then, airplanes and missles. Plus the fire apparatus, etc. I grew up in Sherman Oaks so Griffith Park was always right there. You guy's are awsome so many thanks for the memories. I hope we see eachother at the 150th anniversary up to Promontory.... Safe journeys, & be well!!!
Hey, Jason! This was my first trip TO Travel Town... Not just past it! I love Griffith Park! One of my favorite places to visit, when in the LA area! See You at Promontory!
My great grandfather took me here once a week when I was 5. Can’t believe that was 20 years ago. This place will always hold a special place in my heart. You guys were great at commentary thank you for the video, and for bringing up some old memories and some new information.
Shays are really interesting locomotives to watch, probably my favorite as well. You haven't lived until you've seen two of them race. Lots of noise and fury going maybe 15 miles per hour. Awesome. Nice to see that TT has been able to erect that fancy "pole barn" for their deteriorating wooden cars. They do have a great collection.
I worked as the Shipping/Receiving clerk for Railroad Supply Corp in 1991 and 1992. I used to walk by the shop in the 1970's and sometimes go in and look at the locomotives on display. During my working there I sometimes helped finish railroad cars for the Live Steamers clients, sanding, shellac, that sort of thing. I've been visiting Travel Town since 1964.
I grew up in Burbank ('57 - '74) and Travel town was one of my two favorite places to hang out. I remember them having a couple vintage aircraft there as well. The remnants of the Griffith park zoo is nearby and was my other hangout growing up. Celebrated a couple birthdays at Travel town as a child too
In the good old days, Travel Town would let kids climb on the trains, and they also housed some military jets, and a barn full of 1920ish cars and fire trucks. The project of running a full size train to the Zoo had the breaks put on it because it was too expensive to build the tunnel, and they couldn't get the environmental permits. My three favorite trains are the Shay, Climax, and Heisler.
It's difficult to keep kids from climbing on trains.. I suppose there is a "safety" concern these days. I would hate to see a child fall off one of them.. not to mention the possibility of a law suit.... Anyway... Glad to see these trains preserved, and on display! Yes! I love the Shay! I am learning to tell the difference between a Heisler, and a Climax..... In my exuberance.. I get Mr. Toy Man all mixed up.... And we Laaaaaugh! I do know that there is a "V" there somewhere! Thanks for watching!
I personally visited this place a lot as a child my last visit was in late July 2015 and I'm planning on trying to make 1 more visit in the next week possibly
I got his ranch mixed up wit Will Rogers Ranch near Santa Monica. ANYWAY Melody Ranch by Magic Mountain burned in the 60's and the trains were sold. As I understand it there is still some kind of movie studio there. Just not a western town. Gene Autry lived in the western town in a gated mexican hacienda. Really amazing. So he could use it in movies as well. Like to see some of the films shot there. I'm betting He planned to lay track and use the locomotives in films too but never did.
Having visited this museum multiple times, there is always something different since they like to move equipment around. Not too long after Toy Man Television filmed this show, they moved the Stockton Terminal & Eastern #1 into the restoration area presumably to get repainted. They also have a Santa Fe Doodlebug Motor car numbered M.177 which they been restoring to operating condition. During my visit a year ago she was actually powered up to which I have a video of on my channel.
See that California western Diesel engine at 12:17 it was from a scenic railroad in California. It's called the skunk train it runs in fortbragg, California and Willits, California. And also the diesel that is in display in Griffith park is CW # 56 it was originally run at the skunk train, but today it's in display in the museum in Griffith park. And there are only two California Diesel engines running at the skunk train. 65 & 64 along with a rail bus # 100 & CW steam locomotive # 45 a 2-8-2 ''mikado''. There are two other locomotives that run at the skunk train too. Rail bus # 300 & steam locomotive 2-6-6-2 ''mallet'' # 46.
They want to rebuild a line going through the park which is why all the standard gauge track was put in but that isn't going to happen because it would mean no more LALS. nice vid.
Great video, it's been a few years since I was there. You miss identified one of the locos. The one you called a climax was actually a Heisler. The Climax had cylinders turning a crankshaft that was more like an online 2 cylinder vs av twin.
I really enjoyed visiting Travel Town as a kid in the 1950s and early 1960s, but in later years it seemed to have really fallen on hard times. (As I recall, a lot of the missing glass on the headlights and number boards was the work of vandals, not the elements.) But by the look of this video it seems like they are finding their feet again. That's good news.
So many parks have had a similar story. I was happy to see that Travel Town has had a group of caring people bring it to it's present state. It's a wonderful place to visit! Thanks for watching!
Great video. I lived in Burbank for few years back in the 70's and would ride my bike around Griffith Park at least once a month. Loved the park even though it was beginning to be over run with undesirables on weekends so I would only ride on weekdays. The one thing about travel town I remember was that it not only had trains but other modes of travel on display like planes and automobiles. Are they still there? I do recall everything was in very poor condition at the time.
I believe there are some.. I really get the feeling that Griffith Park is doing it's best, to be a more visitor friendly place. Travel Town is really coming along! Great management, clean, and a great place to spend a weekend with family. We really enjoyed our visit!
I really think the Climax was impersonating, or our eyes were crossed during edit! I grew up listening to Roy Rogers and Gene Autry... Sons of the Pioneers.. My dad was a huge fan! Thanks for watching!!
I love your videos. It seems we have lived several of the same places in life :) I grew up in LA, and would pass by Griffith Park on the 134 once/week for a couple years when I was a kid. I've been to the Observatory a few times, even did some hiking there as a kid. I finally saw a concert at the Greek Theater. Yet, I'd never gone to Traveltown, despite being a train nut! My wife surprised me on my Birthday a couple years ago, taking me and our boys. I haven't visited the LA live steamers yet either! This video BLEW MY MIND - learning there is another Traveltown layout a bit to the south! Mind Blown! (I think you lived in Santa Barbara for a bit, which is where I've mostly lived since 1992...). These "just screwing around" videos are wonderful. I hope you're very proud of the effort you two are putting into these videos.
Yes it seems I’ve lived in very various places! In and out of the LA area most of my life but generally living in northern and southern Utah. But also Lake Tahoe. And 10 years at Ojai.
that was super awesome loved the trains,sunday couldn't come fast enough lol yeah what a neat peice of history with the gene autry connection i love the songs like that from those days i think my love for music that far back comes from my dad i have alot of ones on my ipod my top 9 i can think of are some of my favorites is 1.marty robbins:el paso 2.charley pride:blue eyes crying in the rain and crystal chandelier 3.Freddy fender:before the next tear drop falls 4.hank Williams and hank Williams jr 5.dean martin,sammy davis jr 6.ray price:crazy arms 7.ned miller:from a jack to a king 8.gene autry:back in the saddle 9. guy Mitchell:Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and so many more but i just thought i'd share with you both.like i told my mom i cant help liking the music i like some before my time but you like what you like right?
Travel town and the entire Griffith Park look very interesting. I would love to visit there someday. I seem to remember seeing Traveltown being used in various TV shows over the years. Shows like 1-Adam 12. Am I correct?
I LOVED Adam 12! Great show! I'll just bet they did do a few film shots of Griffith Park, for the show. Griffith Park is one of our favorite stops, while visiting the LA area! If you find yourself in LA... Do stop!
When are you guys going to come visit Train Mountain (7.5" GA live steamers-Chiloquin, OR)? You missed the triennial (worldwide) meet this last summer.
I left a long time ago but my dad always took me to Angel games we sat up in the nosebleed section behind home plate I still have the 1986 ticket stubs from the division championship game with the Boston red Sox
Mostly just a brain fart. Called a Challenger a Big Boy on a video once. geeeeezzzz... But we had been talking about Big Boys and when this great brass Challenger chugged by with a string of passenger cars..... Oops.
Hello I like your videos. There very very fun, wonderful, and entertaining to watch. I even saw the Antonio Colorado episodes were you were riding the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad which is not that far from manassa Colorado were I live. You should visit the Jack Dempsey museum in the summer. Can you do an update on Union Pacific Big Boy 4014. Thank you
Found Jack Dempesy's home in Salt Lake City! It's now a cruddy motel offering weekly rates. BUT the old house is great. Not a lot of people know he lived in Salt LAke for years.
Ah, the melody ranch collection. During that time Gene Autry also got his hands on a Southern Pacific 2-6-0 #1629, which is on display in Newhall, CA. He also had Long Bell Lumber Company 2-6-2 #4, a 1907 vintage logging prairie, as well as Mcbryde Sugar Company #4, a 1900 vintage narrow gauge 0-6-0. Both engines are now part of Fred Kepner’s Collection in Merril, OR.
It was located in Merrill, Oregon. Now it’s being moved with Fred Kepner’s recent passing. The collection was kept on a siding in a relatively dry climate.
Interesting history on the little steeple cab at 15:44! Pacific Electric 1544 was originally built as North Shore Railroad (former North Pacific Coast Railroad) "Electra", in 1902 as the North Shore Railroad began to electrify it's railroad operations between Sausalito, Mill Valley, San Rafael, and San Anselmo. However, Electra used so much power that it began to slow down other interurban electric trains on the mainlines, so Electra was only used in the early morning hours. In 1906, after the Earthquake of San Francisco, Electra was shipped to San Francisco to help aid in the reconstruction of the city. Apparently, it remained in storage until 1917 or was bought by some railroad, but during 1917 the Pacific Electric bought it to begin running on their railway. The Electra was primarily used for switching operations and was retired in 1952.
Great memories, mom took me there many times as a kid, thanks You should consider Riverside Live Steamers and the Orange Empire RR museum in Perris ca next time you come to SoCal.
Don’t know the Riverside live steamers.. I riverside? We have been to LA live steamers. Wow!! And to perris twice but never when it’s open! Just for week day events. Really want to see and ride the trolleys
Toy Man Television Check out www.steamonly.org Once we are over this Wuhan virus nonsense, they run the second and fourth Sundays of the month. Highly recommend coming by for the spring or fall meet
I believe the Pacific Electric red car at 5:28 used to be part of Southern Pacific's Interurban Electric Railway (formerly East Bay Electric Lines before the IER ran on the Bay Bridge) before being moved to the Pacific Electric after the Interurban Electric gave up operations in 1941.
Cool!!! I rode the IER at Rio Vista years ago. That was so cool!!!!!! AND. I mixed my first sound track in a studio on Santa Monica Blvd in Hollywood that had been a Red Car shop back when. I could still find stuff in the back spaces from the shop days.
It's nice to see that the collection is better preserved then when I last saw in 1984. Also the trolley stop Rio Vista, any relation to the Western Railway Museum located near there?
Back, when I lived in Burbank, I used to work at Travel Town during the summer cleaning off the trash along the trolley right of way, I used to be paid in hot dogs. hehe, also the locomotive I saw your wife standing next to was a 4-4-2 Southern Pacific Passenger Engine from about 1910? Did you notice that some of the cabeese are all boarded up, But did you go in the Western Pacific Caboose? outside braced, very fun to sit in the capola.
Love that 4-4-2. Odd in the west. I was "paid" to clean the parking lot of the Romantic Motor Vu drive-in after school. Mondays were horrid. Anyway, my "pay" was I could screw around in the "amusement park". They had a nifty setup with merry-go-round and TRAIN RIDE, monkeys ponies, boat ride. I couldn't fire up or turn on anything. So... really not good. I could play on the swings and feed the animals and pet the ponies. And sit in the locomotive. Now and then the guy (he lived in the screen) would give me a ride on the train and merry-go-round. There was a Lionel train set in a huge whale but they tore it down. The whale leaked. I still have a little spike from the railroad. The original locomotive was built from a sprint car! Still had the steering mechanism but on springs to keep it pointing forward. But when it derailed the front wheels would twist to one side. 4 cylinder race engine! It died and the guy built a new one out of a small cement mixer. Well the engine out of the cement mixer. total junk. Gutless. Could only pull a half loaded train . About 1959 as I recall.
@@ToyManTelevision That diesel you guys showed last, is new, I think they were doing point to point caboose rides with it for a while, I didn't see the P3 Orion nor the twin tail jet fighter they had as displays. Oh and the N Scale layout has some humor in it, or did when I saw it, they had a nuclear power plant on the layout.
I think you can if you are subscribed to You Tube Red. I'm stubborn. I don't have You Tube Red... But I did create a Play List on my own personal channel. Then I can select my favorite videos, add them to my play list, and watch them when I want.. as long as i have a wifi connection. Thanks!!
YES. They have a center cab. So far just for screwing around. But they are laying track into that little gully.... No idea what the plan is. BUT one end of the track is inside LA Live Steamers!! You see it on that video. The dinosaur skeletons, there is a huge crane on a standard gauge track, thats the north end of the track. The steam loco on the thumbnail, the first one I show is on a stub off of that. They have about 500 feet of track I guess? and a cool little loco.
Are you sure that that one locomotive is a Climax? I thought it looked more like a Heisler. The Climax's I'm familiar with have a side piston at an angle turning what looks like a flywheel above the drive wheels sort of like on a steam traction engine. Like this one ruclips.net/video/ATLSP9zJi0I/видео.html Of course, I may be totally off base, but that's just what I was thinking. I love that early 4-4-0 as well as that later 4-4-2. The older equipment like that fascinates me as well. Even the old upright boiler types like the best friend of Charleston. Another Excellent video! Thanks for taking us along :)
I told my kids we were going to a theme park. They thought we were going to 6 Flags or to see the Mouse. But we took them here. My youngest said oh come on. Trains Suck!😂
Has nobody else noticed the goof? That other geared steamer is. Heisler NOT a Climax. A climax has cylinders that sit on either side of the smokebox on an angle that then connect to a jack shaft style crank that then connects to the driveshafts that run underneath the engine to the trucks, of which the trucks on a climax do not have side rods and look like a freight truck. This is one of the few operating climaxes in the country c1.staticflickr.com/4/3824/10092575976_168da8be99_b.jpg
As someone who does live in the Los Angeles Area and remembers how the smog was in the 1970's, down right awful on a daily basis and that was a good day. Steam sadly would not be a good choice today. To labor intensive and not very efficient. But I am biting at the bit to see Union Pacific Locomotive 4014 once again thundering down the main line track conquering from Cheyenne WY to Ogden UT attacking such places as Sherman Hill, Weber and Echo Canyons in full revenue service.
Hi Rita hope this finds you well. Don't let the bastards get you down. I lived in Echo Park on the top of the hill. View in both directions. WOW!!! BUt usually I couldn't see the buildings downtown. Just a few miles away but gone in the crud. I also have an old (1967) Mustang. if there were 10 million of those in LA we would all die. BUT on any given day their are perhaps 30 of them driving around. Not a problem at all. The 10 million other cars? yup, there's your problem. Steam is great. Fun. But that was then this is now. One locomotive blowing steam and smoke it the air? not a problem. 10,000 trucks and diesel locomotives in the port area? There's yur problem!! BUT an easy fix. Just expensive. But over time run all those trains on electricity from a renewable grid and use the cleanest trucks and much much better!!
Thanks for the video! I was trying to work out the history here and you lay it out nicely. you might be interested in this very brief clip of the original Melody Ranch Special running at Travel Town in a Juice Newton video, probably 1981: ruclips.net/video/P0DK-0fIKCw/видео.html
The V-twin locos are called Heislers... When we used to play at Travel Town in the 60s they had an F9F Panther jet-fighter, a V-1 buzz-bomb, and a WWII USN cargo plane that the bigger kids broke into so they could smoke their funny cigarettes, and we little kids swarmed it. Keep up the good work Toy Man!
Thanks for the heads up. [V-Twin... Heisler...] Got it.. I think. I'm still learning! LOL! Lots of great things at Griffith Park! Loved Travel Town! What a fun trip!
Man I love Travel Town my wife was raised in Van Nuys takes days and days and days to get through there that's why you got to keep going back :-)
It was really run down for quite some time. Didn’t stop me from liking it going there but seeing the potential was sort of sad. But now it’s just amazing
I was there last year. What a wonderful place to visit. Awesome video
A great place to visit! Thanks for watching!
My favorite place as a kid, and still today.
Me too
Vintage Railroad
Yes, mom took me there many times as a kid. Great place
I grew up in the San Fernando Valley and my father took me there in the early 1950s & 1960s. I escaped L.A. in Jan. 1970 and tell people I’m a refugee from there. I love Travel Town and took my son there in the early 1990s while visiting Mom & Dad. My wife and I stopped by about 10 years ago and saddened to see how much it deteriorated. I didn’t ever want to return, I was so sad to see no one cared to maintain the RR cars and engines. After viewing your wonderful video, I wouldn’t mind visiting it again. Glad to see this place is under new management and preservation is back, plus new improvements and expansion. Nice video work as always.
Yeah it was a real mess for quite a while. So glad they got that straightened out. It’s actually a world class museum now. I still have a lot of work to do but they’re doing it
A very nice collection indeed. I am glad that you were able to escape from the winter to share it with us.
We need to keep escaping.. or hope for spring! I don't think we will be heading for Chicago real soon... Not until the place thaws! Crazy weather! Thanks for watching!
And it's free! Been there many times for picnic lunches and train rides at both . Great video.
They have birthday party train cars for about 150 for 3 hours. NOW if I were a kid.... HUM... still am.
It's a great train museum. The Shay is a Popular Geared steam locomotive like the Heisler and the Climax. I have saw some Shay steam locomotives back then at Tourist Railroads and Railroad Museums.
I’ve visited Travel Town as a tiny child with my dad, on field trips in grade school. Now with my grandson as a old man. Ive always enjoyed TT.
Lots of history and memories. AND now days a really nice museum.
Your brief shot of the merry go round brought back a few memories.As a boy we lived not far from the park and I rode on that so many times ,thanks.
I do love that merry-go-round. And such a rich history. But I loved it they have several merry-go-round organs and alternate between them.
Collecting attics to put your ever expanding collections one! Thanks for all the smiles you share so generously with everyone.
This place has com a long way!! Really a great museum now.
I have waited a WHOLE WEEK for this video and let me tell you, it was worth it! I've been to Travel Town so many times over the years, starting when I was around 5 or 6, then took my own kids, and then the grand kids. It'll be a few years, but I'll be taking the great grandson that's on the way, soon as he's old enough. Another great episode of massive screwing around!
It was sure a lot of fun! Wish this were in our back yard! Thanks for watching!
My Grandmother always loved Gene Autry's music. But a bit far away in Australia. She also made sure I had a train set for Christmas early in my life. Railway books also were early gifts from her. Bless her.
A Heisler similar to 2:50 was my first cab ride, but in New Zealand on a railfan holiday.
New Zealand Wow!! What a beautiful place. Such mountains. Wow!!
Rode the Train from Byron Bay, To Sydney.. Was traveling around, w/ a friend.. Very cold on the Train at night - Was so glad that I insisted on bringing my down sleeping bag into the car, w/ us.. We would’ve froze, otherwise.. lol
It's the friend from Bountiful. My first trip to travel town was around 1975 (I was 5ish). It was different then, airplanes and missles. Plus the fire apparatus, etc. I grew up in Sherman Oaks so Griffith Park was always right there. You guy's are awsome so many thanks for the memories. I hope we see eachother at the 150th anniversary up to Promontory.... Safe journeys, & be well!!!
Hey, Jason! This was my first trip TO Travel Town... Not just past it! I love Griffith Park! One of my favorite places to visit, when in the LA area! See You at Promontory!
Excuse me but that's a Hiesler locomotive with the V-2 configuration. The Climax had the drive cylinders on the side of the boiler.
Yup. I tagged it but oops.
@@ToyManTelevision This is not the first time you've made that particular mistake.
Loved the Traveltown Railroad Museum. You do such a nice job of describing what's going on. Well done and THANKS !!
Its fun. Love to get a better loo at East Valley Lines, the N scale club. HUGE but the public viewing area is small.
Very cool .I hope they get the railroad to the zoo completed one day . Have a great weekend . thank you
That would be great!
My great grandfather took me here once a week when I was 5. Can’t believe that was 20 years ago. This place will always hold a special place in my heart. You guys were great at commentary thank you for the video, and for bringing up some old memories and some new information.
One day the virus 🦠 will end. And we can all go pack to such places.
Here’s hoping.
Awesome stuff once again! Thank you!
Thanks! More to come!! :D :D
Shays are really interesting locomotives to watch, probably my favorite as well. You haven't lived until you've seen two of them race. Lots of noise and fury going maybe 15 miles per hour. Awesome. Nice to see that TT has been able to erect that fancy "pole barn" for their deteriorating wooden cars. They do have a great collection.
They are really doing a lot. For ever sort of a sad place it terms of what was happening to the locomotives. Now a real first class railroad museum.
I worked as the Shipping/Receiving clerk for Railroad Supply Corp in 1991 and 1992. I used to walk by the shop in the 1970's and sometimes go in and look at the locomotives on display. During my working there I sometimes helped finish railroad cars for the Live Steamers clients, sanding, shellac, that sort of thing.
I've been visiting Travel Town since 1964.
Cooool!! Thanks
Great show. Thanks for sharing. F Norman Clark started Roaring Camp and Big Trees RR in Felton, near Santa Cruz.
I love Roaring Camp and Big Trees! I am hoping we get back there again... SOON!
What a fun romp through the exhibits. Thank you, once again, for another show just jam-packed with all sorts of goodies. Greg and Jeanne
HI!! Grand day out! Last time I was there, like 20 or 30 years ago you took your life in your hands walking through the gate. Rabid rust monsters.
I grew up in Burbank ('57 - '74) and Travel town was one of my two favorite places to hang out. I remember them having a couple vintage aircraft there as well. The remnants of the Griffith park zoo is nearby and was my other hangout growing up. Celebrated a couple birthdays at Travel town as a child too
In the good old days, Travel Town would let kids climb on the trains, and they also housed some military jets, and a barn full of 1920ish cars and fire trucks. The project of running a full size train to the Zoo had the breaks put on it because it was too expensive to build the tunnel, and they couldn't get the environmental permits. My three favorite trains are the Shay, Climax, and Heisler.
It's difficult to keep kids from climbing on trains.. I suppose there is a "safety" concern these days. I would hate to see a child fall off one of them.. not to mention the possibility of a law suit.... Anyway... Glad to see these trains preserved, and on display! Yes! I love the Shay! I am learning to tell the difference between a Heisler, and a Climax..... In my exuberance.. I get Mr. Toy Man all mixed up.... And we Laaaaaugh! I do know that there is a "V" there somewhere! Thanks for watching!
Great video!
Thanks!!!
Looks like fun! Great episode guys!
Fun day!
I personally visited this place a lot as a child my last visit was in late July 2015 and I'm planning on trying to make 1 more visit in the next week possibly
Super fun! Great history too
Loved the video and never knew Gene Autry was a train nut.
Mike
I got his ranch mixed up wit Will Rogers Ranch near Santa Monica. ANYWAY Melody Ranch by Magic Mountain burned in the 60's and the trains were sold. As I understand it there is still some kind of movie studio there. Just not a western town. Gene Autry lived in the western town in a gated mexican hacienda. Really amazing. So he could use it in movies as well. Like to see some of the films shot there. I'm betting He planned to lay track and use the locomotives in films too but never did.
Love the steam engines. More great information. Gotta love some Southern Pacific Daylight! Very well done you two.
I love Travel Town!
Yup!!
Having visited this museum multiple times, there is always something different since they like to move equipment around. Not too long after Toy Man Television filmed this show, they moved the Stockton Terminal & Eastern #1 into the restoration area presumably to get repainted. They also have a Santa Fe Doodlebug Motor car numbered M.177 which they been restoring to operating condition. During my visit a year ago she was actually powered up to which I have a video of on my channel.
Gotta go look. Explains why the new track.
See that California western Diesel engine at 12:17 it was from a scenic railroad in California. It's called the skunk train it runs in fortbragg, California and Willits, California. And also the diesel that is in display in Griffith park is CW # 56 it was originally run at the skunk train, but today it's in display in the museum in Griffith park. And there are only two California Diesel engines running at the skunk train. 65 & 64 along with a rail bus # 100 & CW steam locomotive # 45 a 2-8-2 ''mikado''. There are two other locomotives that run at the skunk train too. Rail bus # 300 & steam locomotive 2-6-6-2 ''mallet'' # 46.
They want to rebuild a line going through the park which is why all the standard gauge track was put in but that isn't going to happen because it would mean no more LALS. nice vid.
Hummmm... Well... Glad they kept LALS in that case!
Great video, it's been a few years since I was there. You miss identified one of the locos. The one you called a climax was actually a Heisler. The Climax had cylinders turning a crankshaft that was more like an online 2 cylinder vs av twin.
I really enjoyed visiting Travel Town as a kid in the 1950s and early 1960s, but in later years it seemed to have really fallen on hard times. (As I recall, a lot of the missing glass on the headlights and number boards was the work of vandals, not the elements.) But by the look of this video it seems like they are finding their feet again. That's good news.
So many parks have had a similar story. I was happy to see that Travel Town has had a group of caring people bring it to it's present state. It's a wonderful place to visit! Thanks for watching!
Great video. I lived in Burbank for few years back in the 70's and would ride my bike around Griffith Park at least once a month. Loved the park even though it was beginning to be over run with undesirables on weekends so I would only ride on weekdays. The one thing about travel town I remember was that it not only had trains but other modes of travel on display like planes and automobiles. Are they still there? I do recall everything was in very poor condition at the time.
I believe there are some.. I really get the feeling that Griffith Park is doing it's best, to be a more visitor friendly place. Travel Town is really coming along! Great management, clean, and a great place to spend a weekend with family. We really enjoyed our visit!
That "Climax" is actually a Heisler ,,also love Roy Rodgers I live just a couple of miles from his childhood home
I really think the Climax was impersonating, or our eyes were crossed during edit! I grew up listening to Roy Rogers and Gene Autry... Sons of the Pioneers.. My dad was a huge fan! Thanks for watching!!
I love your videos. It seems we have lived several of the same places in life :) I grew up in LA, and would pass by Griffith Park on the 134 once/week for a couple years when I was a kid. I've been to the Observatory a few times, even did some hiking there as a kid. I finally saw a concert at the Greek Theater. Yet, I'd never gone to Traveltown, despite being a train nut! My wife surprised me on my Birthday a couple years ago, taking me and our boys. I haven't visited the LA live steamers yet either! This video BLEW MY MIND - learning there is another Traveltown layout a bit to the south! Mind Blown!
(I think you lived in Santa Barbara for a bit, which is where I've mostly lived since 1992...). These "just screwing around" videos are wonderful. I hope you're very proud of the effort you two are putting into these videos.
Yes it seems I’ve lived in very various places! In and out of the LA area most of my life but generally living in northern and southern Utah. But also Lake Tahoe. And 10 years at Ojai.
Oh and Paris for a time.
Wow; huge wheels.
that was super awesome loved the trains,sunday couldn't come fast enough lol yeah what a neat peice of history with the gene autry connection i love the songs like that from those days i think my love for music that far back comes from my dad i have alot of ones on my ipod my top 9 i can think of are some of my favorites is 1.marty robbins:el paso 2.charley pride:blue eyes crying in the rain and crystal chandelier 3.Freddy fender:before the next tear drop falls 4.hank Williams and hank Williams jr 5.dean martin,sammy davis jr 6.ray price:crazy arms 7.ned miller:from a jack to a king 8.gene autry:back in the saddle 9. guy Mitchell:Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and so many more but i just thought i'd share with you both.like i told my mom i cant help liking the music i like some before my time but you like what you like right?
I love your videos. You should check out the Illinois Railway Museum in Union Illinois.
He already visited the Illinois Railway Museum.
If I'm not mistaken at one time Gene autry also owned the California Angels at one time in his life.
He sure did! From 1961 to 1997! I loved his music.. especially Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer!
Travel town and the entire Griffith Park look very interesting. I would love to visit there someday. I seem to remember seeing Traveltown being used in various TV shows over the years. Shows like 1-Adam 12. Am I correct?
I LOVED Adam 12! Great show! I'll just bet they did do a few film shots of Griffith Park, for the show. Griffith Park is one of our favorite stops, while visiting the LA area! If you find yourself in LA... Do stop!
Not to be rude but at 2:52 isn’t that a heisler?
Oops... I get those two mixed up.
Yeah that’s a heisler
You are right! That is a hisler, a climax has to cylinders siting in a upword angle and drivs a shaft directly to all the wheels.
Yep that's what I thought it was.
When are you guys going to come visit Train Mountain (7.5" GA live steamers-Chiloquin, OR)? You missed the triennial (worldwide) meet this last summer.
Hope to this year.
I use to go there.
Use to??? Sounds like it's time to go again! Fun!!
I left a long time ago but my dad always took me to Angel games we sat up in the nosebleed section behind home plate I still have the 1986 ticket stubs from the division championship game with the Boston red Sox
Great job guys, as usual!!! Just for clarification, are they planning on adding standard gauge train rides once they finish the tract?
Thanks.. and YES! Rumor has it that plans are in the works for a standard gage rail diesel car.. So we shall see!!
The locomotive you called a climax is actually a heisler. I enjoyed this video very much! What a nice little collection!
Yes, oops. I was on a roll. Sort of do that.
@@ToyManTelevision I understand, a lot of different trains to keep up with!
Mostly just a brain fart. Called a Challenger a Big Boy on a video once. geeeeezzzz... But we had been talking about Big Boys and when this great brass Challenger chugged by with a string of passenger cars..... Oops.
Hello I like your videos. There very very fun, wonderful, and entertaining to watch. I even saw the Antonio Colorado episodes were you were riding the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad which is not that far from manassa Colorado were I live. You should visit the Jack Dempsey museum in the summer. Can you do an update on Union Pacific Big Boy 4014. Thank you
Bonnie, there is an update on 4014 on Toy Man's community page here: ruclips.net/channel/UC5S_XL0MzRLvAuZfycO8rKQcommunity
Found Jack Dempesy's home in Salt Lake City! It's now a cruddy motel offering weekly rates. BUT the old house is great. Not a lot of people know he lived in Salt LAke for years.
Thank you at 3:37 AM. 15-JULY-2022. FRI.
The geared engine at 3:01 is actually a heisler
Got it! Thanks!
Ah, the melody ranch collection. During that time Gene Autry also got his hands on a Southern Pacific 2-6-0 #1629, which is on display in Newhall, CA. He also had Long Bell Lumber Company 2-6-2 #4, a 1907 vintage logging prairie, as well as Mcbryde Sugar Company #4, a 1900 vintage narrow gauge 0-6-0. Both engines are now part of Fred Kepner’s Collection in Merril, OR.
Love to know more about Fred’s collection. Didn’t know anything about that. Where is it?
It was located in Merrill, Oregon. Now it’s being moved with Fred Kepner’s recent passing. The collection was kept on a siding in a relatively dry climate.
Interesting history on the little steeple cab at 15:44!
Pacific Electric 1544 was originally built as North Shore Railroad (former North Pacific Coast Railroad) "Electra", in 1902 as the North Shore Railroad began to electrify it's railroad operations between Sausalito, Mill Valley, San Rafael, and San Anselmo. However, Electra used so much power that it began to slow down other interurban electric trains on the mainlines, so Electra was only used in the early morning hours. In 1906, after the Earthquake of San Francisco, Electra was shipped to San Francisco to help aid in the reconstruction of the city. Apparently, it remained in storage until 1917 or was bought by some railroad, but during 1917 the Pacific Electric bought it to begin running on their railway. The Electra was primarily used for switching operations and was retired in 1952.
Wow thanks 🙏 that’s amazing history!!!
No problem! Neat how a small train from a local railway can end up so far away!
Great memories, mom took me there many times as a kid, thanks
You should consider Riverside Live Steamers and the Orange Empire RR museum in Perris ca next time you come to SoCal.
Don’t know the Riverside live steamers.. I riverside? We have been to LA live steamers. Wow!! And to perris twice but never when it’s open! Just for week day events. Really want to see and ride the trolleys
Toy Man Television
Check out www.steamonly.org
Once we are over this Wuhan virus nonsense, they run the second and fourth Sundays of the month.
Highly recommend coming by for the spring or fall meet
I believe the Pacific Electric red car at 5:28 used to be part of Southern Pacific's Interurban Electric Railway (formerly East Bay Electric Lines before the IER ran on the Bay Bridge) before being moved to the Pacific Electric after the Interurban Electric gave up operations in 1941.
Cool!!! I rode the IER at Rio Vista years ago. That was so cool!!!!!! AND. I mixed my first sound track in a studio on Santa Monica Blvd in Hollywood that had been a Red Car shop back when. I could still find stuff in the back spaces from the shop days.
It's nice to see that the collection is better preserved then when I last saw in 1984.
Also the trolley stop Rio Vista, any relation to the Western Railway Museum located near there?
Back, when I lived in Burbank, I used to work at Travel Town during the summer cleaning off the trash along the trolley right of way,
I used to be paid in hot dogs. hehe, also the locomotive I saw your wife standing next to was a 4-4-2 Southern Pacific Passenger Engine from about 1910? Did you notice that some of the cabeese are all boarded up, But did you go in the Western Pacific Caboose? outside braced, very fun to sit in the capola.
Love that 4-4-2. Odd in the west. I was "paid" to clean the parking lot of the Romantic Motor Vu drive-in after school. Mondays were horrid. Anyway, my "pay" was I could screw around in the "amusement park". They had a nifty setup with merry-go-round and TRAIN RIDE, monkeys ponies, boat ride. I couldn't fire up or turn on anything. So... really not good. I could play on the swings and feed the animals and pet the ponies. And sit in the locomotive. Now and then the guy (he lived in the screen) would give me a ride on the train and merry-go-round. There was a Lionel train set in a huge whale but they tore it down. The whale leaked. I still have a little spike from the railroad. The original locomotive was built from a sprint car! Still had the steering mechanism but on springs to keep it pointing forward. But when it derailed the front wheels would twist to one side. 4 cylinder race engine! It died and the guy built a new one out of a small cement mixer. Well the engine out of the cement mixer. total junk. Gutless. Could only pull a half loaded train . About 1959 as I recall.
@@ToyManTelevision That diesel you guys showed last, is new, I think they were doing point to point caboose rides with it for a while, I didn't see the P3 Orion nor the twin tail jet fighter they had as displays. Oh and the N Scale layout has some humor in it, or did when I saw it, they had a nuclear power plant on the layout.
You should come to the Southern California Railway Museum.
It would be super fun
Planning to. We do have the show on ward kimballs trains there. ruclips.net/video/4si5yRgLdBk/видео.html
Personally my favorite locomotive there is Western Pacific 26
Everybody has a favorite locomotive... I LOVE the Glenbrook! Each sure has appeal and definitely... A personality! Thanks!!
Can you make this video downloadable? By thew way good vid!
I think you can if you are subscribed to You Tube Red. I'm stubborn. I don't have You Tube Red... But I did create a Play List on my own personal channel. Then I can select my favorite videos, add them to my play list, and watch them when I want.. as long as i have a wifi connection. Thanks!!
The tracks the big steam locomotives are on look in good condition, do they run trains on that track?
YES. They have a center cab. So far just for screwing around. But they are laying track into that little gully.... No idea what the plan is. BUT one end of the track is inside LA Live Steamers!! You see it on that video. The dinosaur skeletons, there is a huge crane on a standard gauge track, thats the north end of the track. The steam loco on the thumbnail, the first one I show is on a stub off of that. They have about 500 feet of track I guess? and a cool little loco.
Have you seen the trai museum in Pamona by the race track?
Yes. Years ago. Wanna get back.
all i remember from this is getting off the train i had to be 3 years old never went back about 35 yers ago..
Get back!! Fun place
Are you sure that that one locomotive is a Climax? I thought it looked more like a Heisler. The Climax's I'm familiar with have a side piston at an angle turning what looks like a flywheel above the drive wheels sort of like on a steam traction engine. Like this one ruclips.net/video/ATLSP9zJi0I/видео.html Of course, I may be totally off base, but that's just what I was thinking. I love that early 4-4-0 as well as that later 4-4-2. The older equipment like that fascinates me as well. Even the old upright boiler types like the best friend of Charleston. Another Excellent video! Thanks for taking us along :)
I told my kids we were going to a theme park. They thought we were going to 6 Flags or to see the Mouse. But we took them here. My youngest said oh come on. Trains Suck!😂
Sad. Hope he had a good time anyway
awesome video toy man television :)
I subscribed
WHOOOOT! WHOOOT!!!! Thanks!! :D :D
👍
take me with you next time
Just be sure to tune in on our next adventure! You Tube is the next best thing to being there!!
Morning toyman I see your screwing around again this year
Big year with a Big Boy!!
Yah
Has nobody else noticed the goof? That other geared steamer is. Heisler NOT a Climax. A climax has cylinders that sit on either side of the smokebox on an angle that then connect to a jack shaft style crank that then connects to the driveshafts that run underneath the engine to the trucks, of which the trucks on a climax do not have side rods and look like a freight truck. This is one of the few operating climaxes in the country c1.staticflickr.com/4/3824/10092575976_168da8be99_b.jpg
Why are they working on a standard guage? Do they have the equipment?
Yes! They have a center cab diesel but they are restoring a rail diesel car to take people on rides!
this isn't the museum where the Big Boy was Is it?
Nope. 4014 was at the museum at the LA County Fair Grounds in Pomona. Another really great collection. Even with the Big Boy gone.
ah ok I forgot duh
Hope you go there too!
Not a climax that is a heisler a climax has its pistons toward the front at an angle and a more horizontal
Yup. I misspoke
Moesargie was there.
???
Hey toy man please answer this is stockton and Eastern terminal still Operatable I know most likely you’re going to say no but I need your answer
Legalize steam 2019 ;)
BIG steam.
As someone who does live in the Los Angeles Area and remembers how the smog was in the 1970's, down right awful on a daily basis and that was a good day. Steam sadly would not be a good choice today. To labor intensive and not very efficient. But I am biting at the bit to see Union Pacific Locomotive 4014 once again thundering down the main line track conquering from Cheyenne WY to Ogden UT attacking such places as Sherman Hill, Weber and Echo Canyons in full revenue service.
Hi Rita hope this finds you well. Don't let the bastards get you down. I lived in Echo Park on the top of the hill. View in both directions. WOW!!! BUt usually I couldn't see the buildings downtown. Just a few miles away but gone in the crud. I also have an old (1967) Mustang. if there were 10 million of those in LA we would all die. BUT on any given day their are perhaps 30 of them driving around. Not a problem at all. The 10 million other cars? yup, there's your problem. Steam is great. Fun. But that was then this is now. One locomotive blowing steam and smoke it the air? not a problem. 10,000 trucks and diesel locomotives in the port area? There's yur problem!! BUT an easy fix. Just expensive. But over time run all those trains on electricity from a renewable grid and use the cleanest trucks and much much better!!
2:54 not climax, heisiler
Got it! :D
Hi
Hi again!
So Are you going to the Golden Spike reanactment this year
Hey toy man Television are you ready to se the big boy moving under its own power
We have been waiting for this day, like a couple of kids waiting for Christmas morning! We even have a calendar, marked for the occasion! EXCITING!!
Thanks for the video! I was trying to work out the history here and you lay it out nicely. you might be interested in this very brief clip of the original Melody Ranch Special running at Travel Town in a Juice Newton video, probably 1981: ruclips.net/video/P0DK-0fIKCw/видео.html