Models of the Mt. Tamalpais Scenic Railway on Display at the Civic Center Library through January, 2014
by Laurie Thompson
Back by popular demand, our holiday exhibit features exquisitely rendered scale models of locomotives and gravity cars that once ran up and down the slopes of Mt. Tam on the “crookedest railroad in the world.”
The models were hand-crafted by Michael Murray (1953–2008) whose life-long passion for Marin’s railroad history led to the creation of elaborate scale models of many of Marin’s historic railways. During Michael’s lifetime, these railways were set up in miniature tableaus running through the backyard of his Corte Madera home.
On Michael’s death, all of the Mt. Tamalpais & Muir Woods Scenic Railway scale models were donated to the “Friends of Mt. Tam” who have graciously facilitated their display in the Anne T. Kent California Room.
Arlene Halligan, who runs the Gravity Barn on Mt. Tamalpais’ East Peak, comments:
We hope you will enjoy this display and that you will also come to the East Peak of Mt. Tamalpais to visit The Gravity Car Barn, where you can sit in a Gravity Car replica, watch film footage shot by Thomas Edison’s crew in 1898 and the Miles Brothers in 1904, as well as see old photos from the days of the Railroad. The Barn is open every Saturday and Sunday from Noon to 4:00 pm and by special request for school children and other groups.
The Barn opened in May of 2009, and we continue to gather stories and memorabilia. Michael Murray gave us his collection of models in 2008, and Phil Gazanno has been repairing them for display. Fred Runner has written a book about the Railroad, Jimi Dunn has contributed time and money, as well as creating the DVD with Fred. We have an amazing group of docents who staff the Barn and continue to offer their time and expertise in researching the history of the Railroad.
Our most important mission is to return to Mt. Tamalpais the #9 Heisler that sits in the center of the Town of Scotia. It is the only existing locomotive that we know of that ran on Mt. Tamalpais.
If you have any information or memorabilia you would like to share with us, please contact Arlene Halligan, Special Project Director at 415–479–3317 or by email at arlenehalligan@sbcglobal.net.
Originally published at https://annetkent.kontribune.com.
