Chris W. Melville

by Harry Dixon

The Miniature Locomotive, November-December 1952

Chris W. Melville of 3528 Movcoms Ave., Oakland, California, is 84 years old and still an active live steamer. Here you see him with his half-inch scale Pacific S.P. Co. 2400 class which he built in 1937. The engine is oil fired and the feed water pump shown on the left side is rather unique in that it is a combination of two types of big practice pumps scaled down to suit this job. The steam end is of Westinghouse type and the water end is the Strandley type.

Chris was formerly employed in the S.P. Co. shops in Sacramento, California, but is retired now. Is there any other Live Steamer that can equal or better his age, that is still enjoying this hobby?