Harold Christensen

Harold Christensen

From Pete Greene, 21 Feb 2013

Harold Christensen, of Floresville, TX, passed away Wednesday night from pneumonia at age 94. Not many of you ever knew Harold Christensen, who for many years was a member of SWLS back when I got started in this hobby around 1978. Harold probably built close to two dozen steam engines, mostly from scratch. Harold built 3 out of the 4 steam engines we own. My first steam engine, an 0-4-0 Little Engines Switcher and he built the green Atlantic and Donna Greene's oversized American too. Harold built a Mikado that was converted to a Pacific and Steve Campa has that engine along with Harold's old Black Atlantic. He helped Tweety Tolson build his Atlantic engine, he built a Mogul for Hank Blossom of Wimberley, a Hudson for Thomas Morgan of Callahan, TX, the yellow steamer that belonged to Kari Worth's grandfather, that she now runs, and many many more I can't remember. He got pretty cranky in his old age, but he and I were old friends and his talents will be sorely missed by members in this hobby.

God speed Harold,

Pete & Donna Greene

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  Kari Wirth at the engine shed of HALS, blowing down her Mogul. This locomotive belonged to her grandfather, Harry Simpson, and was blue when he ran it. It was built by Harold Christensen. Photo by Daris Nevil, May 2013.

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  Donna Greene's oversize American, built by Harold Christensen. Photo by Daris Nevil, February 2013, HALS meet.

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  Steve Campa's Pacific at HALS/SWLS Memorial Meet, 2012. This locomotive was built by Harold Christensen, and actually started life as a Mikado. Photo from SWLS Summer 2012 Newsletter.

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  These two Atlantics were scratch built by Harold Christensen. The one on the left is the first Atlantic he built. Photo provided by Pete Greene.

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  Rick Greene driving his Little Engines 0-4-0, built by Harold Christensen. Photo by Pete Greene.