Harry Dixon

Harry Dixon runs John Matthews engine "Charlotte" at Southern California Live Steam meet October 1952

In 1950, the club officers for the GGLS were Vic Shattock, President; Tim Reardon, Vice-President and Harry L. Dixon, Secretary. Harry Dixon was the person that secured the production of rail for the new club track. As he was the Secretary, he corresponded with many visitors, guests of the club and especially, other Live Steamers from around the North American continent. One day, Harry started to correspond with "Carl" Purinton in Massachusetts on a fairly regular basis and they became very good friends that lasted for many years. Carl told Harry about the BLS concept and the "mandate" that LBSC had inflicted upon him. He told Harry that the amount of correspondence was really increasing and he asked if Harry would be able to take over his duties for the Western part of the country. Harry readily agreed and right then became the new BLS secretary for the "Pacific Coast Region", a post he held until early 1973.

During Harry's reign, there were live steamers corresponding with him from various Western states and just not those on the Pacific Coast. So, the name of Harry's region of responsibility was changed to the "Western Region"-BLS.

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  At the 1972 BLS meet At Pioneer Valley Live Steamers in Southwick, Massachusetts is L-R: Barney Barnfather, Jack Kerr (Canada), Harry Dixon & Carl Purinton, all BLS secretaries or former secretaries. Photo provided by Bob Hornsby.]]

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  Harry Dixon's column photo from The Miniature Locomotive, 1953.

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  Victor Shattock's basement, 1950. Left to Right: Harry Dixon, Tim Reardon, Al Forst, Vic Shattock. The loco is Tim's 3/4" scale 4-6-4 Hudson.

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  Harry Dixon & Carl Purinton at GGLS Redwood Regional Park, Oakland, California.

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  BLS Founder, Carl Purinton and Harry Dixon on a CP-173, May, 1965.

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  The late Harry Dixon and his 3 1/2-inch gauge tank engine "Dixie Dee" accelerates down the line after taking on water. Vic Shattock's Southern Pacific freight train at the rear waits for the highball! From Harry Dixon collection.

A 1988 edition of World of Model Engineering lists the following:

Brother of Live Steamers (Pacific Region)
Secretary, Harry L. Dixon
22075 Betlen Way
Castro Valley, California

Locomotives

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  Harry's 3/4-inch scale 0-4-2 "Shattock" tank engine, "Dixie Dee".

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  Harry Dixon (left) with locomotive "Dixie Dee".

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  Harry's one-inch scale, 4 3/4-inch gauge Central Pacific "C.P. HUNTINGTON".

Harry also built a Winton Engineering 2-6-0 Mogul and his beautiful 4-4-0 "DIXIE BELLE", both in 1 1/2-inch scale. The DIXIE BELLE is in Oregon and the Mogul is in Southern California, at one time with Jesse Banning's locomotive works.

Donna Dixon Cooper, Harry's daughter, owns the C.P. HUNTINGTON.

Dixie Short Line

Ken Shattock writes:

Besides running his engines at GGLS and other club tracks, the late Harry Dixon also had a short "high" track at his home in Hayward, CA... The "Dixie Short Line"...

In the attached newspaper clipping, Harry is in the bottom photo entertaining some neighborhood kids behind his 3/4" scale, "Dixie Dee".

The top two photos show visitor, Captain Gary Kubicek, former Korean POW, member of GGLS, and future Charter Member of LALS.

Captain Gary Kubicek and Harry Dixon, on the "Dixie Short Line". From the Harry Dixon collection.

External Links

• Harry Dixon at 1975 BLS meet LALS