Santa Ana Canyon Miniature Railroad
Live Steam in Orange County, California
The S.A.C.M.
A Truly Scenic Railroad
by Albert M. Cranston
The Miniature Locomotive, July-August 1954
The Santa Ana Canyon Miniature Railroad (S.A.C.M.R.R.), located in beautiful Sycamore Park in Orange County, Calif., in Santa Ana Canyon between Olive and Corona and 10 miles east of Anaheim on U.S. Highway 91, and State Highway 18, started operation on its mile-long track in 1950.
The route of this track is very scenic with its right and left curves up and down grades with beautiful oaks, sycamores, willows, and many types of vegetation on all sides. Shortly after leaving Sycamore Park Union Depot on the Victory Special, pulled by a big husky Pacific No. 6474, the train crosses Sandy Creek Bridge. Our steamer whistles for a pedestrian path and plunges into a beautiful wilderness, on around Copper Canyon Curve to the Santa Ana River where there is a good flow of water the year round. As we follow the river at a good clip we hear our steamer's deep-throated chime whistle ring out a long blast for Midway.
Midway is the stopping point to let people on and off to spend time along the river, hike through the woods on the many trails, go wading, swimming, fishing or just sit and enjoy the beauty, Midway is equipped with benches for people to wait for the train to return to Union Station. The trip back is as interesting and scenic as the first half of the route. The train passes through Possum's Hollow, and up the grade, over the peak, and down towards and through Squeezmekwik Tunnel, on through the yards where fueling and water tanks, a work shop along with a pit for work under the train are conveniently located. The 6474 whistles for two crossings and then a long whistle for Union Station.
As the Victory Special comes to a smooth clean stop behind the beautiful modern all roller bearing powerful Pacific, the comments from the fascinated passengers from all parts of America are all praise for the smooth running and operation of this attractive train. The train is colored a beautiful red, trimmed in cream and black. A cream stripe runs the length of the train adding to the streamlined lines of the big steamer and its train.
This entire train was built by Philip J. Martin as a hobby. Building a steam train had been Mr. Martin's life time ambition. He built several small stationary steam engines first, but his mind was set on building a train.
For his first train Mr. Martin built an Atlantic type Locomotive (4-4-2) for a 10-inch gauge track. He operated this live steamer in the parks of Detroit for two seasons, 1935 and 1936. In 1937 he moved to California where he enlarged the gauge to 18 inches and in 1939 established its run in Irvine Park, another park in Orange County where it is now operated by his son Raymond.
After selling this train to his son Mr. Martin started work on his new train. he became seriously ill, but the challenge and desire to finish his dream train which he had started to build was so great that it helped him to completely recover his health and he finished the locomotive and train with the help of his faithful wife is 4-1/2 years at the age of 74. Mrs. Martin was 64. The train was named the Victory Special in honor of this great triumph over illness and the locomotive was numbered 6474 corresponding to their ages on completion.
Mr. and Mrs. Martin moved their train from their Los Angeles home to the beautiful natural wilderness which they named Sycamore Park. Here they built the mile of track and put the train in operation.
Due to the nature of the place, considerable excavation had to be done by a large bulldozer. Twelve-pound mine rail purchased new in 1950 was laid.
The train consists of the Pacific locomotive (4-6-2) 22 feet long over-all including its tender. The engine and tender are 4 feet 3 inches high, 4-3 feet 2-inches wide with a 5 inch cylinder bore, 6 inch piston stroke, and Walschaert Valve gear. The boiler operates at 125 pounds pressure and has twenty-five 2 inch tubes. The tender, 9 feet six inches long, carries 55-gallons of fuel and 100-gallons of water. The locomotive is roller bearing throughout, including all rods. The train is equipped with both mechanical and hydraulic brakes. The cars are 16 feet long, 3 feet 2 inches wide, 3 feet 8 inches high and will seat 18 children or 12 adults to each car. The train is operated each Sunday (weather permitting) the year around, and on holidays and Saturdays in summer.
Mr. Martin had often remarked that each time he pulled No. 6474's throttle he got a new thrill. Having shared this privilege, I can truly understand what he meant. No sweeter engine ever existed. This loco can easily handle many more loaded cards up the stiff grades at Sycamore Park.
Mr. Martin was a tool and die maker at Baldwin Locomotive Works. He drew all his own plans and detailed sketches of his dream loco. He turned the 20 inch drivers in wood before having them cast in steel. After a little over two of the happiest years of his life running this train and seemingly in the best of health with always a warm smile on his face, Mr. Philip J. Martin passed away to his happy Eternal playground. Mrs. Martin is carrying on as Mr. Martin would want her to, with the help of two true live steam enthusiasts, Bob Werkheiser (executive of a national jointless boiler fire brick concern), and George Hale, her son-in-law.
Looking Back
- I have seen several accounts of this little operation.
- It was built(both train and pike) by a Mr. Phil Martin, former tool & die maker for Baldwin locomotive Company before coming to California to work at an L.A. area aircraft manufacturer. The track was about a mile long loop on land leased from Sycamore Camp. Track and equipment was 18" gauge. Began operation in 1950 as his second Orange County park train(the first being at Irvine Park where he widened a 10" gauge 4-4-2 he built for and ran in Detroit in the 1930s) Scale of SACM RR was approx one fourth full size. 4-6-2 loco drivers 20", length approx.25'. Train consisted of only two open passenger cars which could hold total of 24 adults or 36 kids. Martin died in 1952 at age 75 shortly after completing both equipment and track(with tunnels, etc.) His family continued to operate it for awhile and although his wife put it up for sale later that year, two years later it was still in her possession and being operated by a couple live steam buffs long associated with the family. This info gleaned from articles in the 6/23 and 11/11 L.A. Times of that year, which also featured several pictures of the "Victory Special" on the Santa Ana Canyon Miniature Railroad, and the July-August 1954 "Miniature Locomotive"(article reproduced in summer 1988 OCRHS newsletter).