Retired educator building a railroad

wtrain2: Retired educator building a railroadWhen many people retire, they swap hard work for relaxing recreation. Not life long educator Warner Brooks. When he retired as Kern County Superintendent of Schools’ (KCSOS) Administrator of Museum Education Services, he began building a railroad.

What Brooks is building will never be compared to the Atkinson Topeka and the Santa Fe. But then he has just two other workers, Charlie Thurston and Larry Parmenter (both retired), who are committed to the project on a regular basis. And the railroad Brooks is building will only traverse a distance of about one mile.

“It’s called the Central California Children’s Railroad, and when finished it will run adjacent to the California Living Museum (CALM) giving passengers fantastic views of the mountains, Kern River and planned man-made lake with a tunnel that passes between a mountain sheep exhibit above and mountain lion exhibit below,” Brooks said.

Less than two years ago, while Brooks was still working for KCSOS, the CALM Foundation donated funds to purchase a 24" gauge track, miniature railroad and trolley. The miniature railroad was bought from a farmer in Oregon who used it to transport visitors around his property so they could pick and purchase Christmas trees he raised. It included a locomotive with four cars, rails and ties. The trolley was purchased separately from another train fancier in Oregon.

Shortly after the purchase, Brooks retired and volunteered to refurbish/rebuild the railroad so that one day it would again run at CALM. How does a man who spent his whole life in education all of a sudden remodel trains?

“My daddy was a mechanic who taught me to do welding, machining and electrical work,” Brooks said. “Charlie and Larry have provided other skills we needed. A retired machinist from Hopper’s has made a lot of things for us. We had over $3,200 worth of aluminum donated. Someone else pitched in with a large lathe so we could machine the axles and wheels. County schools Art Consultant Eve Nuanez has sixth-graders making stained-glass windows that will be placed in the monitor canopies on top of each car. Valley Oaks Charter and Bakersfield High students, after receiving training from us, have volunteered their time on the project. It truly is a labor of love in which everything has been donated.”

Brooks said the railroad is being built to last 100 years. The 20' long trolley is five feet wide. It will be large enough to transport a third grade class, teacher and aide (30 people). The size of the trolley and the 24" gauge track make it safe, preventing wobbling. The trolley’s eight traction wheels will be powered by Harley Davidson golf cart engines running off 12, 36 volt batteries.

The locomotive will run off an Isuzu automobile engine and is designed to look like an American standard wood-burning steam engine with a whistle operated by a hydraulic motor. Both the trolley and the locomotive will utilize a double hydraulic braking system for safety. The cars will have a circus train look.

“Everything’s moving along pretty well, and we hope to have it operational at CALM by the spring of 2003,” Brooks said. “It will give Bakersfield what other major zoos have. I want to create something that kids will love.”

Brooks said the project can always use more donations in the form of money, materials and labor. If you would like to donate or volunteer your time, contact Andre Devereaux at the CALM Foundation, (661) 636-4543 or Brooks at (661) 301-5070.
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