712 Chaps Road, S.E., Rio Rancho, NM 87124. 505-892-8925.
Joe Richardson, Orofino, Idaho and his Case 80 HP steamer at his
lumber mill. He has three smaller and one larger engines among many
other antiques, all beautifully restored.
In 1975, my wife and I made a trip from Twin Falls, Idaho up to
northern Idaho and back through eastern Wasington.
We visited Joe and Marie Richardson at Orofino, Idaho. Joe has a
large collection of antique equipment including several late model
Case traction engines; 110, 80, 65, 50 and 6 HP portable. Joe has
done a super job in restoring his engines. He puts on his own steam
engine show each year. The last time I attended his show, Joe
hosted a dinner dance party at the luxurious Konkolville Steakhouse
& Lounge with a 21-piece band. Joe paid the entire bill for his
172 evening guests. The next evening he hosted and paid for another
dinner party at the same place. One of Joe’s friends, Clarence
Young of Great Falls, Montana, bought my 1915 Case 65 3-piece steam
outfit in 1974.
Next stop was the mining town of Wallace, Idaho. We spent
several days in Wallace with Everett Rohrer who lives in Englewood,
Colorado. Everett was using his steam train of 10 cars in filming
the MGM movie ‘Heaven’s Gate’ starring Kris
Kristofferson.
Everett Rohrer and Mel Kestler with Everett’s #75. The
appearance of the loco is changed for movies. The smoke stack is
put on right over the regular one. The pilot is installed over the
original.
Collection of old steam traction engines on the Chris Busch farm
at Colton, Washington. These engines are parked all over his farm
some even out in the field. The engines are not for sale, and have
not been restored.
Everett’s 308,-450 lb. 2-8-0 engine was built by the Baldwin
Locomotive Works in 1907. Everett also owns a nicely restored 25-85
Nichols & Shepard traction steamer which he keeps at the
Antique Engine and Threshers Association, Bird City, Kansas.
The movie depicts Wyoming’s famed Johnson County
‘War’ of 1891. The parking meters and electric lights were
removed from main street to make Wallace look more like
turn-of-the-century Casper, Wyoming. Gas lamps and false building
fronts were installed. Even the pavement was covered up with
authentic dirt hauled in from Wyoming. Beautiful stairways were
built and then hammered and beaten to look old and worn. Even the
false store fronts were caulked in place. The false store fronts
and windows were loaded with plastic butchered beef and hog
carcasses and old merchandise antiques of every description. The
interior of one of Everett’s RR passenger coaches was gutted.
It was replaced by the interior and seats from some other RR car.
The movie cost over 40 million dollars. It was shown once to movie
critics who thought it was too elaborate and its running time too
long. The director was criticized for the amount spent.
On our way home, we stopped at Spokane and Colton, Washington as
indicated by the pictures. Visited with the local tavern owner in
Colton who had over 700 scale model locomotives and cars. This
makes my model railroad look puny.
