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The coordinator of the FRRS' Steam Program, Chris
Allan, has nearly 30 years of experience in steam locomotive
repair and restoration. He got his start scraping grease off
Western Pacific 4-6-0 94 in the Key System Shops in Oakland
when he was only 15 years old. Over the next several years,
he was a member of the Western Railway Museum's (Rio Vista
Jct.) Steam Crew, operating the WP 94 and helping to restore
other pieces.
At the age of 19, Chris went to work for
the Westside and Cherry Valley Railway. After this operation
shut down due to the gas crisis, he went back to college and
finished his Machine Technology Degree. After college, Chris
boomed around for a while, doing various museum restorations
and working for shortlines, running and maintaining steam.
His jobs included the Sierra Railway, Yolo Shortline, Nevada
Northern, and others. Chris is married and has lived with his
wife Rita in Lakewood (near Long Beach, CA) for approximately
15 years now. They have two daughters ages 10 and 8.
Since moving back to LA, he has found
work as a special effects tech in the movie biz along with
running his own consulting business, Historic Railway
Consultants, specializing in historic railway restorations and
design. Chris' latest project was restoration manager of the
Disneyland RR 5, the "Ward Kimball" for Boschan Boiler in
Carson, CA. He is also doing consulting work for the Sierra
Nevada Logging Museum in White Pines, California, during their
operating restoration of the Yosemite Lumber Shay locomotive
number 4. As a diversion, he also designs and builds his own
5" scale, 15" gauge steam stuff along the lines of Erich
Thomsen and his Redwood Valley Railway in Berkeley. He is
currently building a 15" gauge railway in Joshua Tree,
California, which is near Palm Springs.
"I am looking forward to the challenge of
restoring the WP 165, and appreciate the chance to work in
such a dynamic environment and with the energetic group of
people at the WPRM in Portola. I look towards the day when WP
steam once again polishes the rails." - Chris Allan
Partial Client
List for J. Chris Allan and Historic Railway Consultants:
Kansas State Museum of History, Topeka KS.
City of Santa Fe Springs, Heritage Park Railroad Exhibit
Railtown 1897 State Historic Park, Jamestown, CA.
Westside & Cherry Valley Railway, Tuolumne, CA.
Landmark Entertainment, N. Hollywood, CA.
Redwood Valley Railway (15" gauge), Berkeley, CA.
Hetch Hetchy & Yosemite Vallley Railway (15" gauge), Sonora,
CA.
Shortline Enterprises / Fillmore & Western Railroad, Fillmore,
CA.
Nevada Northern Railroad Museum, East Ely, NV.
Midland Railroad Enterprises, Sacramento, CA.
Yolo Shortline Railroad, Woodland, CA.
Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, CA
Sierra Nevada Logging Museum, Arnold, CA
Western Pacific Railroad Museum at Portola, CA |