2013 Ardenwood Farm Railroad Fair -- August 31, 2013

Today we went to the 13th annual Labor Day Railfair at Ardenwood Farm.  It was warm. There were no horse-powered train rides this year.  One steam locomotive operated, Ann Marie, an 1890 Porter which was there for the fifth straight year. Anne Marie pulled a three car train: the covered car usually pulled by horses, and two flats.  Anne Marie was not putting out a lot of black smoke, as she had last year.  

I didn't hear or smell the locomotive when we arrived.  The conductor explained that it was at the other end of the line where it spent the night and they were having some trouble getting the fire going.  

I like to catch the first train.  The line at Ardenwood Station kept getting longer and longer during the day. They had signs posted saying that all trips would be one-way, but Deer Park never developed a long line.  We made a round trip on the first train, and later caught one back from Deer Park.  

There was a big Garden Scale display, and a live steam display. 

We saw sheep, goats, rabbits, chickens and turkeys, but no swine.  We got to meet Red, who is now the regular horse on the horse-drawn train rides, and Goliath, who is learning the job.  They are trying to raise the money to buy harness for Goliath.  

Here we see Ann Marie  pushing her train out of Ardenwood Station.  She stayed at that end of the train, pushing to Deer Park and pulling back to Ardenwood. 

Traffic was fine on the Dumbarton Bridge, despite the Bay Bridge being closed.