Above: Union Sugar No 1, which used to work the sugar mill at Betteravia. Source: www.smvrhm.org/usno1.html
"Union Sugar No. 1 is an 0-4-0T steam locomotive that once worked the sugar beet gondolas at the Betteravia sugar mill.
"Union Sugar Company No. 1 was a plant switcher at the Betteravia sugar refinery. Union Sugar, named to represent the union of interests of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties, was conceived in the late 1800s and began operations in September of 1899. Originally serviced by the Southern Pacific Railroad and the Pacific Coast Railway, the Santa Maria Valley Railroad became involved after its inception in 1911 and continued hauling beet gondolas for the refinery until the refinery closed in 1993.
"Currently in storage at the California State Railroad Museum in Jamestown, CA, this 0-4-0T steam locomotive was originally built as the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific No. 84 (CRI&P) in 1884." Downloaded Oct 2009 from SMVRHM.
The Santa Maria Valley Railway Historical Museum has been fundraising to bring the locomotive back to the Betteravia area. For more information see Hal Madson's book: Betteravia, Memories of a Modern California Ghost Town, the history of the Union Sugar Company refinery and town located at Betteravia, California, visit the Santa Maria Valley Railroad web site, or their brochure, mirrowed here for convenience.
last updated: 19/10/09.