The Great Flood of 1932 and Engine No. 3834 Marker

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Near Tehachapi in Kern County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

The Great Flood of 1932 and Engine No. 3834

By Syd Whittle, November 29, 2005

1. The Great Flood of 1932 and Engine No. 3834 Marker

Inscription. On September 30th torrential rains flooded Tehachapi Creek, undermining the tracks under Santa Fe Engine No. 3834 which was waiting out the storm about ½ mile east of Woodward Station. The engine disappeared into the raging water below. It remained “lost” for two weeks, hidden under 10 feet of mud. It took one month to free the severely damaged engine. Its bell was never found. Almost three years after the flood the newly refurbished engine was returned to service with people lining the tracks in Tehachapi and Keene, waving and cheering as No. 3834 rolled by – its new bell proudly ringing.

Erected 1993 by Platrix Chapter No.2 & Peter Lebeck Chapter E Clampus Vitus.

Marker series. This marker is included in the E Clampus Vitus marker series.

Location. 35° 12.575′ N, 118° 33.081′ W. Marker is near Tehachapi, California, in Kern County. Marker is on Woodford Tehachapi Road, on the left when traveling east. Click for map. Marker is 1.2 miles east of the Keene exit off of State Highway 58. Marker is in this post office area: Keene CA 93531, United States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, as the crow flies. Tehachapi Loop (approx. 1.4 miles away); Tehachapi Pass Railroad Line (approx. 1.4 miles away); "Old Town" (approx. 5.6 miles away); Bealeville (approx. 6 miles away); Caliente (approx. 7 miles away); Arvin-Sierra Glider Port (approx. 7.1 miles away); Bakersfield National Cemetery (approx. 7.3 miles away); Tehachapi Loop Mural (approx. 7.8 miles away). Click for a list of all markers in Tehachapi.

By Syd Whittle, November 29, 2005

2. The Great Flood of 1932 and Engine No. 3834 Marker

Also see . . . Calisphere: Engine No.3834. Includes a photo of the engine before being pulled from the mud. (Submitted on September 28, 2008, by Syd Whittle of El Dorado Hills, California.)

The Great Flood of 1932 and Engine No. 3834 Photo, Click for full size

3. The Great Flood of 1932 and Engine No. 3834

Courtesy of Tehachapi Depot Railroad Museum

Engine No. 3834 Following the 1932 Flood Photo, Click for full size

4. Engine No. 3834 Following the 1932 Flood

This photo is on display at Kelcy's Restaurant in Tehachapi

Credits. This page originally submitted on September 28, 2008, by Syd Whittle of El Dorado Hills, California. This page has been viewed 2,143 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 28, 2008, by Syd Whittle of El Dorado Hills, California. 3. submitted on September 10, 2012, by Denise Boose of Tehachapi, California. 4. submitted on February 19, 2012, by Denise Boose of Tehachapi, California.