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Mar 8, 20212 min read
Whistle While You Work
Engine No. 9 is turning 100! April 18, 2021 will mark the 100th anniversary of the locomotive’s arrival in Mill Valley. As part of our...
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Dec 21, 20201 min read
Winterizing
It’s November and in Northern California that means the start of the rainy season. This year for Engine No. 9 it also means a new coat...
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Nov 29, 20204 min read
Mechanic’s Corner: Geared Locomotives
Welcome to our second installment of technical articles brought to you by the Friends of Number 9. In this edition, we will be discussing...
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Oct 19, 20201 min read
Presentation on No. 9 - November 10, 2020
Fred Runner, the President of Friends of No. 9, will be the next presenter in the Marin History Museum’s 2020 Speakers Series. Fred has...
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Oct 12, 20202 min read
Steam Power
Have you ever boiled a kettle of water for tea or cooked a pot of pasta on the stove? If you have, the power of boiling water and making...
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Aug 10, 20202 min read
Asbestos Removal Completed
A significant milestone was reached in July with the removal of all asbestos from Engine No. 9. Engine No. 9 is a steam-powered...
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May 13, 20201 min read
Mill Valley Historical Society’s Review: Article About No. 9
The Spring edition of the Mill Valley Historical Society’s Review has an extensive article about Engine No. 9 by our President, Fred...
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Apr 15, 20201 min read
Gala Postponed
We are disappointed to announce that due to the COVID-19 situation and the shelter-in-place order currently in effect in California,...
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Apr 15, 20201 min read
Grease Cups
It’s a small thing, a grease cup. But on a 1921 steam engine grease cups were very important, gently providing a steady supply of grease...
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Feb 18, 20201 min read
First Steps - Haz Mat Abatement
The restoration is beginning! The first step in the restoration of historic engine No. 9 will be the removal of asbestos. A contract has...
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Oct 31, 20191 min read
Mill Valley Historical Society Annual Meeting
Fred Runner, the President and Board Chair of Friends of No. 9, gave a presentation at the Mill Valley Historical Society’s annual...
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Oct 30, 20191 min read
California Wildfires
The last week has been difficult in Northern California, and especially in Sonoma County. We have received many inquiries about No. 9,...
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Sep 10, 20191 min read
Mill Valley Memorial Day Parade
Volunteers from Friends of No. 9 and Friends of Mt. Tam had a great time marching in Mill Valley’s Memorial Day Parade on May 27. There...
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May 20, 20193 min read
Erie’s Engine No. 9 achieves the unthinkable
A steam locomotive like an Erie-built Heisler was expected to serve about five years, not hang around for nearly 100 and undergo...
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May 20, 20193 min read
Last train from legendary Mt. Tam railroad on track to return home
It’s full steam ahead for railroad buff Fred Runner, who came one step closer this week to fulfilling his longtime quest...
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May 20, 20193 min read
Last engine of ‘Crookedest Railroad in the World’ coming back to the mountain
Engine No. 9, the last remaining piece from the fabled “Crookedest Railroad in the World” that once climbed Mount Tamalpais, is back in the
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