I'm part of a small group trying to solve a mystery... the hunt for the lost McKeen... actually two twins.
Specifically Los Angeles & San Diego Beach Railway cars:
c/n blt Arrived Owner # weight length seats Engine
016 - –/1907 20 Mar 1908 LA & SDB #1 30.5T 55'2" 75 200hp Gas Engine
018 - –/1907 2 Apr 1908 LA & SDB #2 30.5T 55'2" 75 200hp Gas Engine
Some sources claims the were "retired by 1917". Others "disposed around 1914". But really their final disposal is very murky. One source claims they were stored then scrapped. But it just doesn't make since that a line decidedly thin on motive power (and very much in debt) would scrap these cars given there was a fair after market for them second hand. While we continuing our hunt for extremely limited details on the later days of this San Diego based line, for all practical purposes, we may have read a dead end.
But we have recently found several tips that all point to the East; Japan specifically. Contemporary notes that a LA & SDB steam engine and later some rail was bought used from this line and sent to Japan. Another article suggests a steamer "Colorado Springs" left San Diego in 1919 with a LA & SDB locomotive and 6,000 lb of rail bound for Japan. And finally, an entirely separate anecdotal report recently came to us of a now deceased American who used to tell the story of seeing a 55' McKeen in post war Occupied Japan. The rub is that according to the fairly well documented consensus production lists, no McKeen was ever sold new or operated used in Japan. The linear of most is well known - especially among the 55 footer subsets - to this small rabid fan base. But these hints seem to now be our most promising lead.
We know it is not much to go on. We don't have clear dates or region of operation. But we thought we might see if we can recruit a fellow railfan who is also a speaker and writer of the Japanese who can assist us with communicating with Japan archives.
If interested, please PM me for more details! Domo arigato!
