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Chris Allan Biography
The coordinator of the FRRS' Steam Program, Chris Allan, has nearly 30 years of experience in steam locomotive repair and restoration. He got his start scraping grease off Western
Pacific 4-6-0 94 in the Key System Shops in Oakland when he was only 15 years old. Over the next several years, he was a member of the Western Railway Museum's (Rio Vista Jct.) Steam Crew, operating the WP 94 and
helping to restore other pieces. At the age of 19, Chris went to work for the Westside and Cherry Valley Railway. After this operation shut down due to the gas crisis, he went back to
college and finished his Machine Technology Degree. After college, Chris boomed around for a while, doing various museum restorations and working for shortlines, running and maintaining steam. His jobs
included the Sierra Railway, Yolo Shortline, Nevada Northern, and others. Chris is married and has lives with his wife Rita Lakewood (near Long Beach, CA) for approximately 15 years now. They have two
daughters ages 10 and 8. Since moving back to LA, he has found work as a special effects tech in the movie biz along with running his own consulting business, Historic Railway Consultants,
specializing in historic railway restorations and design. Chris' latest project was restoration manager of the Disneyland RR 5, the "Ward Kimball" for Boschan Boiler in Carson, CA. He is also doing
consulting work for the Sierra Nevada Logging Museum in White Pines, California, during their operating restoration of the Yosemite Lumber Shay locomotive number 4. As a diversion, he also designs and builds his
own 5" scale, 15" gauge steam stuff along the lines of Erich Thomsen and his Redwood Valley Railway in Berkeley. He is currently building a 15" gauge railway in Joshua Tree, California, which is near Palm
Springs. "I am looking forward to the challenge of restoring the WP 165, and appreciate the chance to work in such a dynamic environment and with the energetic group of people at the WPRM in
Portola. I look towards the day when WP steam once again polishes the rails." - Chris Allan |
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Partial Client List for J. Chris Allan and Historic Railway Consultants:
Kansas State Museum of History, Topeka KS.
City of Santa Fe Springs, Heritage Park Railroad Exhibit
Railtown 1897 State Historic Park, Jamestown, CA.
Westside & Cherry Valley Railway, Tuolumne, CA.
Landmark Entertainment, N. Hollywood, CA.
Redwood Valley Railway (15" gauge), Berkeley, CA.
Hetch Hetchy & Yosemite Vallley Railway (15" gauge), Sonora, CA.
Shortline Enterprises / Fillmore & Western Railroad, Fillmore, CA.
Nevada Northern Railroad Museum, East Ely, NV.
Midland Railroad Enterprises, Sacramento, CA.
Yolo Shortline Railroad, Woodland, CA.
Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, CA
Sierra Nevada Logging Museum, Arnold, CA
Western Pacific Railroad Museum at Portola, CA |
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