SLO Railroad Museum just added a truck trailer to its collection. Here’s why
Why would a railroad museum want a truck trailer?
The newest addition to the San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum’s collection was cautiously moved into place with inches to spare under the overhanging roof of the museum.
Museum curator Brad LaRose explained that the Southern Pacific Railroad wanted to create a feeder service for rail freight traffic.
As roads improved in the mid-20th century, the railroad wanted to maintain the long-haul freight business and created Pacific Motor Trucking.
The small truck trailers could navigate city streets for pickup and delivery, and be loaded two at a time onto flatcars.
Southern Pacific Railroad’s San Luis Obispo freight house, which now houses the museum, served as the hub.
“It was a multi-modal facility at a time when that was cutting-edge technology,” LaRose said.
The museum is in negotiations for a flatcar from the correct era, and is planning efforts to restore two streamlined truck trailers to place on it.
The museum is hoping to raise $15,000 to fund the project.
For more information about the San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum, go to https://slorrm.com.
