GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - It was surprising, what Dr. Charles Minershagen saw looking back at him from the painted windows of the Gridley Museum while out on an exploratory afternoon drive - “They know about the electric railroad…” he said to us later.

Most Gridleyeans are aware of the Union Pacific Railroad and the trains that blare through the center of town on a tight schedule but not many recall the Sacramento Northern Railroad, an electric line that ran up the valley from San Francisco, over to Sacramento and up to Chico.

Travel on the Sacramento Northern electric trains was dedicated more to passenger travel compared to the steam and coal engines that utilized the Union Pacific tracks, typically hauling freight and more up through the state. The Gridley Depot, a regular stop on the Sacramento Northern schedule, was located near the current Mac’s Market, out near Larkin Road, Gridley.

Dr. Minershagen had been visiting museums along the Sacramento Northern line, looking for someplace special to re-home one of his two miniature electric locomotives. He was delighted to see that the Gridley Museum was aware of its electric history and that he had happened past its painted windows featuring an image of the Sacramento Northern line, done by Seti Long about 10 years ago.

As we sat down to an interview, Dr. Minershagen jokingly said something to the effect of “it’s because of you, it’s here” referring to the recently donated Baldwin Westinghouse miniature locomotive 45 Class D Steeple Cab engine gleaming red and black in the new section of the museum. It is strange that years later, a painting I did had unintentionally brought something so incredible to the museum.

The 1.5”:1’ scale model was one of about 40-50 miniature engine chassis made by the LA Steamers Club and distributed amongst themselves. The engines could be modified to run on coal, steam or propane as part of the Live Steam genre of locomotive hobbyists. Dr. Minershagen had purchased his two and adapted the chassis to run off four batteries and function with the proper mechanisms of an electric train from the early 1900s like the Sacramento Northern line. The only difference was the paint scheme and decorative lettering. The electric trains were originally solid black and later featured an orange paint scheme.

Dr. Minershagen has generously donated the miniature engine to the museum in lieu of selling it for a sizable amount. “I feel much happier about doing this,” he says, after finding a museum with substantial knowledge of the Sacramento Northern Railway. He is considering donating the other engine to the Oroville Museum.