More than 16 months since a would-be break through appeared to lower the temperature on an effort to bring the historic No. 9 locomotive back to Mill Valley in the future, with a proposed a 5-year agreement to place the historic locomotive “Engine No. 9” in front of City Hall in Downtown Mill Valley, that accordance fell apart when City Manager Todd Cusimano announced that city officials had determined that the placement of historic locomotive “Engine No. 9” in a temporary location at City Hall would not be feasible. Cusimano said the decision was made in consultation with then-Mayor Jim Wickham and Councilmember Caroline Joachim, who were appointed by Council in June to assess the proposal before executing a 5-year lease agreement.
“We are immensely grateful to the members of The Friends of Engine No. 9 for their commitment to preserving the rich history of Mill Valley,” Wickham said. “However, following a thorough examination of the proposal, we have reached the conclusion that it is not a viable match for the intended location. The proposed short-term home for the steam engine was first announced in April 2023 by Mayor Wickham in collaboration with the Friends of No. 9. At their June 2023 meeting, Council authorized the City Manager to further evaluate the proposal.
“We recognize the historical significance of Engine No. 9 and extend our gratitude to the Friends of Engine No. 9 for their diligent work and commitment to preserve the locomotive and share it with the community,” Joachim said. “We will continue to support the effort to find an appropriate location for the locomotive.”
Fred Runner, among the driving forces behind the effort to get the No. 9 relocated to Mill Valley, said that the Friends of No. 9 organization were disappointed with the decision but remain vigilant in its efforts to connect the train’s incredible history with the Mill Valley community. “The community support we have received through this effort has brought us enough finding to drive the restoration effort forward,” he says. “The railway has absolutely put Mill Valley and Marin County on the map – there’s no disputing that. There’s no other town in northern California that has anything close to this. It’s a central part of Marin’s history. The No. 9 is a mountain-climbing steam engine, the last piece of rolling stock and the last piece on earth of Mill Valley’s Scenic Railway. Trains pushed passenger cars up the Mt. Tamalpais and towed gravity cars — all at the same time—from 1896 to 1929 and carried over 1,000,000 passengers without ever disrupting day to day life in Mill Valley.”
READ THE FULL PRIOR STORY ON THIS ISSUE HERE.
MORE INFO ON FRIENDS OF NO. 9.
But the arrival of the 2025 New Year provides a great reminder that the Gravity Car Barn, which opened on, May 3, 2009, remains an incredible resource for train lovers and many more, in honor of the Mill Valley and Mt. Tamalpais Scenic Railway. It has become a permanent home for the brilliantly recreated Gravity Car and an interpretive display highlighting this special time in California and Mt. Tamalpais history. The Barn has been constructed over a section of the 98 feet of standard gauge track at the historic rail siding on East Peak and will serve as an educational facility and visitor center for Marin and beyond.
Those who live in the shadow of its majesty, who have climbed its many challenging trails, who have marveled at the 360 degree views from its summit, or have spent time pondering its impact on the skyline of the San Francisco Bay Area, cherish the power and natural beauty of Mt. Tamalpais. One hundred years ago, people as impressed and inspired by “The Sleeping Lady” came for a visit from the world over. Their goal — to steam up the mountain in what was affectionately called “The Crookedest Railroad in the World.
Traversing the double bow-knot, locals and tourists alike delighted in jaw-dropping vistas as they reached the 2,571 foot summit at East Peak for a day of unparalleled sightseeing, dinner at the Tavern of Tamalpais and dancing in the Pavilion. At day’s end, the daring would climb aboard the Gravity Car, and the “Gravity Man” would “turn on the gravity”, and down they would coast over 8 1/4 miles, around 281 turns on the mountain’s 7 % grade to the Mill Valley depot or Muir Woods. This was clearly the “E” ticket ride of its day!
Longtime San Francisco Chronicle reporter posted a report this week about the ‘tiny museum on Mount Tam that houses a re-creation of a lost piece of California history.
The museum, near the East Peak Visitor Center at 3801 Panoramic Highway in Mill Valley, is staffed by volunteers and open on weekends from noon to 4 p.m. It is free, though Mount Tamalpais State Park charges for parking. The approach is a narrow and twisting highway that gets progressively narrower and twistier until you reach the museum, often shrouded in fog.
