Billy Jones (1884-1968), a seasoned veteran of the steam era who established the Wildcat Railroad in Los Gatos, California, was born the son of a teamster in the town of Ben Lomond, California, USA. Year 1884 ( MDCCCLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Ben Lomond is a Census-designated place (CDP in Santa Cruz County, California, United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

Jones found employment as an engine wiper at the tender age of 13 with the narrow-gauge South Pacific Coast Railroad at Boulder Creek, California. Employment is a Contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. The South Pacific Coast Railroad was a narrow gauge steam railroad running between Santa Cruz California and Alameda, with a ferry connection in Alameda Boulder Creek is a Census-designated place (CDP in Santa Cruz County, California, United States. At 17, Jones was promoted to fireman, and later became an engineer. An engineer is a person professionally engaged in a field of Engineering. The South Pacific Coast Railroad, which had been acquired by the Southern Pacific Railroad, was converted to a standard gauge road by 1909. The standard gauge (also named the Stephenson gauge after George Stephenson, or Normal gauge) is a widely-used Rail gauge. A road is an identifiable route, way or path between two or more places. Year 1909 ( MCMIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Jones was among the first to work the first standard-gauge portions of the line out of San Jose, ultimately advancing to the Coast Daylight (SP) run between San Francisco and San Luis Obispo. Officially named simply Daylight when launchedthe Coast Daylight was a Passenger train originally run by the Southern Pacific Railroad The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city San Luis Obispo (sænˈluːɪs əˈbɪspoʊ Spanish for St Louis the Bishop) is a city in California, located roughly midway between San Francisco After World War II, he was in charge of the reassembly of the preserved locomotive Gov. Stanford for Stanford University; the locomotive is currently on display at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Gov Stanford is a 4-4-0 Steam locomotive originally built in 1862 by Norris Locomotive Works. Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly known as Stanford University or simply Stanford, is a private Research university located in The California State Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento is a tribute to the role of the " Iron horse " in connecting California to the rest of the ^[1]

Jones married Geraldine McGrady, the schoolteacher at Wright's Station, located south of Los Gatos, CA. After settling down in Los Gatos on a nine-acre prune orchard known as "The Ranch", the Jones family grew to include two sons, Robert and Neal, and two daughters, Betty and Geraldine. An orchard is an intentional planting of Trees or Shrubs maintained for Food production. The Ranch was located at the corner of Daves Avenue and the Santa Clara-Los Gatos Road (today's Winchester Boulevard).

The "Wildcat Railroad"

On the docks of San Francisco in 1939, Jones discovered a steam locomotive built in 1905 and designed to run on the Venice Railway in Venice Beach, California. The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A steam locomotive is a Locomotive powered by Steam. The term usually refers to its use on Railways but can also refer to a "road locomotive" Year 1905 ( MCMV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Venice is a district in western Los Angeles California. It is known for its Canals Beaches and Circus -like Ocean Front Walk, He bought the little engine for $100 and got it running again on a railroad he and his railroad buddies constructed on the ranch, dubbed the "Wildcat Railroad". Sons Robert and Neal were victims of World War II, and Jones operated his "Wildcat Railroad" for the neighborhood children, every Sunday until his death in 1968, in memory of his two lost sons. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The railroad attracted people from across the valley and beyond, including Walt Disney, who considered purchasing some of Jones' collection of miniature railway equipment. Walter Elias Disney (December 5 1901 – December 15 1966 was a multiple Academy Award -winning American Film producer, director, Screenwriter The two became friends, and Jones was behind the throttle of Disney's narrow-gauge locomotives on opening weekend at Disneyland in 1955. A narrow gauge railway (or narrow gauge railroad) is a Railway that has a Track gauge narrower than the of Standard gauge railways Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar)

Jones retired from the Southern Pacific Company in 1949. In January of 1959, it is said Jones ceremoniously ran the last train out of Los Gatos before the rails were taken up throughout the town. The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Jones died of leukemia in 1968 at the age of 83, and his "Wildcat Railroad" was purchased by local residents who formed a non-profit organization to relocate and operate it at nearby Oak Meadow and Vasona Parks. Vasona Park, formerly Vasona Lake County Park is a Park located in Los Gatos California and part of the Santa Clara County Parks system Vasona Park, formerly Vasona Lake County Park is a Park located in Los Gatos California and part of the Santa Clara County Parks system The railroad, among the most popular attractions in Los Gatos, continues operation today.

References

• Billy Jones Biography

• Video about Billy Jones Wilcat Railroad

1. ^ Diebert, Timothy S. and Strapac, Joseph A. (1987). Southern Pacific Company Steam Locomotive Conpendium. Shade Tree Books. ISBN 0-930742-12-5.