The Mandarin Train

From Bill Morrow:

John, Someone forwarded the portion of your site about the Mandarin "Little Train". I have two pictures taken about 1945-46 of the train. Also, I think I can identify one of the children in one of the pictures currently on the site.

I grew up in Mandarin, and the train was always a part of my childhood. The pictures I have attached are of my twin brother, Cary Morrow, and me looking at the train, and seated in one of the open cars. They were probably taken about 60 years ago, shortly after WWII. The woman holding our hands and looking at the train is our cousin, Edith Webb Gildersleeve, granddaughter of John Henry Jacks, a Mandarin pioneer, whose home still stands on Mandarin Rd, a little over a mile from where the train was located. The man in the sailor uniform behind her is her husband, Charles E. (Gil) Gildersleeve. The road behind them is "State Road 13". It would be at least another 20 years before it became "San Jose Blvd", after consolidation of the city and county. The Wilford's garage and gas station is on the other side of the road. Notice the two wonderful old cars parked beside Wilford's. The car parked behind the Gildersleeves belonged to them.

I am not sure why we look so worried, although I do remember that occasionally cinders would blow back from the smoke stack on the train, particularly while under way, which stung if they got on you. I am on the left and my brother, Cary, is on the right. I assume the engineer is Mr. Ward, but I don't think I knew that name until much later in my life.

Over the years, many people I have met have asked me about the train. It was for many of them and their families, a Sunday destination, particularly during citrus season when there were numerous small stands, and some large stands, selling citrus on the side of the road in Mandarin.