Oakland's Railroad Gets Vp,,:-v, : 4 r - - .J .. J" '1 ' Big tender arrives piggyback for unloading . . . Slayer of 2 Tries to Avoid ' - ...... -' Death Penalty Thomas E. Purvis, 50-year-old mechanic, convicted of the first degree murder of Mrs. Helen Wilson, 40, on Dec. 19, 1957, continued his story today in his effort to avoid the death penalty. He has reviewed the details of his first marriage, when he was 17; his life with Eleanor, his second wife, for whose murder ' he was con victed in 1950, and is leading up' to the, slaying of Mra Wilson, Its First Trlbaa ykctM On makeshift rails it rolls , . V . " ' ' - ' i,' "t" 11 Occup The first of five massive steam train units to be given Eiggyback rides thrbugh Oak-utd's streets within the next week or two have arrived at the Harrison Railroad Park, 7th and Harrison Streets. Water Tender No. 2467, ordinarily a coordinated part of the huge Southern Pacific en-j gine of the same number arrived yesterday although separated from the engine for this ride to its new home via Bigge Draytge heavy equipment. The tender is relatively small with an unloaded or "light" weight of only 110,300 pounds, as contrasted with the engine's light weight of 267,-500 pounds but it created quite a stir as it rode atop the ten-wheeled tractor and flat bed truck down 7th Street from the spur track at Fallon Street Park Department, Police down from truck . . . ?'ittoii-,i.mmimm Home' ant Department and Southern Pacific employees were all in volved in the move, along with Bigge's crews, and the passersby and neighbors did not miss a tarn of the wheels. Railroad "buffs" who have been following the project found their ranks augmented -considerably as the intricate job of unloading proceeded Twenty-eight feet in length, the tender , has a capacity of 12.000 gallons of water and 4000 gallons of oil. Its loaded weight it 241,900 pounds. A splendid example of the converted Vandcrbilt type, it and the engin will be displayed along the Harrison Street side of the park. Development of the old Harrison Square as a railroad park fulfills a dream of City Councilman Howard E. Rilea, a retired railroad engineer who has spearheaded the project of creating a spot where future generations may see and enjoy memorabilia of the old steam train days. Coincidentally, Engine 2467 the largest ever donated by the SP for exhibition purposes is the locomotive on which Rilea made his last trip an express run from JTresno to Oakland before retiring on February 10, 1945. Added to the engine and tender on tracks laid around the edge of the park by both SP and Western Pacific crews will be a completely renovated superintendent's car donated by SP and a baggage car and coach donated by Western Pacific. Later, a picturesque station of early style, donated by SP, will round out the installation. With subsequent additions, the display will provide a capsule history of the fascinating era of rail transportation. j
