Ronald Christensen selected as “Grand Marshall” for 29th Annual Portola Railroad Days Golden Spike Parade Saturday ~ August 20,2011
Portola, Calif. (June 22, 2010) — Portola Railroad Days (PRRD) committee nominated Ronald (Ron) Christensen as Grand Marshall for the 29th Annual Portola Railroad Days Golden Spike Parade on Saturday, August 20, 2011 in Portola, California. The event kicks off with a community barbeque, music and a carnival on Thursday, August 18, and ends on Sunday, August 22.
Ron Christensen was born in Oroville, CA on April 20, 1952 and about a month later the family moved to Portola where he was raised. After graduating from Portola Jr/Sr High School in 1970 he headed to San Jose State for a two years.
During the summer months after graduating high school Ron worked as a “Gandy Dancer” (laborer) for Western Pacific starting with the Chilcoot and Portola Section Gangs. After two years of college he hired out full time with Western Pacific as of June 5, 1972, continuing as a Gandy Dancer.
Shortly after starting full time with Western Pacific he met Marilyn. Being a Reggie Jackson and Oakland A’s fan and the fact that she was the prettiest girl wearing an Oakland A’s shirt with Reggie Jackson’s number 9, it was love at first sight and so they were married , now going on 38 years.
Over the next 10 years, he held the positions of Assistant Foreman, Relief Foreman, Track Rider and Track Inspector before accepting an Officers job, the Assistant Road Master at Keddie. Ron and Marilyn moved to Quincy in 1982. Also in 1982 during the first Portola Railroad Days event, he was encouraged to participate in the “Spike Driving Contest”. In Ron’s own words, “It was just myself, my wife and two daughters, out for the day at Railroad Days, when one of the guys from work came up and began encouraging me to participate in the spike driving contest. After awhile I conceded and I won. I think it took about 20 seconds and I won $250.00. I beat out a World Record holder that I just happened to work under at the time. Things didn’t go well after I beat him”.
The Western Pacific was bought out by the Union Pacific in 1983 and Ron became a Track Supervisor, traveling all over the former Western Pacific route on Tie Gangs and Rail Gangs. He walked on every inch of the former Western Pacific Rail lines from Oakland to Salt Lake City. It took six years and he covered 911.32 miles. Ron went back to a track Inspector in 1989 and worked on the Bieber and Canyon Subdivisions.
Since 2007 to the present day, Mr. Christensen is a Construction Coordinator for the Information and Technology Department, supervising the construction and protections of the fiber optic lines running along Union Pacific Right-of Way. His territory runs from Stockton to Salt Lake City. He plans to retire June 5, 2012 after acquiring 40 years of service.
The theme for the 29th Annual Portola Railroad Days Festival, August 18-21, 2011 is “Gandy Dancer-Pride of the West ”. The hard working Gandy Dancers built the Western Pacific through the Feather River Canyon and spiked the rail into place. Special events at this years railroad days festival will demonstrate the fine art of driving spikes into wooden ties and will honor the Gandy Dancers.
The “Feather River Express” will again travel through the scenic Feather River Canyon bringing folks to Portola from the Bay Area and Sacramento Valley for Portola Railroad Days. This years excursion passenger train will honor the Gandy Dancer. On Friday August 19 the train will depart Emeryville at 8:00am and will pick up additional passengers in Martinez, Davis, Sacramento and Oroville before arriving in Portola at 5:00pm. New to this years schedule is a stop in Oroville to pick up folks living in this area.
On Sunday, August 21, the train will depart Portola at 8:00am for the westbound five hour journey down the spectacular Feather River Canyon, with a stop at Oroville scheduled for 1:00pm. As the train races across the Sacramento Valley towards the Bay Area, additional station stops will be at Sacramento, Davis, and Martinez with a 5:00pm arrival in Emeryville. Special options are being offered so that local folks can again ride this train through the Feather River Canyon.
Folks who wish to ride the “Feather River Express” train should purchase their tickets soon, because the charter is filling quickly. For a full range of prices and availability, visit www.traintrips.biz or call toll free 1-800 359-4870.
The Portola Railroad Days event includes an outdoor art and crafts show. City crews close Commercial Street to automobile traffic so that vendors and pedestrians can have free reign of the entire street for the weekend. Many local merchants host special sidewalk sales. There are many activities planned for the whole family to enjoy including live bands.
Vendor applications for the outdoor art and crafts show are still available. For information regarding vendor applications including food please visit www.PortolaRailroadDays.com or call Lorraine Wakefield for art and crafts at (530) 832-0446 or Pat Bridge for food vendors at (530) 836-0164.
Contact: Chris Skow
Press Releases
Portola Railroad Days Planning Committee
Media Contact Phones:
(530) 836-1083 Home
(530) 386-2969 Cell
E mail: tut@gotsky.com
Fax: (530) 836-1904
###
