Little Puffers: Full Steam Ahead at the
San Francisco Zoo
San Francisco, California
The sound of a steam locomotive is something that is easily recognizable! Many zoos that have a train ride operate steam locomotive replicas that look like an old-fashioned steam train, but the hum or roar of the gasoline-powered engine gives its phony appearance away. At the San Francisco Zoo, it's full steam ahead on a historic miniature steam locomotive that actually chugs and puffs its way through the zoo!
An early postcard of the San Francisco Zoo's miniature Cagney steam locomotive.
Known as the "Little Puffer," the miniature steam locomotive at the San Francisco Zoo is well over 100 years old! The Little Puffer was built around 1904 by the Cagney Brothers' Miniature Railway Company who had begun their miniature steam locomotive business in the 1890s. The Cagney brothers were promoters and brokers, not the actual manufacturers, and realized the desire and need of miniature trains for amusement parks and world fairs. They were not the only miniature steam locomotive manufacturers at the time but were probably the most notable. The Cagney locomotives came in a multitude of track gauges including 12 5/8-inches, 15-inches, 18-inches, and 22-inch. They were known for their sturdiness and dependability which is why some are still around to this day.
The Cagney Brothers locomotives were miniature replicas of the famous New York Central Railroad No. 999 4-4-0 steam locomotive. This locomotive was built in 1893 and hauled the New York Central Railroad’s Empire
State Express passenger train. On May 10, 1893, the #999 broke the world speed record for the fastest
land vehicle between Syracuse and Buffalo, NY. It reached the
speed of 112.5 mph and was the first steam locomotive to reach speeds over 100
miles per hour. No. 999 is now on display at the Museum of Science
& Industry in Chicago, IL.
An early photograph of the New York Central Railroad's famous No. 999.
The Little Puffer Cagney at the San Francisco Zoo had quite the history over the past one hundred years. The little train's history is not fully known and it's life did not begin at the zoo. It was built in 1904 and is one of the few 22-inch gauge Cagney Brothers trains to be made. The train was believed to have been operating along the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in Santa Cruz, California from 1907-1915. After 1915, the train was then stored in a warehouse where it was nearly destroyed in a fire. The train was then put up for sale for the cost of scrap in the 1920s. Luckily, it was discovered in a San Francisco Scrap Yard and purchased by a man named Joseph Cornelius Hayes who was a car salesman.
An old postcard showcasing the Bay Shore Limited along the Santa Cruz coastline.
One would've thought there may have been a light at the end of the tunnel for the little steam locomotive but it wasn't quite there yet. The Cagney locomotive underwent restoration to operate at two separate California locations: first San Francisco's Ocean Beach and then Pacific City Amusement Park. Both locations faced hurdles and the locomotive was again placed in storage.
Finally, in 1925, the "Little Engine That Could" could clickety clack down the tracks again. It was purchased by Herbert Fleishhacker to operate at the new Fleishhacker Zoo in San Francisco, California. From 1925 through 1978, the Little Puffer Cagney steam locomotive puffed around the zoo, delighting visitors with a comfortable ride and the authentic sounds of a steam locomotive.
Another early postcard showing the opening dedication ceremony of the new train ride at the San Francisco Zoo in 1925.
When plans to purchase a new gasoline powered train ride fell through, the miniature train ride was closed and the little steam locomotive was put into storage once again. The Little Puffer remained in storage on the zoo property for over twenty years. While it deteriorated for many years, it was not forgotten.
1997 brought new light for the now dilapidated miniature steam train once again! After generous grants, donations, and volunteers, the Little Puffer and the passenger cars were fully restored. The Cagney Steam locomotive was converted to be fueled by propane versus coal. The total cost of the steam locomotive's restoration, new railroad track, train shed, and station cost nearly $700,000. This shows the train's true historic value and the zoo's dedication to preserving history and memories for years to come.
An up-close photo shows the restored Cagney locomotive featuring a new, taller balloon shaped smokestack.
Today, the San Francisco Zoo's Little Puffer still chugs around the zoo through the South America and Bear Country exhibits. It is one of the few remaining live-steam zoo trains in the United States and is the only remaining Cagney Brothers' locomotive in operation at a zoo today.
The true miniature-size of the Little Puffer can be seen compared to the locomotive's engineer as it pulls into the station.
As new rules and regulations for amusement park rides began to surface, the Cagney Brothers began building a few gasoline-powered replica steam trains.
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This postcard shows one of three gasoline-powered Cagney Brothers locomotives that operated at the Detroit Zoo in Detroit, Michigan beginning in 1931. They've since been replaced by a more modern streamlined steam locomotive replica.
The San Francisco Zoo's Cagney locomotive is still full steam ahead around it's small track at the zoo! Little is actually known about the Cagney Brothers themselves, however their legacy lives on through the miniature trains that still chug around the tracks of private railroad and backyards around the world, as well as at the San Francisco Zoo!
The San Francisco Zoo's Little Puffer chugging through the zoo.
To read more about the San Francisco Zoo's Little Puffer steam locomotive, check out the more detailed and history of the locomotive on the San Francisco Zoo's website: https://www.sfzoo.org/historic-sites-little-puffer-miniature-steam-train/.
Other Cagney Brothers locomotives and similar miniature steam locomotives still exist today. Their time on the rails may have begun at zoos, amusement parks, and world expositions but now are retired in the hands of private owners, railroads, and museums around the world.
A restored 15-inch gauge Cagney, built in 1903, now operates at the Strasburg Railroad near Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
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Similar to a Cagney Brothers locomotive, this 14.5-inch gauge steam locomotive was built by my great-great grandfather over a 5-year span from 1910-1914 in Pittsburgh, PA. It now resides in safe keeping at the Heinz History Center in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Sources:
Shaw, Frederic Joseph. Little
Railways Of The World. Howell – North Press, 1958. Pp. 186-200.
“Historic Sites: Little Puffer Miniature Steam Train.” San
Francisco Zoo & Gardens, 30 June 2021,
https://www.sfzoo.org/historic-sites-little-puffer-miniature-steam-train/.
“999 Steam Locomotive.” 999 Steam Locomotive - Museum of Science and Industry, 21 Sept. 2022, https://www.msichicago.org/explore/whats-here/exhibits/transportation-gallery/the-exhibit/999-steam-locomotive/.
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