Thomas the Tank Engine had just finished carrying one of his last groups of passengers from Roaring Camp Railroads along the San Lorenzo River and back. Friday, July 29, was his first day of the first of two three-day weekends of full schedules of 30-minute rides for his fans.
Then the Really Useful Engine got the call from CalFire dispatchers: They needed his help to bring an injured swimmer from the Garden of Eden swimming hole a couple miles down the track to an evacuation helicopter.
CalFire would say later that the track – and Thomas – offered the fastest and most direct route for the rescue crew in the rugged mountain terrain.
Thomas was up the task, taking the rescuers to the riverbank spot, then carrying them, with an injured 22-year-old woman, back to Roaring Camp. A rescue vehicle took her from there to a nearby helicopter landing area at Henry Cowell Park where Stanford Life Flight carried her to Stanford Medical Center for treatment of a head injury sustained in a fall at the popular swimming spot. She was not identified.
Roaring Camp estimated that up to 30,000 people would visit Thomas and related activities on each of these special weekends. Felton has a population of about 4,000.
The Thomas train is to return to Roaring Camp for two weekends in October.
Hundreds of workers on these special weekends who are affiliated with local non-profits donate their wages to their organizations.
They include Santa Cruz County Friday Night Live, Valley Elite Cheer, San Lorenzo Valley Rotary Club, Girl Scouts of California Central Coast, and Sunrise House. The groups raise from several hundred dollars to up to $6,000 each.
