History 1934 train wreck and Ca license plates in Simi Valley

There have been some 1934 Ca license plate pairs showing up on Ebay for a decent price. After purchasing a couple pairs, I noticed they were half painted with different colors and each had 4 small nail holes. It was also obvious that the mounting holes on the plates were never used. I wrote the seller and asked if he new the history as they looked to me like they were mounted on a building. He said in 1934, there was a train wreck in Simi Valley Ca and there were rail cars hauling new license plates. 34 wasn't the most prosperous of times so people scavenged up the plates as fast as they could. These particular plates were used on the roof of a barn in Simi. Does anyone have the skills to find info on this train wreck?

 

manteca california,southern pacific train derailed. only one listed in railway history.

 

Thats cool american history right there.. Good conversation peice too!

 

You might find it here:
http://www.sphts.org/pmcclosky/spwebresources.html

Contact these people:
http://www.santasusannadepot.org/Foundation/Home.htm

http://www.sphts.org/

http://www.uphs.org/

 

i have a pair i bought from this guy a few weeks back down in huntington beach. every pair has the 4 small nail holes from the being nailed to the roof

 

There is a garage in Red Bluf, Calif that is entirely covered with pairs of 32, 33 and 34 California license plates.

 

Same thing in Texas 1932. They used them on roofs and many you now see are half new paint half rust.

 

Where are the holes mine has 4 small holes if you look real close you can see them.

 

It's true, I live in Simi and have seen several of theses barns and sheds that were roofed with them. My buddy has a bunch of them. Like said earlier, they are usually half rusted due to how they overlapped them. Story I got was that the wreck was right around the Santa
Susana pass.

 

I remember when I was a kid all of the sheds and garages up in the mountains had plates as roof shingles. I thought that was the coolest thing ever.

 

any pics?? that would make for some cool garage art

 

I've got a box ful of those plates I bought years ago in Simi Valley, CA. If any one wants to buy a pair let me know. PM me.

 

There was a small barn in deland Florida roofed with concecutive number plates,1939.In the '60's they were like new. they were nailed down thru the mounting holes with tar over each nail and slot. We put down 4-5 sheets of tin and made off with that many plates. The tin is still nice, the plates are crappy.

 

I actually bought two 34 license plates from a guy at a garage sale who is also selling them on ebay. He lives in the santa susana knolls in simi valley. That was the same story he told me too. He had a huge mess of them from a shed on his side yard. Pretty neat story if ya ask me.

 

ya see alot of plate roofs,on farms in S. Dakota & Nebraska..recycling at it's finest!

 

Here's a fence on my street. We're right near the tracks at the base of Santa Susana Pass.