WHO OWN’s 3420 Today
This question often comes up. Some sites on the web state that the El Paso Historical Railroad Board owns 3420. This is not the case. Southern Pacific 3420 is owned by the City of El Paso. The Southern Pacific donated both 3420 and 7207 to the City of El Paso, Texas, as seen by the following document from 1956.
The restoration of Southern Pacific 3420 for the Four Centuries ’81 Celebration took place under the City of El Paso Ordinance Number 7120 which formed the El Paso Historical Railroad Board. After the board was sunsetted in the late 1980’s. The El Paso Transportation and Industrial Archeology Board was created to replace the El Paso Historical Railroad Board. The El Paso City Council has since sunsetted this board as well. There is no current city board overseeing this piece of city property.
