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Cupertino Author Shares California Construction History

In her new children's picture book, 'Engine Number Ten,' Rose Ann Woolpert takes a look at a classic steam train.

 

Cupertino author Rose Ann Woolpert is celebrating the publication of her latest children’s picture book, Engine Number Ten, by sharing it with second, third and fourth grade students this Friday at Regnart Elementary School in Cupertino.

Woolpert’s book is based on the stories of Granite Rock Company and the trains it used for more than a century at its Northern California quarry near Aromas. The Watsonville-based business was founded in 1900 and today provides concrete, building and road materials to the construction industry. It operates a building materials and design center in Cupertino.

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As the company’s historian, Woolpert has spent more than 25 years studying stories, history and family photographs from the company, now known as Graniterock. 

“This story tells how our region was built over the past century and brings the tale to life with an engine kids can visit today at the Railroad Museum in Sacramento,” Woolpert said.

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That steam engine, dubbed Engine Number Ten, first served with the Army Corps of Engineers during World War II. It later was aquired by Granite Rock and used at its Logan Quarry until 1951 when it was replaced by a newer diesel locomotive switch engine. In 1990 company officials sent Engine Number 10 to the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento where it was restored to full working order. It’s now used to give visitors steam train rides in old Sacramento.

The book is published by Graniterock and is available at its retail locations in Cupertino, Redwood City, Santa Cruz and Watsonville, or online at Enginenumberten.com and Amazon.com.

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