Yreka Western Railroad

Last updated
Yreka Western Railroad Company
Yreka Railroad Company
20100414.2 ALCO MRS-1.jpg
An ALCO MRS-1 at Yreka station.
TerminusYreka California
Yreka Western Railroad system map.svg
ConnectionsUnion Pacific Railroad in Montague CA
Commercial operations
Original gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Preserved operations
Owned by Railmark Holdings, Incorporated
Operated byRailmark Holdings, Incorporated
Reporting mark YW
Length8.86-mile (14.26 km)
Preserved gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Commercial history
Opened1889
1888Yreka Railroad Company Incorporated
1889Rail Line Opened
1933Re-Incorporated as Yreka Western Railroad Company
1953 Kyle Railways
Preservation history
1986Blue Goose Excursion Train Begins
HeadquartersYreka, California
Website
www.yrekawestern.com
Route in 1931 Yreka Railroad 1931.jpg
Route in 1931

The Yreka Western Railroad Company( reporting mark YW) was a shortline railroad that operated freight trains and passenger excursions between the Central Oregon & Pacific interchange at Montague and the City of Yreka, California. [1] Railmark Holdings acquired the Yreka Western Railroad in 2017. [2]

Contents

The Yreka Railroad Company was incorporated in May 1888, with a capital stock of $100,000, and opened in January 1889, connecting Yreka to the Southern Pacific Company lessor Central Pacific Railroad (ex-California and Oregon Railroad). The decision to build the Yreka Railroad was due in part to the Southern Pacific's decision to bypass Yreka in favor of a shorter, and more level route through the Shasta Valley and the city of Montague. Not to be left without a rail connection, the citizens of Yreka formed their own railroad. The railroad hauled passengers and local freight. In August 1933, the railroad was re-incorporated as the Yreka Western Railroad Company. The railroad was acquired by Willis Kyle in 1953 who eventually formed the Kyle Railways empire. Eventually, the Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad acquired the SP connection at Montague in 1995. In 1999, Kyle Railways sold the Yreka Western Railroad to the Rocky Mountain Railway and Mining Museum of Denver Colorado, who in turn, sold the company to Railmark Holdings, Inc. in December 2016.

Operations

The railroad is no longer an active freight railroad. The freight traffic on the Yreka Western Railroad was primarily wood chips, forest products, propane, and machinery and bulk commodities. The railroad had provided excursion trains pulled by steam and diesel locomotives from the 1950s until 2008.

In 1986, the YW started operating a steam passenger train excursion known as the "Blue Goose" between Yreka and Montague. The railroad offered scenic views of Mount Shasta, the Shasta Valley and the Siskiyou Mountains. The trip took about one hour in either direction, with a 60 minute layover in Montague for lunch.[ citation needed ] While passengers explored and ate in Montague, the crew took the train to perform a runaround move so the locomotive would pull the train back to Yreka.

The most famous locomotive to run on the line was 2-8-2 Baldwin 90 ton logging mikado #19. #19 is nicknamed "Pancho" due to its time spent in Mexico in the 1920s and possible squabble with the Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa. #19 has starred in many movies, the two most famous being "Emperor of the North" and "Stand By Me". The locomotive was built in April 1915 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Caddo & Choctaw River Lumber Company in Arkansas. She served in Arkansas until 1920 when she was sent to Mexico where she is believed to have been converted to oil. In 1924, she was purchased by the McCloud River Railroad. She served many years there hauling log trains until being sold to the Yreka Western Railroad in 1953. On September 19, 2016, it was announced that #19 would be up for sale in an upcoming auction and on October 6, 2016, was purchased by the Age of Steam Roundhouse, and is currently being restored in her Emperor of the North paint scheme.

Other locomotives include an SW8 #21 (Former Southern Pacific #1115). #21 is unique because it has dynamic brakes, not usually found on switching locomotives. YW 20 (SW8) and YW 244 (ALCO MRS-1) were also on the roster, but scrapped in the 2010's.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Locomotive Company</span> Defunct locomotive manufacturer

The American Locomotive Company was an American manufacturer that operated from 1901 to 1969, initially specializing in the production of locomotives but later diversifying and fabricating at various times diesel generators, automobiles, steel, tanks, munitions, oil-production equipment, as well as heat exchangers for nuclear power plants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Pacific Transportation Company</span> United States Class I railroad (1865–1996)

The Southern Pacific was an American Class I railroad network that existed from 1865 to 1996 and operated largely in the Western United States. The system was operated by various companies under the names Southern Pacific Railroad, Southern Pacific Company and Southern Pacific Transportation Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2-8-0</span> Locomotive wheel arrangement

Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, usually in a leading truck, eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels. In the United States and elsewhere, this wheel arrangement is commonly known as a Consolidation, after the Lehigh and Mahanoy Railroad’s Consolidation, the name of the first 2-8-0.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strasburg Rail Road</span> Heritage railroad in Pennsylvania

The Strasburg Rail Road is a heritage railroad and the oldest continuously operating standard-gauge railroad in the western hemisphere, as well as the oldest public utility in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Chartered in 1832, the Strasburg Rail Road Company is today a heritage railroad offering excursion trains hauled by steam locomotives on 4.02 mi (6.47 km) of track in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, as well as providing contract railroad mechanical services, and freight service to area shippers. The railroad's headquarters are outside Strasburg, Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Hood Railroad</span> Tourist railroad based in Hood River, Oregon

The Mount Hood Railroad is a heritage and shortline freight railroad located in Hood River, Oregon, 60 miles (97 km) east of Portland, Oregon, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sumpter Valley Railway</span> Historic railway in Oregon, USA

The Sumpter Valley Railway, or Sumpter Valley Railroad, is a 3 ft narrow gauge heritage railroad located in Baker County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. Built on a right-of-way used by the original railway of the same name, it carries excursion trains on a roughly 5-mile (8.0 km) route between McEwen and Sumpter. The railroad has two steam locomotives and several other pieces of rolling stock. Passenger excursion trains operate on weekends and holidays from Memorial Day through the end of September.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad</span> Railroad operating between California and Oregon

The Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad is a Class II railroad operating between Northern California and Eugene, Oregon, United States. It was previously a mainline owned by the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) between Eugene and Weed, California via Medford, Oregon. SP sold the route on December 31, 1994, in favor of using its route to Eugene via Klamath Falls, Oregon and Cascade Summit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McCloud Railway</span> Railroad operated around Mount Shasta, California

The McCloud Railway was a class III railroad operated around Mount Shasta, California. It began operations on July 1, 1992, when it took over operations from the McCloud River Railroad. The MCR was incorporated on April 21, 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spokane, Portland and Seattle 700</span> Preserved American 4-8-4 steam locomotive

Spokane, Portland & Seattle 700 is the oldest and only surviving example of the class "E-1" 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotive and the only surviving "original" Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway steam locomotive. It was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in May 1938. Nearly identical to the class "A-3" Northerns built for Northern Pacific Railway, it burns oil instead of coal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oregon, Pacific and Eastern Railway</span> Abandoned U.S. short line railroad

The Oregon, Pacific and Eastern Railway is an Oregon-based short line railroad that began near Eugene as the Oregon and Southeastern Railroad (O&SE) in 1904. O&SE's line ran 18 miles (29 km) along the Row River between the towns of Cottage Grove and Disston. The Oregon, Pacific & Eastern Railway Company incorporated in 1912, purchased the physical assets of the O&SE two years later, and shortened their total trackage to operate 16.6 miles (26.7 km) from an interchange yard with the Southern Pacific Railroad at Cottage Grove, east to a 528' x 156' turnaround loop at Culp Creek. The last of this track was closed and scrapped in 1994, and ownership of its abandoned right of way property was later reverted to the state of Oregon to become one of the first-ever Government/Private Sector cooperative partnership Rails to Trails programs in the US, forming the Row River National Recreation Trail. A successor corporation now operates a communications company and a narrow-gauge line at Wildlife Safari.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belvidere and Delaware River Railway</span>

The Belvidere & Delaware River Railway Company also known as Delaware River Railroad or Bel-Del, is a class III railroad in the United States. It was formed in 1995 when the Conrail Delaware Secondary line was purchased by the Black River Railroad System, which operates several railroad services in western New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania. The Black River Railroad System also owns and operates the Black River and Western Railroad (BR&W). BR&W has leased 10 miles (16 km) of trackage to BDRV since 2004.

<i>Shasta Daylight</i> Former Southern Pacific Railroad passenger train

The Shasta Daylight was a Southern Pacific Railroad passenger train between Oakland Pier in Oakland, California, and Portland, Oregon. It started on July 10, 1949, and was SP's third "Daylight" streamliner; it had a fast 15-hour-30-minute schedule in either direction for the 713-mile (1,147 km) trip through some of the most beautiful mountain scenery of any train in North America. The Shasta Daylight replaced heavyweight trains on the same route that had taken nearly a day and night to complete the run. The Shasta Daylight was the first diesel powered Daylight and the only Daylight to run beyond California. The scenic route of the Shasta Daylight passed its namesake Mount Shasta in daylight hours.

Railmark Holdings, Inc. is an American rail industry holding company whose subsidiaries provide railroad services in railroad operations, track construction and maintenance, rail freight logistics, rail development, and railroad mechanical services. Railmark Holdings was founded in 1998 by B. Allen Brown, who serves as Railmark's President & CEO. Railmark primarily operates in the United States but has had railroad business experience in eighteen countries outside of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McCloud Railway 25</span> Preserved American 2-6-2 locomotive

McCloud Railway No. 25 is a 2-6-2 "Prairie" type steam locomotive that worked on the McCloud River Railroad. It was purchased new from the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) in 1925. Shortly after retirement, on July 3, 1955, the No. 25 ceremoniously opened the Burney Branch by bursting through a paper banner with a special excursion train. In 1962, No. 25 was restored for excursion service and served in that capacity until passenger service was once again terminated in 1975. It has since been used in the films Bound for Glory and Stand By Me. It is presently in Oregon, providing excursion service on the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oregon Pacific Railroad (1997)</span>

Oregon Pacific Railroad is a short-line railroad operating two disconnected routes: one in southeast Portland, Oregon, and another incorporating portions of the former Southern Pacific Molalla Branch between Canby and Liberal, Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Railway 630</span> Preserved American 2-8-0 locomotive (SOU Ks-1 class)

Southern Railway 630 is a 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type steam locomotive built in February 1904 by American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Richmond, Virginia for the Southern Railway (SOU) as a member of the Ks-1 class. It was primarily assigned to haul freight trains on the Murphy Branch between Asheville and Murphy, North Carolina until its retirement in the 1950s. No. 630, along with sister locomotive No. 722, were sold to the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad (ET&WNC) to be served as switchers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rogue Valley Terminal Railroad Corporation</span>

The Rogue Valley Terminal Railroad is a 14-mile (23 km) shortline railroad that connects the industrial park in White City, Oregon, United States to the Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad, which hauls its cars to the Union Pacific Railroad at Eugene, Oregon or Black Butte, California via the Siskiyou Summit, or to the Yreka Western Railroad at Montague, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McCloud Railway 18</span> Preserved American 2-8-2 locomotive

McCloud Railway No. 18 is a 2-8-2 "Mikado" type steam locomotive built by Baldwin Locomotive Works. The locomotive was purchased new by the McCloud River Railway Company in 1914 as a standalone purchase. No. 18 was bought by the Yreka Western Railroad in 1956 and bought back by the McCloud in 1998. It was restored to operation in McCloud during 1998 and operated there until it was sold in 2005 to Virginia and Truckee Railroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shasta Sunset Dinner Train</span>

The Shasta Sunset Dinner Train was a scenic dinner train that was operated by the McCloud Railway that started in McCloud, California to Mt. Shasta City from 1996 to 2010. Before 2005, the train also saw service between McCloud and Bartle. After the McCloud Railway abandoned freight operations in 2006, the Shasta Sunset Dinner Train was one of a few passenger trains on the railroad that made a profit for the railroad. The Shasta Sunset Dinner Train ceased operations in 2010 because of the Great Recession with a few passenger cars left on McCloud Railway property.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McCloud River Railroad 19</span> Preserved American 2-8-2 locomotive

McCloud River Railroad No. 19, also known as Yreka Western No. 19, or Oregon, Pacific and Eastern No. 19, is a preserved 2-8-2 "Mikado" type steam locomotive in the United States that worked on the Caddo and Choctaw Railroad, United States Smelting, Refining and Mining Company McCloud River Railroad, Yreka Western Railroad, and the Oregon, Pacific, and Eastern Railway. It was purchased new from the Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW) in 1915. Shortly after retirement, the engine operated on the Yreka Western before being moved up to Cottage Grove, Oregon to run on the OP&E. In the late 1980s, No. 19 was sent back down to Yreka, California to run on the YW. In April of 1994, the engine returned to McCloud, California to run a series of excursions on the McCloud, Railway. It has since been used in the films Emperor of the North Pole, Bound for Glory, and Stand By Me. As of 2022, No. 19 is being restored at the Age of Steam Roundhouse in Sugarcreek, Ohio.

References

  1. "Scrapping history". The Siskiyou Daily News. April 19, 2013. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  2. "Railmark acquires Yreka Western Railroad". Progressive Railroading. January 27, 2017.