Bagby Stationhouse, Water Tanks and Turntable
Encyclopedia
The Bagby Stationhouse, Water Tanks and Turntable are associated with the Yosemite Valley Railroad
(YVRR), which ran from Merced, California
to El Portal
at the entrance to Yosemite National Park
. The railroad operated from 1907 to 1945. The structures now located at El Portal were originally built in Bagby
, and were moved from that location in 1966 when the townsite was to be inundated by the filling of Lake McClure
behind New Exchequer Dam.
at Bagby. The hipped roof overhangs by 3 foot (0.9144 m). The downstairs portion of the station comprises three rooms, a waiting room at one and a freight room at the other, separated by an office. The second floor was built as living accommodations for the stationmaster, with a living room, bedroom, kitchen, bath and enclosed porch. The station is presently used by the Yosemite Conservancy.
The structures are located on National Park Service
-owned property in El Portal, just outside Yosemite National Park proper, and are administered by the park. The ensemble was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
on April 13, 1979.
Yosemite Valley Railroad
The Yosemite Valley Railroad was a short-line railroad operating from 1907 to 1945 in the state of California, mostly following the Merced River from Merced to Yosemite National Park, carrying a mixture of passenger and freight traffic...
(YVRR), which ran from Merced, California
Merced, California
Merced is a city in, and the county seat of, Merced County, California in the San Joaquin Valley of Northern California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 78,958. Incorporated in 1889, Merced is a charter city that operates under a council-manager government...
to El Portal
El Portal, California
El Portal is a census-designated place in Mariposa County, California. It is located west-southwest of Yosemite Village, at an elevation of 1939 feet . The population was 474 at the 2010 census....
at the entrance to Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is a United States National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an area of and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain...
. The railroad operated from 1907 to 1945. The structures now located at El Portal were originally built in Bagby
Bagby, California
Bagby is an unincorporated community in Mariposa County, California. It is located on the north bank of the Merced River northeast of Hornitos, at an elevation of 830 feet . Lake McClure covers the original town site....
, and were moved from that location in 1966 when the townsite was to be inundated by the filling of Lake McClure
Lake McClure
Lake McClure is a artificial lake in western Mariposa County, California, about east of Modesto. It is formed by New Exchequer Dam on the Merced River, a tributary of the San Joaquin River, and its capacity is . It is a rock-fill dam with a reinforced concrete face and was completed in 1967...
behind New Exchequer Dam.
Stationhouse
Bagby Stationhouse is a rectangular wood frame structure measuring 16 feet (4.9 m) by 40 feet (12.2 m). The two-story building was designed for a narrow site between the railroad tracks and the Merced RiverMerced River
The Merced River , in the central part of the U.S. state of California, is a -long tributary of the San Joaquin River flowing from the Sierra Nevada into the Central Valley. It is most well known for its swift and steep course through the southern part of Yosemite National Park, and the...
at Bagby. The hipped roof overhangs by 3 foot (0.9144 m). The downstairs portion of the station comprises three rooms, a waiting room at one and a freight room at the other, separated by an office. The second floor was built as living accommodations for the stationmaster, with a living room, bedroom, kitchen, bath and enclosed porch. The station is presently used by the Yosemite Conservancy.
Water tanks
There are two water tanks at El Portal, salvaged from Bagby. The wood tanks stand on a timber stucture and are 30 feet (9.1 m) high overall. A gabled standing seam metal roof runs over both tanks, whose wood sides are held with iron bands.. The support framing is 12" x 12" timber.Turntable
The turntable was built at Bagby. It is reputed to be the last manually operated gallows-frame standard-gauge turntable left in the United States. The turntable was built of heavy timber, tied together with iron rods. The central gallows is a 16 feet (4.9 m) timber frame, with a king post truss composed of one-inch iron rods from the frame to the ends of the turntable.The turntable pivoted on wheels running on a single circular rail, 8 feet (2.4 m) in diameter.The structures are located on National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
-owned property in El Portal, just outside Yosemite National Park proper, and are administered by the park. The ensemble was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on April 13, 1979.