Vaca Valley and Clear Lake Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Vaca Valley and Clear Lake Railroad was a standard gauge railroad that operated at Vacaville, California in the late 19th century. The Vaca Valley Railroad
was incorporated on April 12, 1869 to run a branch from the mainline of the California Pacific Railroad
(later Southern Pacific Railroad's
mainline between Sacramento
and Oakland, CA) at Elmira
to Rumsey
.
The Vaca Valley Railroad ran 4.35 miles from Elmira to Vacaville. In June 1869 the line was opened for service. The Vaca Valley was sold at the Solano County Sheriff's auction on September 17, 1870 but retained the same name. The railroad was then extended beyond Vacaville, reaching Winters on August 26, 1875.
In 1877, just 10 weeks after completing the track between Winters and Madison
the Vaca Valley Railroad became the Vaca Valley and Clear Lake Railroad.
In 1888 this railroad fell under control of Southern Pacific's
subsidiary, the Northern Railway
. By 1888, the Northern Railway extended the line northwest from Madison to Capay
and Rumsey.
In 1898 the line was operated by Southern Pacific (SP) and ran from the Cal-P Oakland-Sacramento mainline at Elmira to Rumsey. SP abandoned the track between Rumsey and Capay in 1934. The track between Rumsey and Esparto
was removed in 1937. Passenger service continued between Elmira and Esparto until 1957.http://www.capayvalleyvision.org/timeline.html
The line between Winters and Vacaville, which ran parallel to the west side of Interstate 505
, was abandoned in the 1970s, ending at the grocery warehouses just south of Midway Road/I-5 in Vacaville. The Vacaville Branch's last train operated in about 1985 and the line was removed to Elmira by the 1990s.
From the Vacaville/Allendale area, the line crossed Midway Road on the west side of I-505 and ran north to Winters on the east side of Hartley Road. At Udell Road the line ran northbound on the east side of Winters Road. The trestle where the line crossed Putah Creek is on the east side of Winters Road. Present-day Railroad Ave in Winters was the old grade through town and continued north along the east side of Yolo County Road 89. At a small town near Highway 16 the railroad crossed 89 and ran on the east side of Railroad Street where it then turned west along Highway 16 towards Esparto.
Vaca Valley Railroad
The Vaca Valley Railroad was a standard gauge railroad that operated at Vacaville, California in the late 19th century. The Vaca Valley Railroad was incorporated on April 12, 1869 to run a branch from the mainline of the California Pacific Railroad at Elmira to Rumsey.The Vaca Valley Railroad ran...
was incorporated on April 12, 1869 to run a branch from the mainline of the California Pacific Railroad
California Pacific Railroad
The California Pacific Railroad Company was incorporated in 1865 at San Francisco, California as the California Pacific Rail Road Company. It was renamed the California Pacific Railroad Extension Company in the spring of 1869, then renamed the California Pacific Railroad later that same year...
(later Southern Pacific Railroad's
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
mainline between Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
and Oakland, CA) at Elmira
Elmira, California
Elmira is a census-designated place in Solano County, California, United States. The population was 188 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Elmira is located at ....
to Rumsey
Rumsey, California
Rumsey is an unincorporated community in Yolo County, California. It is located northwest of Esparto, in the Capay Valley, in the northwestern part of the county. Rumsey's ZIP Code is 95679 and its area code 530. It lies at an elevation of 420 feet ....
.
The Vaca Valley Railroad ran 4.35 miles from Elmira to Vacaville. In June 1869 the line was opened for service. The Vaca Valley was sold at the Solano County Sheriff's auction on September 17, 1870 but retained the same name. The railroad was then extended beyond Vacaville, reaching Winters on August 26, 1875.
In 1877, just 10 weeks after completing the track between Winters and Madison
Madison, California
Madison is a census-designated place in Yolo County, California. Madison's ZIP Code is 95653 and its area code 530. It is located west of Woodland, at an elevation of 151 feet . The 2010 United States census reported Madison's population was 503.-History:The Cache Creek post office opened in...
the Vaca Valley Railroad became the Vaca Valley and Clear Lake Railroad.
In 1888 this railroad fell under control of Southern Pacific's
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
subsidiary, the Northern Railway
Northern Railway (California)
The Northern Railway was a non-operating subsidiary of the Southern Pacific Railroad during the 19th century, created primarily as a device to consolidate the management of a number of smaller subsidiary railroads....
. By 1888, the Northern Railway extended the line northwest from Madison to Capay
Capay, California
Capay is an unincorporated community in Yolo County, California. It is located on Cache Creek west-northwest of Esparto, in the Capay Valley, in the northwestern part of the county. Capay's ZIP Code is 95607 and its area code 530. It lies at an elevation of 210 feet...
and Rumsey.
In 1898 the line was operated by Southern Pacific (SP) and ran from the Cal-P Oakland-Sacramento mainline at Elmira to Rumsey. SP abandoned the track between Rumsey and Capay in 1934. The track between Rumsey and Esparto
Esparto, California
Esparto is a census-designated place in Yolo County, California, United States. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area...
was removed in 1937. Passenger service continued between Elmira and Esparto until 1957.http://www.capayvalleyvision.org/timeline.html
The line between Winters and Vacaville, which ran parallel to the west side of Interstate 505
Interstate 505
Interstate 505 is an Interstate Highway in California between Interstate 80 in Vacaville and Interstate 5 near Dunnigan. I-505 is primarily a rural interstate, but travels through Vacaville and the city of Winters. The interstate is the primary route connecting the San Francisco Bay Area and the...
, was abandoned in the 1970s, ending at the grocery warehouses just south of Midway Road/I-5 in Vacaville. The Vacaville Branch's last train operated in about 1985 and the line was removed to Elmira by the 1990s.
Timeline
- July 27, 1868 California Pacific RailroadCalifornia Pacific RailroadThe California Pacific Railroad Company was incorporated in 1865 at San Francisco, California as the California Pacific Rail Road Company. It was renamed the California Pacific Railroad Extension Company in the spring of 1869, then renamed the California Pacific Railroad later that same year...
completes track from Vallejo - Elmira via Suisun. At Vallejo the Cal-P had a railroad ferry to San Francisco. - August 10, 1868 California Pacific completes Elmira - Dixon track, and reaches Sacramento in 1869/1870.
- April 12, 1869 Vaca Valley Railroad incorporated in Vacaville to build line from California Pacific at Elmira to Vacaville.
- May 10, 1869 On the same day the last spike was driven at Promontory Point, Utah to complete the Central Pacific Railroad/Union Pacific Railroad, grading commenced on the Vaca Valley Railroad.
- June 7, 1869 Rails laid on Vaca Valley Railroad
- June 16, 1869 The first train of the Vaca Valley Railroad was operated
- June 21, 1869 track between Elmira and Vacaville (5 miles) placed into operation.
- August 26, 1875 track between Vacaville and Winters (Winter's) (10 miles) opened via Allendale.
- June 30, 1876 California Pacific Railroad sold to Central Pacific Railroad. Vaca Valley Railroad owns 19.5 miles of track.
- February 19, 1877 Vaca Valley Railroad continues northwest expansion towards Madison and is renamed the Vaca Valley & Clear Lake Railroad.
- May 1, 1877 track opened between Winters and Madison, a total of 27.4 miles from Elmira.
- May 15, 1888 Vaca Valley & Clear Lake RR merged into the Northern Railway, (a Southern Pacific Railroad subsidiary. Northern Railway was created on this date as a consolidation of several smaller railroads.
- July 1, 1888 Northern Railway opens 23.65 miles of track between Madison and Rumsey via Capay (Esparto).
- April 14, 1898 Northern Railway consolidated into Southern Pacific Railroad. Line is known as the Rumsey Branch of SP.
- April 15, 1934 SP abandons track between Rumsey and Capay.
- 1937 Track removed between Rumsey and Capay. Line becomes SP's Capay Branch.
- 1943 Track abandoned from Esparto - Capay. Line becomes SP's Esparto Branch.
- 1957 Last passenger train operated between Elmira and Esparto.
- March 7, 1975 Line abandoned between Vacaville - Esparto (ICC Fin Doc AB-12). Line becomes SP's Vacaville Branch.
- 1985 Last freight train operates on Vacaville Branch and Vacaville Branch abandoned between Elmira and Vacaville.
Locomotives
These locomotives were listed on the Vaca Valley & Clear Lake Railroad's roster.- No. 1 "Vacaville" was built by Vulcan Iron WorksVulcan Iron WorksSince Vulcan was the Roman god of fire and smithery, the name was an obvious choice for an iron foundry or mechanical engineering works in the nineteenth century, both in England, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, and in the United States.-England:...
in May 1867 (Builder No. 9) and was a Type 2-2-42-2-4In Whyte notation, a 2-2-4 is a railroad steam locomotive that has two leading wheels followed by two coupled driving wheels and four trailing wheels...
. It was sold to Union Coal Company in 1888 when the railroad was sold to SP's subsidiary, the Northern Railway. - No. 2 "Ben Ely" was built by Baldwin Locomotive WorksBaldwin Locomotive WorksThe Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
in July 1875 (Builder No. 3753) and was a Type 2-6-02-6-0Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, usually in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. This arrangement is commonly called a Mogul...
(Mogul). In 1888 the engine was renumbered Northern Railway #1022.
Route
- Elmira (Depot) MP 59.62
- Vacaville (Depot)
- Vaca Valley (Allendale) MP 68.0
- Winters (Depot)
- Madison
- Esparto (Depot) MP 89.95
- Capay MP 92.79
- Rumsey MP 110.85
The abandoned grade
Traces of the abandoned grade can be found.From the Vacaville/Allendale area, the line crossed Midway Road on the west side of I-505 and ran north to Winters on the east side of Hartley Road. At Udell Road the line ran northbound on the east side of Winters Road. The trestle where the line crossed Putah Creek is on the east side of Winters Road. Present-day Railroad Ave in Winters was the old grade through town and continued north along the east side of Yolo County Road 89. At a small town near Highway 16 the railroad crossed 89 and ran on the east side of Railroad Street where it then turned west along Highway 16 towards Esparto.