Yreka Western Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Yreka Western Railroad is an 8.86 miles (14.3 km) shortline railroad
that operates freight
and tourist trains between the Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad
at Montague and the city of Yreka, California
. It began operations in 1935 on a line that was placed in service in 1889, and has remained independent of larger carriers.
s, and opened in January 1889, connecting Yreka to the Southern Pacific Company lessor Central Pacific Railroad
(ex-California and Oregon Railroad). In August 1933, the new Yreka Western Railroad was incorporated, and it took over the property in April 1935. The Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad
acquired the SP connection at Montague in 1994.
.
In 1986 the YW started operating a steam passenger train excursion known as the "Blue Goose" between Yreka and Montague. The "Blue Goose" continues to operate to this day. The railroad offers scenic views of Mount Shasta
and the Siskiyou Mountains
. The trip takes about one hour in either direction, with a 60 to 90-minute layover in Montague depending on the number of passengers. While passengers explore and eat in Montague, the crew takes the train to perform a runaround move so the locomotive will pull the train back to Yreka.
The most famous locomotive on the line is 2-8-2
Baldwin
90 ton logging mikado #19. #19 is nicknamed "Pancho" to 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
". She was built in 1915 by Baldwin for the Caddow River Lumber Company in Arkansas. She served there until being sent to Mexico in 1920 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.
Other locomotives include SW8
#21, SD9
#439, and ALCO MRS-1
#244. #21 (Former Southern Pacific #1115) is usually used in freight service, but is occasionally put into excursion service when the 19 needs repairs. The #21 is unique because it has dynamic brakes, not usually found on switching locomotives.
Shortline railroad
A shortline railroad is a small or mid-sized railroad company that operates over a relatively short distance relative to larger, national railroad networks. The term is used primarily in the USA and Canada...
that operates freight
Freight train
A freight train or goods train is a group of freight cars or goods wagons hauled by one or more locomotives on a railway, ultimately transporting cargo between two points as part of the logistics chain...
and tourist trains between the Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad
Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad
The Central Oregon and 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 between Eugene and Weed, California via Medford, Oregon...
at Montague and the city of Yreka, California
Yreka, California
Yreka is the county seat of Siskiyou County, California, United States. The population was 7,765 at the 2010 census, up from 7,290 at the 2000 census.- History:...
. It began operations in 1935 on a line that was placed in service in 1889, and has remained independent of larger carriers.
History
The Yreka Railroad was incorporated in May 1888, with a capital stock of $100,000, to serve local mineMining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
s, and opened in January 1889, connecting Yreka to the Southern Pacific Company lessor Central Pacific Railroad
Central Pacific Railroad
The Central Pacific Railroad is the former name of the railroad network built between California and Utah, USA that formed part of the "First Transcontinental Railroad" in North America. It is now part of the Union Pacific Railroad. Many 19th century national proposals to build a transcontinental...
(ex-California and Oregon Railroad). In August 1933, the new Yreka Western Railroad was incorporated, and it took over the property in April 1935. The Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad
Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad
The Central Oregon and 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 between Eugene and Weed, California via Medford, Oregon...
acquired the SP connection at Montague in 1994.
Operations
In recent years the YW was owned by Kyle Railways and provided freight service and offered passenger train excursions. The freight traffic is primarily wood chips and forest products. Today the line is a tourist railroad and is owned and operated by the Rocky Mountain Railroad & Mining Museum of Denver, ColoradoDenver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
.
In 1986 the YW started operating a steam passenger train excursion known as the "Blue Goose" between Yreka and Montague. The "Blue Goose" continues to operate to this day. The railroad offers scenic views of Mount Shasta
Mount Shasta
Mount Shasta is located at the southern end of the Cascade Range in Siskiyou County, California and at is the second highest peak in the Cascades and the fifth highest in California...
and the Siskiyou Mountains
Siskiyou Mountains
The Siskiyou Mountains are a coastal mountain range in the northern Klamath Mountains in northwestern California and southwestern Oregon in the United States. They extend in an arc for approximately from east of Crescent City, California northeast along the north side of the Klamath River into...
. The trip takes about one hour in either direction, with a 60 to 90-minute layover in Montague depending on the number of passengers. While passengers explore and eat in Montague, the crew takes the train to perform a runaround move so the locomotive will pull the train back to Yreka.
The most famous locomotive on the line is 2-8-2
2-8-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-2 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...
Baldwin
Baldwin Locomotive Works
The 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...
90 ton logging mikado #19. #19 is nicknamed "Pancho" to 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
Stand by Me (film)
Stand by Me is a 1986 American drama film directed by Rob Reiner. Based on the novella The Body by Stephen King, the film takes its title from the Ben E. King song of the same name, which plays over the end credits.-Plot:...
". She was built in 1915 by Baldwin for the Caddow River Lumber Company in Arkansas. She served there until being sent to Mexico in 1920 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.
Other locomotives include SW8
EMD SW8
An EMD SW8 is a diesel shunting/switching locomotive manufactured by General Motors Electro-Motive Division and General Motors Diesel between September 1950 and February 1954. Power is supplied by an EMD 567B 8-cylinder engine, for a total of ....
#21, SD9
EMD SD9
An EMD SD9 is a 6-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between January 1954 and June 1959. Power was provided by an EMD 567C 16-cylinder engine which generated . This model is, externally, similar to its predecessor, the SD7. The principal spotting feature are the...
#439, and ALCO MRS-1
ALCO MRS-1
The ALCO MRS-1 is a type of diesel-electric locomotive built by the American Locomotive Company for the United States Army Transportation Corps...
#244. #21 (Former Southern Pacific #1115) is usually used in freight service, but is occasionally put into excursion service when the 19 needs repairs. The #21 is unique because it has dynamic brakes, not usually found on switching locomotives.