The #19 ascending the east side of Butcher Hill bound for Yreka. Yreka received all its natural gas in pressurized tank cars on October 2, 1956. Photo by Jack Bowden.
PART THREE - THROUGH THE YEARS ON THE YREKA WESTERN |
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Two views of the #18 at Yreka on October 1, 1956. Both photos by Jack Bowden.
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Left: The #19 in the yard at Montague on October 2, 1956. This is roughly the same location as the final picture in Part Two. Right: The Fruit Growers Supply log reload in Yreka. The railroad would interchange the loads to the Southern Pacific at Montague, which would deliver them to the F.G.S. mill at Hilt, California, twenty-six miles to the north on September 6, 1957. Both Photos by Jack Bowden.
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Left: Yreka Western's first diesel, SW8 #602, in Yreka on August 31, 1958. Right: Alco S1 #603, the former Northern Pacific Terminal (Portland, Oregon) #30, shortly after being acquired and repainted. Pictured on February 29, 1964. Both Photos by Jack Bowden.
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Left: Alco S1 #604, the former Northern Pacific Terminal #31, still in NPT colors at Yreka on February 29, 1964. The front of the #18 can be seen to the side of the frame. Photo by Jack Bowden. The #19 was not the only Yreka Western locomotive transferred to the Oregon Pacific & Eastern. Shown here on June 4, 1979 is Yreka Western SW8 #602 in its new home in Cottage Grove Oregon. Photo by Charles Lange.
The #21 returns light to Yreka on July 5, 1989. The still active Hi-Ridge mill is in the background. Photo by Greg Brown.
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Left: The train from Yreka arrives in Montague on July 5, 1989. Right: The westbound train returning from Montague crossing the Shasta River with its namesake in the background. Pictured on July 5, 1989. Both Photos by Greg Brown.
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Left: The #21 is switching Timber Products mill on July 5, 1989. Photo by Greg Brown. Right : Central Oregon & Pacific's Weed to Hornbrook train passes the #21 and empty woodchip gondolas at Montague on May 29, 2000. Photo by Dan Haneckow .
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Left: A section gang with a work train on February 5, 2001. Photo by John E. Shaw . Right: Yreka Western MRS-1 #204 at the Feather River Rail Society's museum at Portola, California on March 9, 2001. When transportation is worked out, this locomotive will allow overhauls to the #20 and #21. Photo by Dan Haneckow
Yreka, California on August 29, 2000 . Photo by Dan Haneckow.
YREKA RAILROAD - ALL TIME ROSTER In chronological rather than numeric order |
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No. |
Builder |
Model |
Built |
Acq. |
Vacated |
Notes |
1 |
Baldwin |
2-4-2T |
1889 |
1889 |
1930 |
"Old Betsy." Scrapped 1930. |
2 |
Cooke |
4-4-0 |
1886 |
1898 |
1918 |
1918 Ex-Oregon Pacific #11; Oregon, Central & Eastern #11; Corvallis & Eastern #11. Scrapped 1918. |
3 |
Schen. |
4-6-0 |
1882 |
1906 |
1932 |
Ex-SpdeM #48; SP #207, #1681, #2093. Scrapped 1932. The tender tank still resides on the hillside behind the shop in the Yreka. |
10 |
Baldwin |
2-6-2 |
1901 |
1930 |
1944 |
Ex-McCloud River RR #10. Scrapped 1944. |
9 |
Baldwin |
2-6-2 |
1901 |
1936 |
1944 |
Ex-McCloud River RR #9. Sold to Amador Central in 1944. Sold to Nez Perce & Idaho RR to Mid Continent RR Museum to Kettle Moraine Railway (WI). In service 2001 KMRY. |
94 |
Lima |
Shay |
1917 |
1943 |
1946 |
Ex-Long Bell Lumber Co #94. Scrapped 1946. |
7 |
Brooks |
0-6-0 |
1914 |
1944 |
1955 |
Ex-State Belt RR #7. Scrapped 1955. |
8 |
Baldwin |
0-6-0 |
1916 |
1944 |
1956 |
Ex-State Belt RR #8. Scrapped 1956. |
19 |
Baldwin |
2-8-2 |
1915 |
1953 |
N/A |
Ex-Caddo & Choctaw #4; Choctaw Lumber #4; United Mining & Smelting Co. #2069; McCloud River RR #19. In Service 2001 YWRR . Out of service 2012. |
100 |
Brooks |
2-8-2 |
1920 |
1955 |
1955 |
Ex-Portland, Astoria & Pacific #100; Weed Lumber Co. #100; Long Bell Lumber Co. #100. Scrapped 1955. |
18 |
Baldwin |
2-8-2 |
1914 |
1956 |
1999 |
Ex-McCloud River RR #18. Last operated on YW in 1964; McCloud RR #18 in 1999. In service 2012 Virginia & Truckee. |
602 |
EMD |
SW8 |
1952 |
1958 |
1978 |
Ex-Bamberger RR #602; Oregon Pacific & Eastern #602 in 1978; Molalla Western #802; Oregon Pacific #803. In Service 2001 OPRR. |
603 |
Alco |
S1 |
1940 |
1963 |
1970 |
Ex-Northern Pacific Terminal #30 (Portland, OR). Sold to Port of Tacoma (#5704) in 1970. Sold to Mt. Rainier Scenic RR. In service 2012 Lake Watcom Railway. |
604 |
Alco |
S1 |
1940 |
1963 |
1970 |
Ex-Northern Pacific Terminal #31 (Portland, OR). Sold to Port of Tacoma in 1970. Disposition unknown. |
100 |
Budd |
RDC-1 |
1954 |
1971 |
1971 |
Ex-SP 10. To Oregon Pacific & Eastern in 1971. To Moody Foundation 1978. |
1171 |
Alco |
S4 |
1955 |
1972 |
1988 |
Ex-UP #1171. Parts source. Never operated by YW. Scrapped by 1988. |
1172 |
Alco |
S4 |
1955 |
1972 |
1979 |
Ex-UP #1172. Sold to Pend Oreille Valley RR 1979. Scrapped 1987. |
20 |
EMD |
SW8 |
1953 |
1978 |
2011 |
Ex-SP #1113. Originally YW #17. Out of Service 1995; parts source for #20. Scrapped 2010 |
21 |
EMD |
SW8 |
1953 |
1978 |
N/A |
Ex-SP #1115. In service 2012. |
244 |
Alco |
MRS-1 |
1953 |
2001 |
2011 |
Ex-US Army #2119 via Feather River Rail Society. Scrapped 2011 |
YREKA RAILROAD - LEASED OR BORROWED LOCOMOTIVES |
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Years |
No. |
Type |
Builder |
Built |
Notes |
1888-1889 |
California Pacific #2 |
4-4-0 |
Booth |
1869 |
Leased from SP. |
1929-1930 |
Southern Pacific #2267 |
4-6-0 |
Cooke |
1897 |
Leased. |
1931-1933 |
Southern Pacific #2181 |
4-6-0 |
Schen. |
1888 |
Leased. |
1932 |
Southern Pacific #2171 |
4-6-0 |
Schen. |
1888 |
Leased. |
1936 |
Southern Pacific #2178 |
4-6-0 |
Schen. |
1888 |
Leased. |
1937 |
Southern Pacific #2932 |
4-8-0 |
Schen. |
1889 |
Leased. |
1938-1939 |
Southern Pacific #???? |
?-?-? |
????? |
???? |
Leased. |
1943 |
Southern Pacific #2943 |
4-8-0 |
Schen. |
1892 |
Leased. |
1950 |
Baldwin LocomotiveWorks #750 |
DS44-750 |
Baldwin |
1950 |
Demonstrator |
Notes: The remains of the tender to SP #2093, a 4-6-0, are on the hillside near the enginehouse. Perhaps this locomotive was leased to the Yreka Western at one time.
Baldwin DS44-750 Demonstrator #750 would be eventually purchased by Weyerhaeuser for use on its Woods Line out of Sycan, Oregon. It exists to this day in Klamath Falls behind a chain link fence on the site of the Oregon, California & Eastern yard.
BIBLIOGRAPHY |
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Yreka Western Railroad, The Western Railroader: September 1960 by Stanley T Borden.
A Century of Southern Pacific Steam Locomotives, by Guy Dunscomb, Guy Dunscomb & Son, 1963. (Guy, we miss you! DJS).
Pine Across the Mountain, California's McCloud River Railroad , by Robert M. Hanft, Golden West Books 1971.
Southern Pacific's Shasta Division by John Signor, Signature Press 2000.
Oregon Pacific & Eastern Railway by Fred A. Sindt, Fred A, Stindt 1983.
Medford Mail Tribune, January 12, 2000, "Railroad Changes Ownership." by Bill Varble.
Union Pacific Motive Power Review 1968-1977 by F. Hol Wagner Jr, Motive Power Services 1978.
Short Line Junction, A Collection of California & Nevada Railroads by Jack R. Wagner, Academy Library Guild, 1956.
Internet Resources:
Yreka Western Railroad – Blue Goose Excursions, (2000 Archive: www.yrekachamber.com/railroad.html ).
Alpha Rail Net ( www.alpharail.net ). Larry Tuttle's railroad pages which includes the Central Oregon & Pacific page (and the mother of all CORP rosters), a SP era on the Siskiyou Line page and a page on the Sumpter Valley Railway (and much more).
Bob Morris Photography ( 2000 Archive: www.snowcrest.net/photobob/index.html Current Site: http://www.snowcrest.net/photobob/index.html). Bob Morris photographs the Yreka Western in the 1960's (steam and diesel) and the present day. Also, McCloud Railroad page showing the restoration of ex-Yreka Western #18, CORP and SP Siskiyou Line photographs. Highly Recommended!
Shasta Sunset Dinner Train ( 2000 Archive: www.mctrain.com ). On the southern slopes of Mt. Shasta is the McCloud Railroad, with an excellent dinner train and two steam locomotives, the #25 and #18 (ex- Yreka Western #18).
Feather River Rail Society ( 2000 Archive: www.oz.net/~samh/frrs/index.html ).
Railspot Engine History Database (2000 Archive: www.railspot.com ).
Western Shortline Rosters (formerly known as Onward, the Shortline Roster Page).
More Than You Probably Need To Know About the Yreka Western , by Regis Cordic. Reprinted from the NMRA Bulletin August 1979.
Trainorders.com Western Railroad Forum 08/18/00: Topper, John Bauer, Aaron, Goatboat, Bob Morris and J.D. Moore.
Trainorders.com Western Railroad Forum 04/15/01: Goatboat, CBK, Smokebox 1, and JDLX.
Trainorders.com Western Railroad Forum 04/22/01: Smokebox 1 and Kdoug.
Kettle Moraine Railway (2000 Archive: www.kmry.org ). Home of the former Yreka Western #9.
2012 Additions:
Images of Rail YREKA WESTERN RAILROAD: Matt Starman and Tim Stricker (Arcadia Publishing)
Bob Morris Photography: snowcrest.net/photobob/ywrr.html A multi-part photo album of Yreka Western historic photos and in it's later years of operation.
Kindly direct all correspondence, comments and concerns to Larry Tuttle
All photos and text © 2000, 2001, 2012 by the original photographers and writers.
Used with permission