We woke up at the Holiday Inn Express in Oakdale and after checking the Internet and other things, we checked out and drove over to what we saw at a grade crossing on theway to dinner last night, but this time we had our cameras.
The wig-wag signal in Oakdale. We went to McDonald's and picked up breakfast but took it to Cottles Woods Park where we ate it in the car. Afterwards we drove to Coulterville to our first stop of the day.
Whistling Billy sign.
Merced Gold 0-4-0ST 1 built by H.K. Porter in 1898.
The history of Coulterville sign.
This caboose, Southen Pacific 1086, is part of an Airbnb rental called Vacation Station. From here, we drove up to Oakdale and followed the signs to Railtown 1897.
Railtown 1897 State Historic Park HistoryRailtown 1897 State Historic Park, and its operating entity, the Sierra Railway, is known as "The Movie Railroad". Both entities are a heritage railway and are a unit of the California State Park System. Railtown 1897 is located in Jamestown, California. The entire park preserves the historic core of the original Sierra Railway 4 of California (later reincorporated as the Sierra Railroad). The railway's Jamestown locomotive and rolling stock maintenance facilities are remarkably intact and continue to function much as they have for over 100 years. The California State Railroad Museum, headquartered in Old Sacramento, assumed responsibility for Railtown 1897 State Historic Park on July 1, 1992.
The Sierra Railway served the West Side Lumber Company mill at Tuolumne, as well as the Pickering Lumber Company, in Standard, California. The West Side operated an extensive 3 foot narrow gauge logging railroad in the Sierra Nevada range. It operated into the 1960s, and was the last of the narrow-gauge logging railways operating in the American West. The Pickering Lumber Company operated an extensive logging railroad that extended northeast of Standard all the way north to what is now the South Grove of Big Trees State Park. In addition to seasonal steam and diesel-powered train rides, the Railtown experience includes tours of the locomotive roundhouse originally built in 1910, the machine shop, and related exhibits. Movie paraphernalia used in filming train sequences is on display. Volunteer opportunities are available to help preserve and educate the public about the park. Duties include giving tours of the roundhouse as well as delivering speeches about the locomotives and the surrounding areas while on a short train-ride tour. Since 1929, when The Virginian was filmed with the Sierra 3, the Sierra Railway properties have been a major resource to the motion picture industry. Over 200 movies, television shows and commercials have featured Railtown and its trains. Sierra's tracks, locomotives and cars have long been seen on the silver screen; film credits include Go West with the Marx Brothers, High Noon with Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly, 3:10 To Yuma (1957) featured 3 in the end of the movie, as well as Back to the Future Part III with Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. Television programs that regularly used the Sierra property include Wild, Wild West, Iron Horse, Tales of Wells Fargo, and perhaps most famously, Petticoat Junction. The Sierra 3 locomotive and Sierra's coach 5 were the Hooterville Cannonball. Locomotive No. 3 was also used in numerous episodes of Little House on the Prairie.
The Railtown 1897 State Historic Park was one of the 48 California state parks proposed for closure in January 2008 by California's Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as part of a deficit reduction program, though it did not close. In May 2011, California State Parks announced the closure of Railtown 1897 along with 69 other parks. The closing was anticipated in July 2012, but due to the efforts of locals and enthusiasts, Railtown 1897 will be open indefinitely, and has received funding to make major repairs to the Sierra 28, a steam locomotive original to the Sierra Railway and a mainstay of passenger operations for the park.
Our visit and rideElizabeth, who had never been here before, went and picked up our tickets then took a few photos before waiting in line for me to join her. Meanwhile, I went exploring.
The Sierra Railway's replica Jamestown station which houses the ticket office, gift shop and washrooms.
The power for our train, RS4TC 1265.
Hetch Hetchey Railroad railbus 19 built by Thomson-Graf-Edler/White in 1918. The first "track bus, this could carry thirteen passengers, but was primarily used as an ambulance car during construction of the O’Shaughnessy dam carrying injured and to the hospital in Groveland.
Sierra Railway combine 5 built by W. L. Holman in 1902.
Pickering Lumber Company 3 truck shay 7 built by Lima Locomotive Works in 1925 as Fruit Growers Supply Company 5, in Hilt, California. In 1939, it was sold to the Standard Lumber Company, in Cochran, Oregon and renumbered 80 and then, in 1947, it became Pickering Lumber 7 in Standard, California. In 1968, it was sold to Glen Bell's West Side & Cherry Valley Railroad, a tourist line operating over former West Side Lumber trackage. In 1982, on the demise of the WS&CV, 7 was sold to Al Nichel in Richmond, California and is stored at Jamestown.
Sierra Railway MRS-1 613 built by American Locomotive Company in 1953 as United States Army B-2058. It was re-numbered 65-00613 when transferred to the United States Navy.
Engines in the roundhouse.
Sierra Railway 4-6-0 3 built by Rogers in 1891 as "W. N. Kelley" for the Prescott & Arizona Central. Completed in 1886, the seventy-three mile line ran from Prescott, Arizona to a connection at Prescott Junction (now Seligman) with the Atlantic & Pacific, a subsidiary of the Santa Fe. This steam engine is undergoing restoration.
Sierra Railway (Feather River) 3 truck shay 2 built by Lima in 1912 for Hutchinson Lumber Company in Oroville, California. Shay 2 was used to haul logs trains for the lumber company's Feather River Railway from 1922 until 1966. The railroad was abandoned in 1967, after flooding of a portion of its line by Oroville Dam, thereafter Shay 2 was donated to the State of California. In 1975, Shay No. 2 was leased to the Sierra Railroad and moved to Jamestown where it was rebuilt for tourist excursion service. Today, the locomotive remains at Railtown 1897, however the locomotive is out of service awaiting restoration.
Sierra Railway 2-8-0 28 built by Baldwin in 1922. It was ordered to haul heavy freight and in the 1930s, also transported materials to the Hetch Hetchy dam site. After completion of the project, 28 returned to hauling freight. After dieselisation in 1955, it went into storage at the Jamestown roundhouse, occasionally steamed up for filming and excursions. It was derailed on an excursion in 1963 and retired with damaged air brakes. Repaired by 1971 for the opening of Railtown 1897, it then regularly pulled the "Motherlode Cannonball" excursion from Jamestown to Fassler. It also appeared in several films and in 1999, moved to Old Sacramento to participate in Raifair '99.
Sierra Railway 8-ton switcher 5 built by Plymouth in the 1930s.
Sierra Railway Ford/FM railcar 8 assembled by the Sierra Railway from a 1920s Model T Ford body and engine and was equipped with running gear from a Fairbanks-Morse speeder.
Maintenance-of-way velocipede.
The turntable.
Track auto house.
Western Pacific wooden caboose 695 built by the railway in 1945, converted from a 15xxx series Pullman boxcar.
Sierra Railway caboose 7 originally Elgin, Joliet and Eastern built by the railway in 1923. I found Elizabeth standing in line but realized I had forgotten my business cards so returned to the car then re-joined Elizabeth who was ready to board. They kept us socially distanced and everyone had to use hand sanitizer before boarding. We had chosen car 599, formely Canadian Pacific coach 1424 built in 1912 then it became mountain observation car 599, when buying the tickets and climbed aboard.
My lovely wife Elizabeth making her first trip aboard the Sierra Railway.
The author making another ride aboard the Sierra Railway.
The interesting items you find on flatcars. The train then started to move and we were off on the first train of the 2021 season. Now sit back, relax and enjoy a trip aboard the Sierra Railway courtesy of Railtown 1897 State Park.
The trip to Granite Quarry which was as far as we travelled on this trip. This location is also used as the terminus for the Polar Express, wild flower and robbery trains.
The engine ran around the train in preparation for the return trip. I relaxed the rest of the way back to Jamestown. Once at Jamestown, I took Elizabeth over to the roundhouse so she could have her first look at the collection of engines and other items.
Looking at the front of the engines in the roundhouse.
Tank on a handcart.
Sierra Railway coach 6 built by W. L. Holman in 1902.
Views of steam engines in their stalls.
Pickering Lumber Company 3 truck shay 7 built in 1925 for the Fruit Growers Express Company.
The turntable was built in 1922.
Sierra Railway MRS-1 613 built for the United States Navy in 1953.
Wooden boxcar.
Water plugs.
The sand house.
The Jamestown water tower used in the opening of "Petticoat Junction".
Sierra Railway bobber cabooses.
Body of an old Sierra Railway coach.
The tender of Sierra Railway 3.
Burnt out box car body.
Sierra Railway Baggage car 478.
Sierra Railway boxcar 220.
Sierra Railway MRS-1 612, originally United States Navy B-2063.
Sierra Railway MRS-1 65-00546, built by American Locomotive Company as United States Army 2091 in 1953.
Sierra Railway 45 ton switcher 7417 built by General Electric in 1942 for the United States Army.
Western Pacific outside braced caboose 678.
United States Army 80 ton switcher 1638 built by General Electric in 1952. It worked at the San Jacinto Ordnance Depot in Houston, Texas, then the Sharpe Army Depot in Lathrop, California, and the Tooele Army Depot in Tooele, Utah, where it was rebuilt. Declared surplus, it was bought in 1995 by Railtown from the Tracy Defense Supply Depot in Tracy, California.
Central Pacific wood open-platform coach 2, ex Hetch Hetchy, exx Ocean Shore Railroad, exx Southern Pacific 1133, nee Central Pacific 43 built by Wason Manufacturing in 1869 undergoing restoration. This car was present at the driving of the Golden Spike ceremony at Promontory Summit.
Southern Pacific observation car 2901 built by Pullman in 1910 for a cost of $50,000. Car 2901, christened "The Ferroequinologist" began its very historic life as Southern Pacific observation lounge 2901. The 2901 was assigned to various passenger duties during its tenure on Espee, most notably the company's most famous candy train of all, the Overland Limited, between 1910 and 1931. Interestingly, 2901 was originally built as a wooden car but in 1927 Espee upgraded 2901, spending $25,000 to add steel sheathing, a steel underframe and upgraded interior lighting. After its stint on the Overland, 2901 was transferred to the Northwestern Pacific and for the next ten years worked on the NWP between Sausalito and Eureka. Between 1941 and 1945, the car was transferred to the San Francisco-San Jose commute pool then found its way to the weekend-only, summer season Suntan Special between 1947 and 1956. In this service 2901 whisked beach goers and sun worshippers between Baghdad-By-The-Bay, and Santa Cruz. By this late date 2901 had outlived its usefulness to the railroad and was scheduled to be scrapped.
However, at the last minute, the railroad donated the car to the Central Coast Railway Club. The car was donated to the club by Southern Pacific in February of 1956. The club's first trip with the car was to be the February 12, 1956 trip to Sacramento, however, delivery of the car by the railroad was delayed and Southern Pacific 2902 was substituted instead. It appears that the inaugural trip under Central Coast ownership was the Inside Gateway trip to Bieber over the Western Pacific during September 1-3, 1956. Interestingly, the car did operate on at least one Central Coast trip prior to the club acquiring it, that being the Arcata & Mad River trip in 1954.) The car was well utilized by the club and many trips were made over the years, taking club members all over California and parts of Oregon. At the September 1967 club meeting the membership voted 48 to 5 to sell the car to members Doug Morgan and Sam Girdler for $505. The last trip on "The Foo Car" by Central Coast was shortly after its sale to Doug and Sam, and was a New Year's Eve trip from San Jose to San Francisco on December 31, 1967. Under new ownership, 2901 was used on a few more Central Coast trips but one of its most noteworthy trips was a journey to Ogden, Utah for Union Pacific's Golden Spike Centennial. Morgan and Girdler finally sold the car to the Sierra Railroad in 1971 and 2901 was promptly shipped to the Sierra’s Jamestown yard. In 1982 California State Parks acquired the Jamestown property from the Sierra Railroad, along with the all excursion train equipment.In 2010, Fast Forward to July 2010. One hundred years after entering service, it's again possible to ride the club's former The Ferroequinologist behind steam locomotives through the California Motherlode country. During the July 4th weekend, the car was part of the celebration of 1891-built Sierra No. 3's placement back in service after a 12 year hiatus. The 2901 and two coaches were coupled to the historic 4-6-0 for what could be considered by some a reunion run. On July 2nd, with the extra weight of 2901 on the drawbar, the diminutive No. 3 began slipping on the 3% grade out of Rock Siding. The train had to back down the hill and get a running start in order to storm the grade. The resulting show at trackside was impressive.
The preceding information was taken from the Central Coast Chapter NRHS website.
Roundhouse view.
Sierra Railway 2-8-2 34 built by Baldwin in 1925. It worked on the Melones Dam on the Stanislaus River and then in 1935, on the Hetch Hetchy Railroad. The Hetch Hetchy project in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of Yosemite Park was huge. Intended to meet the water needs of San Francisco, as well as dams, it involved conduits, powerhouses and a one hundred and fifty mile aqueduct. Machinery, equipment and thousands of workers had to be transported to remote sites, and the Hetch Hetchy Railroad, a sixty-eight mile line was built from the edge of the Hetch Hetchy Valley and the O'Shaughnessy dam site to the Sierra Railway at Hetch Hetchy Junction. After completion of the project, 34 returned to hauling freight. It was retired in 1955 and spent much of its time in storage at Jamestown. It was sold to Reed Hatch in 1965 for $1,500, but stayed at Jamestown and was leased back to Railtown to run excursions until 1980.
Sierra Railway 3 undergoing restoration.
Sierra Railway 2-8-0 28 built in 1922.
Outside-braced wooden caboose for crew use.
Pickering Lumber Company crane 1305.
Sierra Railway freight cars.
The historical marker. I met Elizabeth in the gift shop and we bought T-shirts, a magnet and lapel pins. We would like to thank Railtown 1897 for an excellent trip and we will bring our friends to this sometime in the future.
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