Pardee Dam Construction RR
In 1927 construction of the Pardee Dam on the Mokolumne River began. To facilitate movement of cement and other
materials to the site, a just over five mile railroad was constructed. This line ran from a connection to the Southern
Pacific Kentucky House Branch at Valley Springs, CA northword to the site. Conveniently the Kentucky House Branch
served the very large Calaveras Cement plant near San Andreas and much of the cement for the dam came from there.
I have not visited this line in person so this page is made up entirely of Google Maps satellite images, street views, and
USGS LIDAR images, with a couple historical photos thrown in. We will follow the line from south to north.
Google satellite view and street map shows the area covered by the railroad.
1.-2 Google street views taken from just outside (north of) Valley Springs proper.
The following two images are satellite and LIDAR images of this first section and are marked where the street views are taken.
The last two images are just north of the previous two.
3.-4. The line approaches, crosses, and parallels Paloma Road. Shortly the railroad turns slightly left towards Watertown road.
5.-8. The line then approaches and crosses Watertown Road as it winds northward to the dam site.
9.-10. A beautiful cut exists where the line crosses eastward back over Watertown Road.
11.-13. Swinging through a big curve on several fills, the line crosses Campo Seco Road near the equestrian trailheand
and then joins Sandretto Road until just down hill from Camp Pardee.
14. The line diverges from Sandretto road just below Camp Pardee.
15. Street view looking south from the spillway towards Camp Pardee.
The next two historical images are from approximately the same spot as image 15 and are from 1928 and 1929 respectively.
16. This image looks south from about mid dam towards the end of the line. The following historical aerial image show this whole section.
Also check out my San Joaquin & Sierra Nevada (SP Kentucky House Branch) page.
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