North Pacific Coast Railroad

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North Pacific Coast Railroad
Reporting mark NPC
Locale Marin and Sonoma Counties, California
Dates of operation 1871–1907
Successor Northwestern Pacific Railroad
Track gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) (standard gauge); originally 3 ft  (914 mm)
Headquarters Sausalito, California

The North Pacific Coast Railroad (NPC) was a common carrier narrow gauge steam railroad begun in 1874 and sold in 1902 to new owners who renamed it the North Shore Railroad (California) (NSR) and which rebuilt the southern section into a standard gauge electric railroad.

The NPC operated in the northern California counties of Marin and Sonoma that carried redwood lumber, local dairy and agricultural products, express and passengers. The NPC operated almost 93 mi (150 km) of track that extended from a pier at Sausalito (which connected the line via ferry to San Francisco) and operated northwest to Duncans Mills and Cazadero (also known as Ingrams). The NPC became the North Shore Railroad (California) (NSR) on March 7, 1902. In 1907 the North Shore Railroad became part of the Northwestern Pacific Railroad (NWP). Southern portions of the line were standard gauged and electrified by the North Shore for suburban passenger service, though most of the trackage north of San Rafael remained 3 ft  (914 mm) gauge until abandonment in the late 1930s.

All of the NPC trackage has been abandoned either by the NPC or the NWP. Some of the original right of way can be seen at the Samuel P. Taylor State Park near Fairfax, along the shore of Tomales Bay and Keyes Estuary and passenger depots remain in San Anselmo and Duncans Mills. One NPC steam locomotive, No.12 the "Sonoma," remains as a restored static exhibit in its circa 1870s appearance at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento, while Duncans Mills hosts some decaying cars that are not being restored.

North Pacific Coast Railroad tunnel near Keys Creek

Contents

[edit] Route

Inside the tunnel
Bridge over Keys Estuary viewed from California State Route 1.
Former railroad grade adjacent to Tomales Bay viewed from California State Route 1.

Mileposts conform to Southern Pacific Railroad convention of distance from San Francisco[1]

[edit] Electrification

The NSR was operated by John Martin and Eugene de Sabla, Jr., pioneers in the electric railroad business. The line was double tracked from Sausalito to San Anselmo except for the tunnel at Alto. A power house was built at Alto and power was also purchased at San Rafael. Electrical power was transmitted to the trains at 600 volts by a third rail. Some steam coaches were rebuilt as powered coaches, a number of cars were purchased from the St. Louis Car Co. and some similar cars were built at the NSR shops. Some cars were powered combination passenger-baggage cars and some passenger cars were unpowered (trailers). Service started to Mill Valley on August 20, 1903, and to San Rafael on October 17, 1903. The electric lines were expanded after 1907 as part of the Northwestern Pacific Railroad.

[edit] Locomotives

Number Name Builder Type Date Works number Notes[2]
1 Saucelito Baldwin Locomotive Works 2-6-0 1873 3495 sold to White Lumber Company of Elk, California 1876[3]
2 San Rafael Mason Machine Works 0-4-4T 1874 537 burned at Tomales 1905 & rebuilt became NWP #89[4]
3 Tomales Baldwin Locomotive Works 4-4-0 1875 3722 became NWP #83[5]
4 Olema Baldwin Locomotive Works 4-4-0 1874 3629 wrecked 1894 & rebuilt became NWP #81[6]
5 Bodega Baldwin Locomotive Works 4-4-0 1875 3703 dismantled by 1897[7]
6 Valley Ford Baldwin Locomotive Works 4-4-0 1874 3664 leased to Dollar Lumber Company in 1899[8]
7 Tamalpais Baldwin Locomotive Works 4-4-0 1875 3721 [9]
8 Bully Boy Mason Machine Works 0-6-6T 1877 584 burned at Tomales 1905[10]
9 M. S. Latham Baldwin Locomotive Works 4-4-0 1875 3749 wrecked 14 February 1894[11]
10 Bloomfield Baldwin Locomotive Works 4-4-0 1876 3840 sold 1895 Guatemala Western #1
11 Marin Baldwin Locomotive Works 4-4-0 1876 3842 became NWP #82[12]
12 Sonoma Baldwin Locomotive Works 4-4-0 1876 3843 sold 1879 Nevada Central #5 (preserved at California State Railroad Museum)[13]
13 Baldwin Locomotive Works 2-6-0 1883 6611 became NWP #195[14]
14 Brooks Locomotive Works 4-4-0 1891 1885 became NWP #92[15]
15 Brooks Locomotive Works 4-4-0 1891 1886 became NWP #90[16]
16 Brooks Locomotive Works 4-4-0 1894 2421 became NWP #91[17]
17 Baldwin Locomotive Works 4-4-0 1875 3749 NPC 1894 rebuild of wreck-damaged #9 wrecked again in 1900[18]
18 Brooks Locomotive Works 4-6-0 1899 3418 reputedly the largest 3-foot (0.91 m) gauge locomotive in the world when built became NWP #145 then #95[19]
20 NPC Sausalito shop 4-4-0 1900 1 became NWP #84[20]
21 Thomas-Stetson NPC Sausalito shop 4-4-0 1901 2 cab-forward rebuild of #5 scrapped 1905[21]
22 Baldwin Locomotive Works 4-4-0 1874 3664 former #6 renumbered when returned from Dollar Lumber Company in 1901[8]

[edit] References

  • Kneiss, Gilbert H. (1956). Redwood Railways. Berkeley, California: Howell-North. 
  • MacGregor, Bruce. Palo Alto, (2003). The Birth of California Narrow Gauge. Stanford University Press. ISBN 0-8047-3550-6. 
  • Stindt, Fred (1974). Trains to the Russian River. Railway and Locomotive Historical Society. 
  • Stindt, Fred. Kelseyville and Modesto, (1964; 1982 Fourth Printing). The Northwestern Pacific Railroad: Redwood Empire Route. Dunscomb Press. Library of Congress Catalog No.64-24033. 
  • Sievers, Wald and Stindt, Fred (1969). N.W.P. Narrow Gauge. 
  • Dickinson, A. Bray (1974). Narrow Gauge to the Redwoods. Trans-Anglo Books. ISBN 0-87046-010-2. 
  • Demoro, Harre W. (1983). Electric Railway Pioneer: Commuting on the Northwestern Pacific, 1903-1941. Interurban Press. ISBN 0-916374-55-6. 
  1. ^ Stindt (1964) pp.88-89
  2. ^ Dickinson (1970) pp.132-133
  3. ^ Dickinson (1974) p.27
  4. ^ Dickinson (1974) pp.27,72-74,108,110 & 155
  5. ^ Dickinson (1974) pp.5,63,67,136 & 150
  6. ^ Dickinson (1974) pp.10,68,87 & 148
  7. ^ Dickinson (1974) pp.40 & 137
  8. ^ a b Kneiss (1956) p.140
  9. ^ Dickinson (1974) pp.66-67,115 & 134
  10. ^ Dickinson (1974) pp.50,134 & 156
  11. ^ Dickinson (1974) pp.46 & 52
  12. ^ Dickinson (1974) pp.88-89
  13. ^ Dickinson (1974) p.46
  14. ^ Dickinson (1974) pp.55,80 & 116
  15. ^ Dickinson (1974) pp.87,109.113,& 136
  16. ^ Dickinson (1974) pp.76,109 & 137
  17. ^ Dickinson (1974) p.82
  18. ^ Dickinson (1974) pp.70,96 & 120
  19. ^ Dickinson (1974) pp.91 & 155
  20. ^ Dickinson (1974) pp.2,92,107 & 114
  21. ^ Dickinson (1974) pp.93-94,115 & 156

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