Northwestern Pacific Railroad: Difference between revisions
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|ex-[[Los Angeles County Railroad]] #3 then [[Eureka and Klamath River Railroad]] #6 then [[Oregon and Eastern |
|ex-[[Los Angeles County Railroad]] #3 then [[Eureka and Klamath River Railroad]] #6 then [[Oregon, Pacific and Eastern Railway]] #6 retired in 1923 |
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Revision as of 19:02, 7 April 2008
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Eureka, California |
| Reporting mark | NWP |
| Locale | Northern California's Redwood Empire from Marin County - Eureka |
| Dates of operation | c. 1907–1992 |
| Successor | Southern Pacific |
The Northwestern Pacific Railroad (reporting mark NWP) was a regional railroad serving the Redwood Empire of Northern California. The railroad ran from the North Bay at Tiburon to Eureka, California, primarily near the U.S. Route 101 corridor.
The NWP ran an electrified interurban commuter railroad in Marin County until 1941. The opening of the Golden Gate Bridge in 1937 caused commuters to shift from the train-ferry service to commuting by bus and car.
The NWP was merged into the Southern Pacific in 1992, only four years before the Union Pacific/Southern Pacific merger.
History
The early history and predecessors of the NWP can be traced back to the dawning of rail service in the 1860's in Marin and Sonoma Counties and the redwood lumber railroads near Eureka. These earlier roads include the Sonoma Prismoidal, (an early wooden monorail), the narrow gauge North Pacific Coast Railroad, the Arcata and Mad River Railroad, and the Petaluma and Santa Rosa Railroad.
California Midland Railroad extended the Eel River & Eureka up the Van Duzen River to Carlotta, and was merged into SF&NW in 1903.
California Northwestern Railway formed in 1898 for Southern Pacific Railroad to assume control of the SF&NP and extend the line from Ukiah to Willits in 1902. An extension was built from Willits to Sherwood in 1904. Merged into NWP in 1907.
California and Northern Railway was formed by Santa Fe Railroad to build north from Eureka to Arcata in 1901, and was merged into SF&NW in 1904.
Cloverdale and Ukiah Railroad extended the SF&NP from Cloverdale to Ukiah in 1889.
Eel River and Eureka Railroad connected Humboldt Bay with the Eel River town of Fortuna in 1884, and was merged into SF&NW in 1903.
Fort Bragg and Southeastern Railroad formed in 1905 for Santa Fe Railroad to assume control of the isolated 24-mile Albion River Railroad built in 1891. Merged into NWP in 1907, but never connected to the remainder of the NWP system.
Fulton and Guerneville Railroad constructed the 15-mile SF&NP branch from Fulton to Guerneville in 1877.
Marin and Napa Railroad extended the Sonoma Valley narrow-gauge 8 miles from Sears Point to connect with the SF&NP at Ignacio in 1888.
North Pacific Coast Railroad built a 3-foot-gauge line from Sausalito via the Tomales Bay coast to the Russian River in 1876. Became North Shore Railroad in 1902.
North Shore Railroad formed to assume control of the North Pacific Coast narrow-gauge in 1902. Merged into NWP in 1907.
Oregon and Eureka Railroad was formed in 1903 for Southern Pacific Railroad to assume control of logging lines around Arcata at the north end of Humboldt Bay. Merged into Northwestern Pacific in 1911.
Pacific Lumber Company built 7 miles of track in 1885 to connect their mill at Scotia with the Eel River and Eureka Railroad at Alton. Branch lines were subsequently built up the Eel River; and these lines merged into SF&NW in 1903.
Petaluma and Haystack Railroad built from Petaluma to Haystack landing on the Petaluma River in 1864. Purchased by SF&NP in 1876.
San Francisco and Eureka Railway formed by Southern Pacific Railroad in 1903 to build a connection from Willits to Eureka. Merged into NWP in 1907.
San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad (SF&NP) built from Donahue landing on the Petaluma River to Santa Rosa in 1870 and extended to Cloverdale in 1872. Extended from Petaluma to San Rafael in 1879. Extended from San Rafael to Tiburon by the San Francisco & San Rafael in 1884. Extended from Cloverdale to Ukiah by the Cloverdale & Ukiah in 1889. Merged in NWP in 1907.
San Francisco and Northwestern Railway (SF&NW) formed by Santa Fe Railroad in 1903 to consolidate the California & Northern from Arcata to Eureka, the Eel River & Eureka from Eureka to Alton, The California Midland from Alton to Carlotta, and the Pacific Lumber Company lines from Alton up the Eel River. Merged into NWP in 1907.
San Francisco and San Rafael Railroad extended the SF&NP from San Rafael to Tiburon in 1884.
San Rafael and San Quentin Railroad narrow gauge in operation in 1879.
Santa Rosa, Sebastopol and Green Valley Railroad built the 6-mile SF&NP branch from Santa Rosa to Sebastopol in 1890.
Sonoma and Santa Rosa Railroad extended the Sonoma Valley narrow-gauge from Sonoma to Glen Ellen in 1882.
Sonoma Valley Prismoidal Railway built from Petaluma River landing 5 miles to Schellville in 1877 and converted to the narrow-gauge Sonoma Valley Railroad a year later.
Sonoma Valley Railroad purchased Sonoma Valley Prismoidal Railway in 1878, converted it to a conventional 3-foot gauge, and extended it into Sonoma in 1879. Extended from Sonoma to Glen Ellen by the Sonoma & Glen Ellen in 1882. Extended from Sears Point landing to rail connection at Ignacio by Marin & Napa in 1888.
Southern Pacific Railroad controlled the NWP line from Schellville to Willits while Santa Fe Railroad controlled the northern end of NWP built by Humboldt County lumber companies. Both major railroads wanted rail connection to the redwood lumber mills around Humboldt Bay. Southern Pacific planned to extend its California Northwestern Railway down the Eel River from Willits, while Santa Fe planned to extend their San Francisco and Northwestern Railway up the South Fork Eel River through Lake County to connect with their Central Valley line at Galt. NWP was formed as a jointly owned subsidiary in 1907 to build a shared line after both companies compared construction costs to potential revenue. The line was completed in 1914. Santa Fe sold its interest to Southern Pacific in 1929.[1]
NWP mileposts conform to Southern Pacific Railroad convention of distance from San Francisco, California:[2]
Milepost 40.4 - Schellville junction with Sonoma Branch
Milepost 28.7 - Black Point bridge over Petaluma River
Milepost 25.8 - Ignacio junction with San Rafael branch
Milepost 27.8 - Novato
Milepost 37.2 - bridge over Petaluma River
Milepost 38.5 - Petaluma
Milepost 46.1 - Cotati
Milepost 53.8 - Santa Rosa
Milepost 58.5 - Fulton junction with Guerneville branch
Milepost 62.9 - Windsor
Milepost 67.6 - bridge over Russian River
Milepost 68 - Healdsburg
Milepost 75.8 - Geyserville
Milepost 85.2 - Cloverdale
Milepost 100.1 - Hopland
Milepost 114 - Ukiah
Milepost 120 - Calpella
Milepost 122.1 - Redwood Valley
Milepost 131.4 - Ridge summit between Russian River and Eel River drainages is highest point on line
Milepost 139.5 - Willits
Milepost 166.5 - line enters Eel River Canyon at Dos Rios
Milpost 194.8 - bridge over Eel River at south entrance of Island Mountain tunnel
Milepost 206.5 - bridge over Eel River
Milepost 209 - Alderpoint
Milepost 237.7 - South Fork bridge over Eel River
Milepost 255.6 - Scotia
Milepost 261.8 - bridge over Van Duzen River
Milepost 262.7 - Alton junction with Carlotta Branch
Milepost 266.1 - Fortuna
Milepost 271 - Loleta
Milepost 284.1 - Eureka
Milepost 292.5 - Arcata
Milepost 295.2 - Korblex interchange with Arcata and Mad River Railroad
Milepost 300.5 - Samoa
Modern History
The line was prone to problems caused by the elements and tunnel fires, making the railroad expensive to maintain. Keeping freight customers had to be a challenge also, as through service was frequently disrupted.
- January 1953 a severe rainstorm caused earth and debris to slip suddenly from the face of the Scotia Bluffs sweeping an 80-ton locomotive into the Eel River and killing three crewmen.
- July 1961 a tunnel fire north of San Rafael decapitated the line south into Marin County until it was finally repaired in 1967.
- December 1964, flooding washed out over 100 miles of the northern end of the line inside the Eel River Canyon.
- September 1978, a tunnel fire north of Island Mountain severed the line for a year.
- January 1980, flooding washed out the tracks at NWP's Schellville interchange.
With up to 115 in (290 cm) of rainfall each year, unstable geology, and seismic activity, the Eel River Canyon has been deemed unsuitable for economic use. In September 1983 the SP announced that it was shutting down the maintenance-intensive NWP line north of Willits. This led to a contentious court battle as the SP did not properly notify the Interstate Commerce Commission of their intent to abandon the line. The line was ordered reopened by the U.S. Circuit Court in March 1984.
Eureka Southern Railroad saves the Willits - Eureka line from abandonment
On September 8 1983, investor Bryan R. R. Whipple came to rescue the line and his new railroad, the Eureka Southern Railroad, was incorporated. He purchased the line north of Willits from NWP for $4.95 million and on November 1 1984 the railroad commenced operations.
The Eureka Southern operated the railroad with four EMD 2,000 horsepower locomotives it acquired from Conrail that were built in 1969.
The Eureka Southern struggled to make money on the line and on December 15 1986 they filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, however the railroad continued operations. The railroad tried operating excursion trains such as the North Coast Daylight. It should also be noted that during this period environmental concerns severely restricted logging. Logs, lumber, and wood products were the primary commodities carried by the Eureka Southern.
In September 1988 the ES purchased the 7 mi (11 km) shortline Arcata & Mad River Railroad from Simpson Timber Company for $300,000. The A&MR had been closed for the two-year period prior to its purchase by the Eureka Southern.
The death knell of the ES sounded on April 25, 1992 when an earthquake and a related landslide at Scotia Bluff closed the line.
North Coast Railroad
 | This article needs to be updated. |
In 1992, the North Coast Railroad Authority (NCRA) purchased the Eureka Southern and leased the line to the newly-formed North Coast Railroad . The NCRA was created by state law in 1989 to preserve the Northwestern Pacific line from future abandonment. The new NWP currently operates the line from Eureka to Schellville over the length of the original route of the NWP. In 1996, the North Coast RR and the former "south end", owned by the Southern Pacific RR, became the "new" Northwestern Pacific Railroad under public ownership. The goals of the new Northwest Pacific Railroad include handling more freight by rail along the Highway 101 corridor, establishing passenger excursion trains, and eventually providing regular passenger commuter service. In 1998 the railroad, which had more than 208 damaged sites along 216 mi (350 km), became the first and only railroad in the United States to be officially closed by the Federal Railroad Administration.
On May 31, 2006, NCRA announced that it had selected a new operator for the line. The winning bidder was NWP, Inc., led by CEO John H. Williams who had been instrumental in setting up Caltrain service on the San Francisco peninsula. Repairs to the line are expected to begin over the summer of 2006 with service reinaugurated in phases as soon as practical. The details of the lease to NWP, Inc., are expected to be finalized by July 2006.[3]
Locomotives
Narrow-Gauge Line
The NWP 3-foot-gauge line was built as the North Pacific Coast Railroad in 1873 from a San Francisco ferry connection at Sausalito to the Russian River at Monte Rio. Rails were extended downriver to Duncans Mills in 1876, and up Austin Creek to Cazadero in 1886. This narrow-gauge line became the Shore Division of the NWP formed by Santa Fe and Southern Pacific in 1907. The standard-gauge NWP Guerneville branch was extended to Monte Rio in 1907 and the line from Monte Rio to Duncans Mills was dual-gauged in 1909. Summer tourists from San Francisco visited Russian River vacation spots via joint narrow-gauge/standard-gauge NWP "triangle" excursions until automobile travel became more popular. The southern end of the line was standard-gauged from San Francisco Bay to Point Reyes Station at the head of Tomales Bay in 1920. The line up Austin Creek to Cazadero was standard-gauged in 1926. The remaining line from Monte Rio to Point Reyes Station was dismantled in 1930.[32]
Mileposts conform to Southern Pacific Railroad convention of distance from San Francisco[33]
Milepost 6.5 - Sausalito[34][35]
Milepost 11.7 - tunnel 1
Milepost 12.6 - Corte Madera[36]
Milepost 13.4 - Larkspur
Milepost 14.7 - Kentfield
Milepost 16.5 - Junction later known as San Anselmo[37]
Milepost 18.3 - Fairfax
Milepost 20.7 - tunnel 2
Milepost 23.1 - Nicasio
Milepost 27 - bridge over Paper Mill Creek and highway[38]
Milepost 35.6 - Arroyo San Geronimo trestle[39]
Milepost 36.4 - Point Reyes Station[40]
Milepost 45.4 - Marshall
Milepost 50.5 - bridge over Keyes Creek[41]
Milepost 51.9 - tunnel 3[42]
Milepost 53.7 - tunnel 4
Milepost 54.9 - Stemple Creek trestle
Milepost 58.8 - Estero Americano Creek trestle
Milepost 59.5 - Valley Ford
Milepost 61.9 - Ebabias Creek trestle
Milepost 62.2 - Bodega Road crossing[44][45]
Milepost 62.7 - Salmon Creek trestle
Milepost 65.2 - Salmon Creek trestle[47]
Milepost 66.9 - Brown Creek trestle (this 142-foot high trestle was reputedly the highest of its kind in the United States when built in 1876)[48][49]
Milepost 67.6 - Occidental[50][51]
Milepost 68.7 - Maquire Creek trestle
Milepost 69.0 - Camp Meeker[52][53]
Milepost 70.5 - Larry Creek trestle
Milepost 70.8 - bridge over Dutch Bill Creek
Milepost 71 - tunnel 5
Milepost 71.6 - bridge over Dutch Bill Creek
Milepost 71.7 - bridge over highway
Milepost 73.8 - Monte Rio[54][55]
Milepost 77 - bridge over Russian River[56][57]
Milepost 77.1 - Duncans Mills[58]
Milepost 82.1 - bridge over Austin Creek[59]
Milepost 84.3 - Cazadero[60][61]
Narrow-Gauge Locomotives
| Number | Builder | Type | Date | Works number | Notes[62][63] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 82 | Baldwin Locomotive Works | 4-4-0 | 1876 | 3842 | ex-NPC/NS/NWP #11 scrapped 1911 |
| 83 | Baldwin Locomotive Works | 4-4-0 | 1875 | 3722 | ex-NPC/NS/NWP #3 scrapped 1913[64] |
| 84 | NPC Sausalito Shop | 4-4-0 | 1900 | 1 | ex-NPC/NS/NWP #20 retired 1920 scrapped 1924[65][66] |
| 85 | Baldwin Locomotive Works | 4-4-0 | 1884 | 7249 | ex-South Pacific Coast Railroad #14 wrecked[67][68] |
| 86 | Baldwin Locomotive Works | 4-4-0 | 1884 | 7236 | ex-South Pacific Coast Railroad #15 then NWP #19>#86 sold Duncan Mills Land & Lumber Company 1920 scrapped 1926[69] |
| 87 | Baldwin Locomotive Works | 4-4-0 | 1880 | 4960 | ex-South Pacific Coast Railroad #10 then NWP #10>#87 scrapped 1917[70][71] |
| 90 | Brooks Locomotive Works | 4-4-0 | 1891 | 1886 | ex-NPC/NS/NWP #15 operated last narrow-gauge NWP train in 1930 scrapped 1935[72][73] |
| 91 | Brooks Locomotive Works | 4-4-0 | 1894 | 2421 | ex-NPC/NS/NWP #16 scrapped 1935[74][75] |
| 92 | Brooks Locomotive Works | 4-4-0 | 1891 | 1885 | ex-NPC/NS/NWP #14 retired 1926 scrapped 1935[76][77] |
| 93 | Baldwin Locomotive Works | 4-4-0 | 1884 | 7249 | 1924 rebuild of wrecked #85 scrapped 1935 |
| 94 | Baldwin Locomotive Works | 4-6-0 | 1887 | 8486 | ex-South Pacific Coast Railroad #20 then NWP #21>#144>#94 scrapped 1935[78][79] |
| 95 | Brooks Locomotive Works | 4-6-0 | 1899 | 3418 | ex-NPC/NS/NWP #18 then NWP #145>#95 retired 1929 scrapped 1935[80][81] |
| 195 | Baldwin Locomotive Works | 2-6-0 | 1883 | 6611 | ex-NPC/NS/NWP #13 scrapped 1912[82] |
| 321 | Baldwin Locomotive Works | 2-8-0 | 1880 | 4974 | ex-Denver and Rio Grande Railroad #44 then NS/NWP #40 scrapped 1912 |
| 322 | Baldwin Locomotive Works | 2-8-0 | 1885 | 7676 | ex-Hancock and Calumet Railroad #2 then Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railroad #33 then NS/NWP #33 scrapped 1914[83] |
| 323 | Baldwin Locomotive Works | 2-8-0 | 1885 | 7677 | ex-Hancock and Calumet Railroad #3 then Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railroad #31 then NS/NWP #31 scrapped 1912[84] |
References
- Borden, Stanley T. (1963). Railroads of Eureka. The Western Railroader.
- Dickinson, A. Bray (1974). Narrow Gauge to the Redwoods. Corona del Mar, California: Trans-Anglo Books. ISBN 87046-010-2.
- Drury, George H. (1984). The Train-Watcher's Guide to North American Railroads. Waukesha, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing. ISBN 0-89024-061-2.
- Lewis, Edward A. (1996). American Shortline Railway Guide (5th Edition ed.). Waukesha, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing. ISBN 0-89024-290-9.
{{cite book}}:|edition=has extra text (help) - Kalmbach Publishing, ed. (2000). The historical guide to North American railroads (2nd Edition ed.). Waukesha, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing. ISBN 0-89024-356-5.
{{cite book}}:|edition=has extra text (help) - Robertson, Donald B. (1998). Encyclopedia of Western Railroad History - Volume IV - California. Caldwell, Idaho: The Caxton Printers. ISBN 0-87004-385-4.
- Sievers, Wald and Stindt, Fred A. (1969). N.W.P. Narrow Gauge. The Western Railroader.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Stindt, Fred A. (1974). Trains to the Russian River. Railway & Locomotive Historical Society.
- Stindt, Fred A. (1978). The Northwestern Pacific Railroad: Redwood Empire Route (3rd Edition ed.). Kelseyville, California: Fred A. Stindt. ASIN: B0007F4A2M.
{{cite book}}:|edition=has extra text (help) - Stindt, Fred A. (1985). The Northwestern Pacific Railroad Volume Two. Kelseyville, California: Fred A. Stindt. ISBN 0-9615465-0-6.
- Gale, V.J. and Valles, R.C.(Roadmasters) (1978). (untitled maintenance-of-way charts). Southern Pacific Railroad.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
- ^ Dickinson (1974) p.114
- ^ Gale & Valles (1978)
- ^ North Coast Railroad Authority (2006-05-31). "NCRA Selects Operator". Retrieved 2006-06-01.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|year=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help)CS1 maint: year (link) - ^ Stindt (1964) pp.126-127
- ^ Stindt 1974 p.44
- ^ Stindt 1974 pp.53 & 72
- ^ Stindt 1974 p.72
- ^ Stindt 1974 p.53
- ^ Stindt 1974 p.72
- ^ Stindt 1985 p.33
- ^ Stindt 1974 pp.72-73
- ^ Stindt 1974 p.48
- ^ Stindt 1974 p.52
- ^ Stindt 1974 pp.58 & 72
- ^ Stindt 1974 p.71
- ^ Stindt 1974 pp.70-71
- ^ Stindt 1985 p.28
- ^ Stindt 1974 pp.41 & 71
- ^ Stindt 1974 p.44
- ^ Stindt 1985 p.37
- ^ Stindt 1974 p.69
- ^ Stindt 1985 p.35
- ^ Stindt 1974 p.53
- ^ Stindt 1985 p.33
- ^ Stindt 1974 p.73
- ^ Stindt 1985 p.37
- ^ Stindt 1974 pp.52 & 59
- ^ Stindt 1985 p.36
- ^ Stindt 1985 p.37
- ^ Stindt 1985 p.34
- ^ Stindt 1985 pp.33-35
- ^ Stindt (1974) pp.11,13,19,26,28 & 30
- ^ Stindt (1978) pp.88-89
- ^ Stindt 1974 p.8
- ^ Dickinson 1974 pp.32-33,45,50,69,76,99,125 & 154
- ^ Dickinson 1974 p.78
- ^ Dickinson 1974 pp.48,79 & 153
- ^ Dickinson 1974 p.113
- ^ Stindt 1974 p.22
- ^ Dickinson 1974 pp.62 & 113
- ^ Dickinson 1974 p.150
- ^ Dickinson 1974 p.34
- ^ Dickinson 1974 p.31
- ^ Stindt 1974 p.17
- ^ Dickinson 1974 p.147
- ^ Dickinson 1974 pp.40 & 149
- ^ Stindt 1974 p.17
- ^ Stindt 1974 p.14
- ^ Dickinson 1974 pp.5,36 & 96
- ^ Stindt 1974 pp.16 & 30-31
- ^ Dickinson 1974 pp.40,64,93,116 & 145
- ^ Stindt 1974 p.39
- ^ Dickinson 1974 pp.66 & 146
- ^ Stindt 1974 pp.1-4,16,53,60 & 62-63
- ^ Dickinson 1974 p.114
- ^ Stindt 1974 pp.26-27
- ^ Dickinson 1974 pp.36 & 38
- ^ Stindt 1974 pp.14-15,65 & 69
- ^ Dickinson 1974 pp.84-85,88-89 & 118
- ^ Stindt 1974 p.10
- ^ Dickinson 1974 pp.67,70,109 & 118
- ^ Dickinson (1974) pp.132-133
- ^ Stindt (1974) p.78
- ^ Dickinson (1974) p.134
- ^ Dickinson (1974) p.129
- ^ Stindt (1974) p.16
- ^ Dickinson (1974) p.120
- ^ Stindt (1974) p.34
- ^ Dickinson (1974) pp.123 & 135
- ^ Dickinson (1974) p.135
- ^ Stindt (1974) pp.25 & 33
- ^ Dickinson (1974) pp.124
- ^ Stindt (1974) pp.10,16,25,35 & 39
- ^ Dickinson (1974) pp.6 & 135
- ^ Stindt (1974) pp.9,16,18,29 & 34
- ^ Dickinson (1974) p.129
- ^ Stindt (1974) pp.3,16 & 29
- ^ Dickinson (1974) p.123
- ^ Stindt (1974) pp.25,29 & 35
- ^ Dickinson (1974) pp.125,129 & 136
- ^ Stindt (1974) pp.3,24,32 & 35
- ^ Dickinson (1974) p.136
- ^ Dickinson (1974) p.135
- ^ Stindt (1974) p.33
See also
External links
- North Coast Railroad Authority Current owner of the "new" Northwestern Pacific
- Northwestern Pacific Railroad Historical Society
- Railroads and the Redwood Empire Lots of NWP Pictures