G.E. Nordell's
California Travel / Railroads Page

main U.S.A. Travel & Business Links Index Page California Travel Links Index Page statewide links general works about California Northern California links Central California links Southern California links SoCal Beach Towns Page SoCal Day Trips Page

on this page: California railroad links Class 1 California railroads shortline & historic railroads books & other media image gallery

Statewide California Railroad Links
listing of surviving steam locomotives in California
'list of California railroads' page at Wikipedia
TrainWeb / Tourist Railways / California website got hacked {2017}
U.P. Railroad Shortline Railroad Profiles for California
Rail Museums listing for California
Harvey House Restaurants in California {9 gone, 3 standing}
Train Riders Assn. of California
Rail Passenger Alliance of California

  California Rail Map website (free download)

General Railroad Links
National Assn. of Railroad Passengers
United Rail Passenger Alliance [of U.S.A.]
North American Railway Foundation [est. 1996]
Freight Train Riders Assn.
May 10th is National Train Day in USA [est. 2008]

American Railroads Pages at Spirit of America Bookstore
Railroad Film Festival Pages at Spirit of America Bookstore

G.E. Nordell's Arizona Travel / Railroads Links Pages
G.E. Nordell's Colorado Travel / Railroads Links Pages
G.E. Nordell's Nevada Travel / Railroads Links Page
G.E. Nordell's New Mexico Travel / Railroads Links Page
G.E. Nordell's Utah Travel / Railroads Links Page

Travel U.S.A. / Railroad Museums Page

Railroad Links within California

California State Railroad Museum [est. 1976, opened 1981] in Old Sacramento, California
official website • entry at Wikipedia
California State Railroad Museum Foundation [est. 1981]
Sacramento Southern Railroad [est. 1984]

Fewer than 30 full-size steam locomotives built prior to 1880 exist in the United States; C.S.R.M. has seven of them.
The roster includes 21? steam locomotives and 19 first & second-generation internal combustion locomotives.
http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/668/files/csrm_roster_january_2007.pdf
Norris 1862 4-4-0 Central Pacific RR steam locomotive #1 'Gov. Stanford' - cosmetically restored, on indoor display
Cooke 1863 4-2-4T Central Pacific #3 / Southern Pacific steam locomotive #1 'C.P. Huntington' - cosmetically restored, on indoor display
Baldwin 1873 4-4-0 Virginia & Truckee steam locomotive #12 'Genoa' - fully restored and on indoor display
Baldwin 1873 2-6-0 Virginia & Truckee steam locomotive #13 'Empire' - cosmetically restored, on indoor display
Baldwin 1875 narrow-gauge 4-4-0 North Pacific Coast steam locomotive #12 'Sonoma' - cosmetically restored, on indoor display
Baldwin 1875 2-4-0 Virginia & Truckee steam switcher #21 'J.W. Bowker' - cosmetically restored, on outdoor display at Central Pacific Passenger Depot
Baldwin 1879 narrow-gauge 2-6-0 Nevada Short Line steam locomotive #1 on static display
shops-built 1882 2-6-2T Central Pacific steam locomotive #233 is awaiting restoration
ALCO 1908 4-6-0 Northwestern Pacific steam locomotive #112 in storage
Lima 1920 0-6-0 Union Pacific steam locomotive #4466 - operated at the museum until 2001
Baldwin 1921 4-6-2 Southern Pacific steam locomotive #2467 on loan from P.L.A. pending boiler work
Porter 1942 0-6-0T Granite Rock steam locomotive #10 - operating as C.R.S.M. excursion train at Old Sacramento, California
Baldwin 1944 4-8-4 Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe steam locomotive #2925 in storage
Baldwin 1944 2-10-4 Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe steam locomotive #5021 in storage
Baldwin 1944 4-8-8-2 Southern Pacific RR cab-forward articulated steam locomotive #4294 - cosmetically restored, on indoor display

E.M.D. 1939 SW-1 Sacramento Northern diesel-electric switcher #402 is operational
E.M.D. 1939 SW-1 Southern Pacific diesel-electric switcher #1000 is stored awaiting restoration
Baldwin 1948 class DS44-1000 Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe diesel-electric locomotive #2260 is in storage
Baldwin 1949 class DRS66-1500 Southern Pacific diesel-electric locomotive #5208 is operational
E.M.D. 1949 F-7 Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe diesel-electric locomotive #347C painted in Warbonnet color scheme is operational
E.M.D. 1950 F-7 Western Pacific diesel-electric locomotive #913 is operational
Fairbanks-Morse 1951 class H-12-44 Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe diesel-electric locomotive #608 is in storage
E.M.D. 1952 F-7 Southern Pacific diesel-electric locomotive #6402 is in storage
E.M.D. 1954 E-9 Southern Pacific diesel-electric locomotive #6051 is operational
ALCO 1959 class RSD-15 'Alligator' Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe diesel-electric locomotive #9820 is in storage
E.M.D. 1972 SD-45T-2 Southern Pacific diesel-electric locomotive #6819 is operational
E.M.D. 1979 F-40PH Southern Pacific diesel-electric locomotive #6051 painted in Daylight color scheme (ex-Amtrak 281) is operational

rolling stock and other equipment are listed on the Railroad Museums Page

Metrolink Antelope Valley Green Line
L.A. Union Station • Glendale • Downtown Burbank • Sun Valley • Sylmar / San Fernando • Newhall • Santa Clarita •
Via Princessa • Vincent Grade / Acton • Palmdale • Lancaster

Metrolink Inland Empire - O.C. Red Line
San Bernardino • Riverside-Downtown • Riverside-La Sierra • North Main Corona (L.A.) • West Corona (L.A.) • Anaheim Canyon (O.C.) • Orange •
Santa Ana • Tustin • Irvine • Laguna Niguel / Mission Viejo • San Juan Capistrano • San Clemente • San Clemente Pier • Oceanside (S.D.)

Metrolink I-91 - Perris Valley Blue Line
South Perris • Perris Downtown • Moreno Valley / March Field • Riverside-Hunter Park • Riverside-Downtown • Riverside-La Sierra •
North Main Corona (L.A.) • West Corona (L.A.) • Fullerton (O.C.) • Buena Park (O.C.) • Norwalk / Santa Fe Springs (L.A.) • L.A. Union Station

Metrolink Orange County Line
L.A. Union Station • Commerce • Norwalk / Santa Fe Springs (L.A.) • Buena Park (O.C.) • Fullerton • Anaheim • Orange • Santa Ana •
Tustin • Irvine • Laguna Niguel / Mission Viejo • San Juan Capistrano • San Clemente • San Clemente Pier • Oceanside (S.D.)

Metrolink Riverside Purple Line
Riverside-Downtown • Pedley (RCo) • East Ontario (S.B.) • Downtown Pomona (L.A.) • Industry • Montebello / Commerce • L. A. Union Station

Metrolink San Bernardino Brown Line
San Bernardino • Rialto • Fontana • Rancho Cucamonga • Upland • Montclair (S.B.) • Claremont (L.A.) • North Pomona •
Covina • Baldwin Park • El Monte • Cal State L.A. • L.A. Union Station

Metrolink Ventura County Yellow Line
East Ventura • Oxnard • Camarillo • Moorpark • Simi Valley (VCo) • Chatsworth (L.A.) • Northridge • Van Nuys •
Burbank-Bob Hope Airport • Downtown Burbank • Glendale • L.A. Union Station

        
Travel Town Museum [est. 1947] at Griffith Park in Los Angeles, California
official City website • Foundation

L.A. Live Steamers [est. 1956] at Travel Town in Griffith Park, Los Angeles, California

rolling stock and other equipment are/will be listed on the Railroad Museums Page

                 
Pacific Locomotive Association [est. 1961] in Fremont, California
same website as Niles Canyon Railway • entry at Wikipedia
Niles Canyon Railway [est. 1987] heritage/tourist railroad is operated by P.L.A.
official website • entry at Wikipedia
Golden Gate Railroad Museum [est. 1975] moved in as tenant/partner in 2007
official website • entry at Wikipedia

The Pacific Locomotive Assn. was founded in 1961; the Niles Canyon Railway heritage/tourist railroad was founded in 1987]; the Golden Gate Railroad Museum [est. 1975] moved from San Francisco in 2007. The N.C.R. operates on 9.2 miles of track, not counting the huge restoration and storage yard at Brightside, California. The P.L.A. collection includes 8 steam locomotives, 13 diesel & gas locomotives, 2 gas-powered motorcars, 27 passenger cars, 10 cabeese, and 44 freight & work cars; the G.G.R.M. collection includes 1 steam locomotive, 3 diesel locomotives, and 6 passenger cars.
unique 1964 Krauss-Maffei ML-4000 class diesel-hydraulic locomotive (acquired from C.S.R.M. in 2008)

          
Orange Empire Railway Museum [est. 1956] in Perris, California
official website • entry at Wikipedia

Western Railway Museum [est. 1946, renamed circa 1980] in Solano County, California
official website • entry at Wikipedia

Peninsular Rwy interurban car #52 is operational
Petaluma & Santa Rosa interurban car #63 is operational
Cedar Rapids & Iowa City interurban car #111 is operational
Key System interurban car #187 is operational
Richmond Shipyard Rwy interurban car #561 is operational
Salt Lake & Utah interurban car #751 is operational
Sacramento Northern interurban car #1005 is recently restored & operational
San Diego Trolley interurban car #1018 is operational
San Francisco Municipal Rwy streetcar #178 is operational
East Bay Street Railways streetcar #352 is operational
Melbourne & Metropolitan tram #648 is operational
San Francisco Municipal Rwy streetcar #1003 is operational
San Francisco Municipal Rwy streetcar #1016 is operational
San Francisco Municipal Rwy streetcar #1258 is operational
Central California Traction Co. electric box motor locomotive #7 is operational
Visalia Electric 44-ton diesel locomotive #502 is operational
Sacramento Northern electric steeple cab locomotive #654 is operational
Key System electric steeple cab locomotive #1001 is operational
ALCO 1909 Western Pacific RR 4-6-0 steam locomotive #94 is stored serviceable

inoperative motive power, rolling stock, and other equipment are listed on the Railroad Museums Page

Campo, California
Pacific Southwest Railway Museum Campo CA http://www.psrm.org/

Folsom, California in Sacramento County
Folsom, El Dorado & Sacramento Historical Railroad Assn. [est. 1995]
Folsom Railroad Museum [est. 1998], 198 Wool Street in Folsom
annual Folsom Handcar Derby [May 2014 = #23]

Fremont, California
Ardenwood Historic Farm [est. 1978] in Fremont
Centerville Depot [built 1910, restored 1999] in Fremont
Niles Canyon Railway [est. 1987] in Fremont {see details above}
Pacific Locomotive Association [est. 1961] operates the Niles Canyon heritage/tourist railroad
Niles Depot Museum [founded 1870, built 1901, restored 1988 & 2010] in Fremont
Western Pacific RR sideview caboose #467 stands outside the Niles Depot Museum

Goleta, California in Santa Barbara County
South Coast Railroad Museum [est. 1983; renamed 1991] in Goleta
Southern Pacific Goleta Depot [built in 1901, moved in 1981]

Hayward, California
1890 narrow-gauge H.K. Porter ex-Cortez Mines 0-4-0T steam locomotive #4 'Anne Marie' {painted black}
from Hacienda Hotel & Casino in Boulder City, Nevada; owned by Tom Gazsi and Gary Smith of Hayward
operational and often runs at Ardenwood Historic Farm

Laws, California [elev. 4,117]
Laws Railroad Museum & Historic Site [est. 1964]
original 1883 structures include the Laws Depot (houses the museum), the agent's house, the A-frame 'armstrong' turntable, and water tanks
1927 Death Valley Railroad Co. narrow-gauge gas-powered motorcar #5 was restored in 2004 and runs at the Laws Museum  

detailed roster of locomotives, rolling stock, and other equipment on display are on the Railroad Museums Page

Orange County, California
1891 narrow-gauge Baldwin ex-Hawai'i 0-4-2T steam locomotive #4 'Deanna' {painted yellow & green} is operational
and based at Sandstone Crag Loop Line [est. 1996], with narrow-gauge open passenger car #60
sometimes runs at Ardenwood Historic Farm
8/2013 online video [4:16] by Orange County Register newspaper

Sacramento, California
California State Railroad Museum [est. 1976} in Old Sacramento, California - see above

San Jose, California
California Trolley and Railroad Corporation [est. 1982] in San Jose
San Jose Steam Railroad Museum

San Luis Obispo, California
  San Luis Obispo [CA] Railroad Museum [est. 2000] at the S.P.R.R. Freighthouse [built 1894, restored 2014]
Central Coast Railroad Festival [Oct 2015 = #6] in San Luis Obispo, California

Solano County, California
Western Railway Museum [est. 1946, renamed circa 1980] {see details above}

Stevinson, Merced County, California
Double T Acres rentable event location [est. 1992] - twenty miles east of Merced
website thoroughly describes their History Train parked on static display under a roof
the train is made up of 1887 4-4-0 steam locomotive #216; 1910 Santa Fe RR Pullman #1772 baggage car; 1914 Pennsylvania RR #1660 passenger car by the Standard Steel Car Company, now dining car; 1890 business car #21, built by Barney & Smith Co. for the Santa Fe RR, started out as a Fred Harvey dining car; and caboose #414, built in the early 1920s, the first steel caboose purchased by Santa Fe RR; there is also a wooden caboose used as an office

Truckee, California
Southern Pacific RR wide-view caboose #1268 is on blocks as the Truckee [CA] Railroad Museum [est. 2010]
next to the Truckee Southern Pacific station

Woodland, California
1918 ex-SP Yolo Shortline RR 0-6-0 switcher steam engine #1233 is on display in Woodland

Class 1 Railroads of California
The seven Class I railroads of America are a monopoly: their combined sales revenue is 91% of all U.S. rail freight traffic.
The U.S. railroad industry took in over $69 billion in revenue in 2012.
Trains Magazine's Class I Railroad Directory
Class I Railroad entry at Wikipedia

Union Pacific Railroad
[est. 1862, U.P./S.P. merger Sept. 1996]
The merged Union Pacific Railroad includes seven basic routes in California: from Reno, Nevada over Donner Pass to Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area; from the Bay Area north to Oregon; from Reno, Nevada north across the Sierra Mountains to Oregon; from the Bay Area south along the coast to Los Angeles; from Sacramento south across the San Joaquin Valley to Mojave and Barstow; from Las Vegas, Nevada to Barstow, then south over Cajon Pass to Los Angeles; and from Yuma, Arizona to Los Angeles.

Union Pacific Railroad entry at Wikipedia
Union Pacific Historical Society [est. 1984]
Union Pacific Railroad Museum [opened 2003] in Council Bluffs, Iowa

Southern Pacific Railroad entry at Wikipedia
Southern Pacific RR Historical & Technical Society

    
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway
[Est. 1849 & 1859; 1960 merger of Great Northern, Northern Pacific, CB&Q; 1970 merger with SP&S and Pacific Coast RR to form Burlington Northern;
Frisco merger 1980; merger of BN & SF Sept. 1995; purchased by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway for $44 billion in November 2009.
The merged B.N.S.F. Railroad includes six basic routes in California: usage rights over Union Pacific tracks westward from Denver, Colorado across Utah & Nevada and over Donner Pass to the Oakland-East Bay Area; the Winnemucca-Flanigan, Nevada branch to Keddie, which splits north to Oregon and south to Sacramento; from Sacramento-Stockton south across the San Joaquin Valley to Mojave and Barstow, then south over Cajon Pass to Los Angeles; south from Los Angeles along the coast to San Diego; and Kingman, Arizona west to Barstow.
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway entry at Wikipedia

        
Amtrak Passenger Service [est. May 1971]
official website • Amtrak California homepage • Wikipedia

Amtrak daily California Zephyr {Chicago thru Denver & Utah to San Francisco Bay}
Amtrak daily Coast Starlight {Los Angreles, Oakland, Sacramento, Portland, Seattle, Vancouver BC}
Amtrak daily Southwest Chief {Chicago thru Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico & Arizona to Barstow & Los Angeles}
Amtrak daily Sunset Limited {New Orleans, Houston, San Antonio, El Paso, New Mexico & Arizona to Palm Springs & Los Angeles}
thrice weekly Amtrak Texas Eagle {Chicago, St. Louis, Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico & Arizona to Palm Springs & Los Angeles}
Amtrak Capitol Corridor daily local {San Jose, Fremont, Hayward, Oakland, Richmond, Davis, Sacramento, Auburn, Roseville}
Amtrak Pacific Surfliner daily local {San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Simi Valley, Los Angeles, Santa Ana, San Juan Capistrano, San Diego}
Amtrak San Joaquin daily local {Oakland, Sacramento, Stockton, Modesto, Fresno, Bakersfield, Glendale, Los Angeles, San Diego}

Shortline & Historic Railroads of California
'list of California railroads' page at Wikipedia
TrainWeb / Tourist Railways / California website got hacked {2017}
U.P. Railroad Shortline Railroad Profiles for California

Arcata and Mad River Railroad [1881-1985]

Bay Area Rapid Transit (B.A.R.T.)

Bodie and Benton Railway [1881-1890]

Bucksport and Elk River Railroad/Railway [1884-1952]

Calico and Odessa Railroad {east of Barstow}

        
Fort Bragg Railroad [1885-1905]
California Western Railroad & Navigation Company [renamed 1905-47]
California Western Railroad [renamed 1947]
purchased by Sierra Northern Railway in 2003; operated by Mendocino Railway (seasonal)
official website • entry at Wikipedia

Baldwin 1924 California Western RR 2-8-2 Mikado steam locomotive #45 is operational & based in Fort Bragg, CA
(ex-Owen-Oregon Lumber Co., ex-Brownlee-Olds Lumber Co., ex-Medford Corp.; sold to CWRR in 1965;
'Super Skunk' service 1965-1981, 1983-2001, 2004 to present) • entry at Wikipedia

1925 Edwards-built California Western RR 'Skunk' motorcar #M-100 is in daily use
1926 Skagit-built California Western RR 'Skunk' motorcar #M-200 is in service at Niles Canyon Rwy in Fremont, CA
AC&F-built California Western RR 'Skunk' motorcar #M-300 is in daily use

Placerville and Lake Tahoe Railway [1904-1911]
Camino, Placerville and Lake Tahoe Railroad [1911-86]

Carrizo Gorge Railway [1997-2012]

Carson and Colorado Railroad/Railway [1881-1905]
G.E. Nordell's Carson & Colorado / Nevada & California / Southern Pacific Narrow-Gauge Railroads Page

Caspar, South Fork and Eastern Railroad [1874–1945]

Central Pacific Railroad/Railway [1861-1959] > SP

Coast Rail Services, Inc. [reporting mark CRSX] switching operation
snail mail to POBox in Brea, CA; photos exist of locos at Kaiser & Fontana in 2009 & 2011
1951 SW10 diesel locomotive #1234 (ex-UP #1234 & #1872; retired 1998; in service 2011)
1954 EMD GP-9 diesel locomotive #1965 (ex-BN #1965, ex-CB&Q #280; in service 2011)

Death Valley Railroad [narrow-gauge; 1914-1931]
Death Valley Railroad entry at Wikipedia
GS's Death Valley RR pix
1927 Death Valley Railroad Co. narrow-gauge gas-powered motorcar #5 was restored in 2004 at the Laws Museum  

Descanso, Alpine and Pacific Railway [est. ?] in Alpine, California {east of San Diego}
Tour Guide Tim article + watch 6/2010 video [loud music; 4:13] on YouTube
runs 2-foot-gauge Brookline mining mule on most Sunday afternoons

Diamond & Caldor Railway [1904-1952]
Diamond & Caldor Railway history at El Dorado Western Railway Foundation {broken?}
Diamond & Caldor Railway entry at Wikipedia

Disneyland Railroad

Eagle Mountain Railroad [1948-1986]

El Dorado Western Railroad [] in El Dorado County, California
entry at Wikipedia redirects to Diamond & Caldor Rwy • official website
El Dorado Western Railway Foundation weblog
1952 Plymouth 18-ton 0-4-0 diesel locomotive #1 (painted white, acquired 12/2010)
Diamond and Caldor railbus #10 'Tally Ho' restored in 2009?
[ran on D&CR until 1953; purchased by Hal Wilmunder as CC&N #10, used 1964-74]
El Dorado Western RR Fairmont A4D speeder #602 is in weekly operation  
volunteers are restoring 1907 Diamond & Caldor narrow-gauge 2-truck Shay-geared locomotive #4 (2014)

Elk Logging Railway [1876-1916] in Elk, California
White's Lumber Mill [1888-1916] in Elk, California
Goodyear Redwood Company [1916-1932] took over both sawmills, later went bankrupt
Elk River Logging Company [1932-1936] in Elk, California

Fillmore and Western Railway

Georgia-Pacific {div. of Koch Industries} logging railroad operations defunct?

Ghost Town and Calico Railway [] at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park

Little River Lumber Company [1908-1931] railroad
Hammond-Little River Redwood Company [1931 merger]
Hammond Lumber Company [1909-1945] railroad was at Samoa, California.

Hetch Hetchy Railroad [1915-1949]

Humboldt Northern Railway [?-1948] at Samoa, California

Indian Valley Railroad [1916-1938]

Iron Mountain Railway [1895-1927]

Key Route System [1903-1960] interurban lines in the Bay Area
Key System entry at Wikipedia
Key System photo gallery at Bay Area Rail Fan

1937 Key System articulated interurban car #167 is in storage at Orange Empire Railway Museum in Perris, California
1937 Key System articulated interurban car #182 is operational at Western Railway Museum in Solano County, California  
1937 Key System articulated interurban car #186 is in storage at Western Railway Museum in Solano County, California
1937 Key System interurban car #187 is being restored at Western Railway Museum in Solano County, California
1901 Key System interurban car #271 is operational at Western Railway Museum in Solano County, California  
1912 Key System P-class streetcar #352 is operational at Western Railway Museum in Solano County, California  
1912 Key System interurban combine #495 is operational {painted as S.N. #1005} at Western Railway Museum in Solano County, California  
1919 Key System streetcar #804 is in storage at Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunk, Maine  
1927 Key System streetcar #987 is operational at Western Railway Museum in Solano County, California
1910 Key System steeple cab electric locomotive #1001 is operational {painted as S.F.O.T. #1001} at Western Railway Museum in Solano County, California  
1906 Key System homebuilt wrecker #1011 is on static display at Western Railway Museum in Solano County, California
1897 Key System homebuilt wrecker #1014 is on static display at Western Railway Museum in Solano County, California
1895 Key System combine line car #1201 is on static display at Western Railway Museum in Solano County, California
1929 Key System 4-wheel electric yard switcher locomotive #1215 is operational at Western Railway Museum in Solano County, California  
1895 Key System line car #1218 is on static display at Western Railway Museum in Solano County, California

"Key System Presents: March of Progress" documentary [1945]
Produced by Hugh Harman Productions; written & directed by Wallace Bosco; narration by Emory Green
watch movie [4/2011 upload; 20:29] online at YouTube
watch movie [11/2003 upload; 20:30] online at Internet Archive

	"Key System Streetcars: Transit, Real Estate and The Growth of The East Bay" [1992] by Vernon J. Sappers Signature Press 10½x8¼ hardcover [2007] out of print/used
	"Key System Gallery: The Trans-Bay and City Streetcar Lines, 1902-1958" [2006] by James H. Harrison Shade Tree Books pb [2006] out of print/used

"Key System Interurban Lines" [1972] by Anon.
http://www.amazon.com/Key-System-Interurban-Lines-Anon/dp/B0013UUGUA/

"Interurban Railways of the Bay Area: Interurban Electric / Key System / Market Street Railway / Peninsular Railway..." [1977] by Paul C. Trimble
http://www.amazon.com/Interurban-Railways-Bay-Area-Northwestern/dp/0913548472/

"Key System Album" [1978] by Jim Walker
http://www.amazon.com/Key-System-Album-Jim-Walker/dp/0916374319/

"The Key System: San Francisco and the Eastshore Empire (Images of Rail)" [4/2007] by Walter Rice and Emiliano Echeverria
http://www.amazon.com/Key-System-Francisco-Eastshore-Empire/dp/0738547220/

Lake Tahoe Railway and Transportation Company [1898-1927]

San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad [1901-1916]
Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad [1916-1987]

Ludlow and Southern Railway [1902-1931]

Market Street Railway in Downtown San Francisco

McCloud River Railroad [1897-1992]
McCloud Railway [1992–2009]

Mill Valley and Mount Tamalpais Scenic Railway [1896-1913]
Mount Tamalpais and Muir Woods Railway [1913-1930]

Nevada & California RR [1905-1912]
G.E. Nordell's Carson & Colorado / Nevada & California / Southern Pacific Narrow-Gauge Railroads Page

Nevada-California-Oregon Railway [narrow-gauge; 1880-1929]
TA's Nevada-California-Oregon Railway fansite
N.C.O. Railway history pages at Narrow Gauge on the Net

Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad [1876-1942]
G.E. Nordell's Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad [1876-1942] Page
Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum in Nevada City, California

        
Niles Canyon Railway [est. 1987] in Fremont, California
official website • entry at Wikipedia
Pacific Locomotive Association [est. 1961] operates the heritage/tourist railroad
same website as Niles Canyon Railway • entry at Wikipedia

museum/equipment information is at top of section

Ocean Shore Railroad [1905-1921]

Sacramento Valley Railroad [1852-1877]
Sacramento and Placerville Railroad [1877-1888]
Northern Railway [1871-1898] > SP

North Pacific Coast Railroad [1871-1902]
North Pacific Coast Railroad Extension Company [1882-1885]
North Western Railroad of California [1885-1892]
North Shore Railroad [1902-1907]
Northwestern Pacific Railroad [1907-1992]
North Coast Railroad [1992-1999]
Northwestern Pacific Railroad [re-opened 2011]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwestern_Pacific_Railroad

Ocean Shore Railroad/Railway [1905-1920]

Outer Harbor Terminal Railway [1927-1955]

San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria Valley Railroad [1875-1882]
Pacific Coast Railway [1882-1941]
paintings of the Pacific Coast Railway by Wayne Scarpaci

Pacific Coast Railroad Company [est. 2000]
2-mile-long narrow-gauge line available for charter (weddings, other events) at privately-owned Santa Margarita Ranch ten miles north of San Luis Obispo, California.
official blog {last update 2010} • bare entry at Wikipedia

Pacific Electric Railway [1901-1965] > SP
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Electric_Railway

Pajaro Valley Railroad [1890-1897]
Pajaro Valley Consolidated Railroad [1897-1928]

1½-mile Port of Los Angeles Waterfront Red Car Line [1910-1949; re-opened 2003]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterfront_Red_Car
http://portoflosangeles.org/recreation/waterfront_rcl.asp

Porterville Northeastern Railway [1910-1934]

Poway-Midland Railroad [est. 1991] at Poway City Park
official website • entry at Wikipedia
steam locomotive runs two weekends per month on half-mile of track
four 1883 mining gondola cars converted for passenger use
restored 1894 Los Angeles Yellow Line trolley car
restored 1906 San Francisco cable car {runs on electric batteries}
1907 Baldwin/Burnham 42"-gauge 0-4-0 (tank removed) ex-Cowell Cement steam locomotive #3
1937 Southern Pacific caboose on static display
restored 1950 Fairmont speeder
1960 Santa Fe boxcar on static display
replica narrow-gauge passenger coach #323 'Paquay Valley'

O.C. Register 5/2011 online news segment video [loud; 1:41]

Quincy and Eastern Railroad [1908-1909]
Quincy Western Railway [1909-1917]
Quincy Railroad [est. 1917]

Richmond Belt Railway [1902-1932]

Parr Terminal Railroad [1950-2002]
Richmond Pacific Railroad [est. 2002]

                  
Roaring Camp Railroads [est. 1963] in Felton, CA
official website • no separate entry at Wikipedia

narrow-gauge Roaring Camp & Big Trees Railroad [est. 1963] tourist line
official website • entry at Wikipedia

standard-gauge Santa Cruz, Big Trees & Pacific Railway [est. 1985] in California
official website • no separate entry at Wikipedia

more info on the Spirit of America Bookstore's Geared Steam Locomotives Page

Finkbine-Guild Lumber Company [1924-1927]
Southern Redwood Lumber Company [1927-1938]
Rockport Redwood Company [1938-1939] in Rockport, California {operated four Shays}

Sacramento Northern Railway {electric until 1946} [1921-1987] > WP

Sacramento Regional Transit District [est. 1973] bus & light rail
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacramento_Regional_Transit_District

Sacramento Southern Railroad [built 1906-1912; operated by C.S.R.M. since 1983]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacramento_Southern_Railroad
http://www.ssrrsignal.com/

The Sacramento Valley Railroad [1856-??]
[ran from Sacramento to Folsom; later extension from Folsom to Latrobe and Placerville in El Dorado County]
http://www.psvrr.org/

Sacramento Valley and Eastern Railway [1906-1927]

San Diego and Arizona Railway [1906-1933]
San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway [est. 1933] now paper company

San Diego and Arizona Eastern Transportation Company [1979-1984]
San Diego and Imperial Valley Railroad [est. 1984]

San Diego Trolley [est. 1981]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego_Trolley

State Belt Railroad [1873-1969]
San Francisco Belt Railroad [1969-1993]

historic San Francisco cable car system [est. 1873]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_cable_car_system

San Francisco and San Rafael Railroad [1882-1889]
San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad/Railway [1869-1907] > NWP

San Francisco and San Jose Railroad [1860-1870] > SP

San Joaquin and Eastern Railroad [1912-1933]

6-mile Tulare Valley Railroad [est. 1992] absorbed by San Joaquin Valley RR in 1998.
408-mile San Joaquin Valley Railroad [est. 1992] is owned by G&W

Santa Ana Railroad [1889-1892]
Newport Wharf and Lumber Company [1889-1893]
Santa Ana and Newport Railway [1892-1899] > SP

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority [est. 1987] light rail
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Clara_Valley_Transportation_Authority

narrow-gauge Santa Cruz and Felton Railroad [1875-1876]
South Pacific Coast Railroad [1876-1981] converted to standard gauge in 1890s
Santa Cruz, Big Trees and Pacific Railway [est. 1985]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Cruz,_Big_Trees_and_Pacific_Railway

Santa Fe Railway
[est. 1859 as Atchison & Topeka RR Company; renamed Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe
Railway in 1863; merged into B.N.S.F. 1995]
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway entry at Wikipedia
Santa Fe Railway Historical & Modeling Society [est. 1994]

AT&SF concessionaire Harvey House Restaurants [1875-1968]

	"All Aboard for Santa Fe: Railway Promotion of The Southwest, 1890s to 1930s" [2005] by Victoria E. Dye Univ NM Press 9¼x6¼ hardcover [10/2005] for $16.47
	"Santa Fe: The Chief Way" [2001] by Robert Strein, John Vaughan & C. Fenton Richards Jr. Kindle Edition from Univ New Mexico Press [10/2017] for $9.99 Univ New Mexico Press 10¼x10pb [11/2017] for $28.76 New Mexico Magazine 10x10 pb [9/2001] out of print/used New Mexico Magazine 10¼x10¼ hardcover [9/2001] for $26.37
	"M.B.I. Railroad Color History: Santa Fe Railway" [2008] by Steve Glischinski M.B.I./Voyageur Press 10¾x8½ hardcover [12/2008] for $27.01

Santa Maria Valley Railroad [est. 1911]
official website • entry at Wikipedia
Friends of the Santa Maria Valley Railroad
Santa Maria Valley RR equipment roster

          
Sierra Railway of California [1897-1937]
Sierra Railroad [1935-2003] > SNRwy
Yolo Shortline Railroad [1991-2003] > SNRwy
1918 ex-SP Yolo Shortline RR 0-6-0 switcher steam engine #1233 is on display in Woodland, CA
Sierra Northern Railway [est. 2003] http://www.sierranorthern.com/
G.E. Nordell's Sierra Railway of California [est. 1897] Page

Sierra Valley and Mohawk Railroad [1885-1895]
Sierra Valleys Railway [1895-1909]
Sierra and Mohawk Railway [1911-1915]

South Pacific Coast Railroad [1876-1887]
South Pacific Coast Railway [1887-1937] > SP

South San Francisco Belt Railway [1907-1945] > SP

Southern Pacific Railroad [1865-1955]
Southern Pacific Branch Railroad [1872-1873]
Southern Pacific Company [1885-1969]
Southern Pacific Branch Railway [1886-1888]
Southern Pacific Railroad Extension Company [1888-1888]
Southern Pacific Transportation Company [1969-1998]
Southern Pacific Railroad
[began as the Central Pacific Railroad in 1862; Southern Pacific Railroad was founded in 1865,
and the two merged in 1885; SP merged into the Union Pacific in 1996]
Southern Pacific Railroad entry at Wikipedia

Southern Pacific RR Historical & Technical Society
Southern Pacific RR 'Coast Daylight' trains fansite
'Southern Pacific in Santa Barbara' fanpage

Southern Pacific Railroad Presents "This Is My Railroad" short film [1952]
watch movie [28:58] online at YouTube

"M.B.I. Railroad Color History: Southern Pacific Railroad" [2007] by Brian Solomon M.B.I./Voyageur Press 11x8½ hardcover [11/2007] for $24.63

Southern Pacific Narrow-Gauge Railroad [1912-1960]
G.E. Nordell's Carson & Colorado / Nevada & California / Southern Pacific Narrow-Gauge Railroads Page

Stockton and Copperopolis Railroad [1865-1888] > SP

Sugar Pine Railway [1903-1922]

Sunset Railroad [1900-1912]
Sunset Western Railway [1909-1912]
Sunset Railway [est. 1912] still exists as a paper railway

Tidewater and Southern Railroad [1910-1912]
Tidewater and Southern Transit Company [1912-1912]
Tidewater Southern Railway [1912-1987] > WP

Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad [1905-1940]
The narrow-gauge Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad hauled borax and gold and mining supplies. Originally built by Francis Marion 'Borax' Smith of the famed Twenty Mule Team operations to haul his wealth of borax from the depths of Death Valley, California. It also served as a connecting line to the gold and silver mines of southern Nevada and in latter days thrived as a shipper of talc and clay. The route in California ran north 138 miles from headquarters at Ludlow, to Baker and Death Valley Junction, and to the Nevada border, then north for 66 more miles to Goldfield & Tonopah.
Tonopah & Tidewater RR entry at Wikipedia
Phil Serpico's Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad fansite

"Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad: The Nevada Short Line" [2013] by Phil Serpico The Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad existed from 1905 to 1940, hauling borax and gold and mining supplies; book includes material on the Death Valley and 'Baby Gage' railroads at Ryan, as well as the Bullfrog Goldfield, the Las Vegas & Tonopah, the Tecopa Railroad, the Borate & Daggett Railroad, and the Ludlow & Southern. Contains nearly 500 black & white photos and illustrations, including timetables and maps; 60 color images of ephemera; and comprehensive locomotive, rolling stock, and station name rosters. OMNI Publns 11x8½ hardcover [9/2013] out of print/used possibly also available from publisher OMNI Railroad Books of Palmdale, California

Yreka Railroad [1888-1935]
9-mile Yreka Western Railroad [est. 1935]

Books & Other Media
search for books about California Railroads {returns 5,700+ items} at Amazon

	"Narrow Gauge Nostalgia: A Compendium of California Short Lines" [1965] by George Turner Trans-Anglo Books hardcover [1971] out of print/used Johnston & Howe hardcover [1965] out of print/used
	"California's Railroad Era, 1850-1911" [1973] by Ward McAfee Golden West Books 8½x5¾ hardcover [1973] out of print/used
	"Railroads of The Yosemite Valley" [1975] by Hank Johnston, with James Law Yosemite Conservancy 11¼x8¾ pb [9/88] for $21.93 Yosemite Conservancy pb [9/88] out of print/used Trans-Anglo Books 9x6½ hardcover [1980] for $52.99 Trans-Anglo Books hardcover [1975] out of print/used
	"Rails Across The Ranchos: The Pacific Coastline of Southern Pacific Railroad (San Luis Obispo County)" [1980] by Loren Nicholson California Heritage Publing 10¾x8½ pb [8/93] out of print/used California Heritage Publing hardcover [5/1980] out of print/used
	"Steinbeck Country Narrow Gauge" [1985] by Horace W. Fabing & Rick Hamman Over 160 photos; the forces that helped shape the Monterey Bay area in the XIXth century included the Pacific Coast Steamship Company, Claus Spreckels, the sugar beet industry, and the standard- and narrow-gauge railroads of the Pajaro and Salinas Valleys; book includes rosters for the Pajaro Valley Consolidated Railroad, the Monterey & Salinas Valley Railroad, the Salinas Railway, and the Spreckels Sugar Company, with station lists, maps, diagrams & bibliography Otter B Books pb [rev 2004] out of print/used Pruett Publng 10¼x8¾ hardcover [9/85] out of print/used
	"California Railroads: An Encyclopedia of Cable Car, Common Carrier, Horsecar, Industrial, Interurban, Logging, Monorail, Motor Road, Short Line, Streetcar, Switching & Terminal Railroads In California, 1851-1992" [1992] by Alvin A. Fickewirth Golden West Books 11½x9 hardcover [5/92] out of print/many used
	"Encyclopedia of Western Railroad History, Volume 4: California" [1998] by Donald B. Robertson Caxton Press 11¼x8¾ hardcover [1998] for $29.21
	"California High Country Narrow Gauge Railroads" [2001] by George Turner Oso Publng 11½x8¾ hardcover [7/2001] out of print/used
	"The Birth of California Narrow Gauge" [2003] by {railroad historian} Bruce MacGregor lavishly illustrated with 600 photographs & drawings, the majority never-before published Stanford Univ Press 12x9 hardcover [8/2003] for $40.00
	"Railroads of California: The Complete Guide To Historic Trains and Railway Sites" [2009] by Brian Solomon Voyageur Press 11½x9 hardcover [6/2009] for $27.00
	"Santa Cruz Trains: Railroads of The Santa Cruz Mountains" [2015] by Derek R. Whaley CreateSpace 11x8½ pb [2/2015] for $29.99 official book site

"California Narrow Gauge: Preserving The Legacy" [indep 2003] Scripted documentary film about the Carter Brothers who manufactured narrow-gauge railroad cars in California from 1870 to 1902; frame is interview with a member of Society for the Preservation of Carter Railroad Resources during a work day at Ardenwood Historic Farm [est. 1978] in Fremont, California. Historic footage also covers Carter's customers North Pacific Coast RR [1871-1902], South Pacific Coast RR [1876-1937], Nevada County Narrow Gauge RR [1876-1942], and Pacific Coast Railway [1882-1941]; also features 1890 H.K. Porter 0-4-2T steam locomotive #4 'Ann Marie' at Ardenwood. Produced, written, directed & narrated by Boone Morrison, thru his Fire Mountain Films based in Volcano, Hawai'i. not listed at IMDb • watch full movie [1:04:17] online at YouTube

"The Associates: Four Capitalists Who Created California" [2007] by Richard Rayner Four middle-class merchants in Sacramento, California rose to become the force behind the Trans-continental Railroad and became wealthy beyond any measure, and committed secret crimes to sustain their power. Their names were Collis P. Huntington, Leland Stanford, Charles Crocker, and Mark Hopkins, and they were known as 'The Big Four' or 'The Associates' Kindle Edition from W.W. Norton [1/2009] for $9.99 W.W. Norton pb [1/2009] for $12.83 W.W. Norton/Atlas 8¼x5¾ hardcover [2007] out of print/used

Image Gallery

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