California's Lumber Shortline Railroads

Book excerpt: California's shortline railroads connected remote sawmills to mainlines, supporting rural industries and serving passengers. California's sawmill and railroad industries grew up together, each at least partially depending upon the other for survival. However, not all of the Golden State's sawmills lay upon the routes of mainline railroads, resulting in the development of a number of shortline railroads connecting remote sawmills with the nation's rail network. In addition to serving the lumber industry, these shortlines often became economic lifelines to other industries in rural parts of the state. Many of these railroads also carried passengers, either as part of their common carrier service in the early years and/or as tourists in recent decades. This book seeks to tell the stories of and relate the important historical roles these small carriers played, long lasting companies such as the Almanor, Amador Central, Arcata & Mad River, California Western, Camino Placerville & Lake Tahoe, McCloud River, Quincy, Sierra, and Yreka Western, along with younger start-ups such as the Eureka Southern, North Coast, Great Western, Modoc Northern, Lake County, Lake Railway, and others.