Yreka Western Railroad

by Matt Starman, Tim Stricker

Overview

The city of Yreka was determined to have a railroad. When the Southern Pacific Railroad decided in 1883 to bypass Yreka, the citizens constructed their own railroad known as the Yreka Railroad Company. This railroad managed to eke out a living over the next few decades. In the 1930s, the railroad was reincorporated as the Yreka Western Railroad. By the mid-1930s, the railroad went bankrupt and was forced into receivership, and a new manager was put in charge. Through perseverance of the new manager, the railroad began to grow and prosper. By the late 1970s, the railroad once again started to decline, but as in the past, it managed to hold on. In 1986, the railroad started an excursion train known as the "Blue Goose," and steam locomotive No. 19 was added in 1989. Throughout all the hardships, the railroad still continues today and has been given the nickname "the Little Railroad that Refuses to Die."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780738574301
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	04/11/2011
Series:	Images of Rail
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Authors Matt Starman and Tim Stricker are both dedicated volunteers on the Yreka Western Railroad. Both have had a fascination with railroads since an early age, with frequent trips being taken on the Yreka Western's excursion train. This book houses over 200 photographs from the archives of the Yreka Western Railroad as well as other public and private collections.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 6

Introduction 7

1 The Yreka Railroad Company 9

2 Reincorporation and Receivership 25

3 A Siskiyou Short Line 47

4 Dieselization 71

5 The Modern Years 91

6 Blue Goose Excursion Train 113

7 No. 19 121