McCLOUD RIVER RAILROAD COMPANY (MCR)
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Historical Snapshot: On January 22, 1897 The McCloud River Railroad was incorporated to construct a 125 mile line from Upton to Alturas, California. As the railroad was finally begun it started at Shasta City on the Southern Pacific and built ease. As of 1930 the line had extended through the rich forested lands for 53.95 miles to Slagger Creek and Hambone, California. The road listed 13 locomotives and 352 freight cars and its business was lumber. According to the 1926 Equipment Register, in addition to several hundred freight cars the company was operating passenger trains with eight combine, coach and baggage cars. In 1941 they reported about the same milage but no passenger service. In 1955 the company completed a 32 mile extension from Hambone to Burney, California where it connected with the Burlington and the Western Pacific. It was not long before the McCloud picked up much transfer business from both railroads to the Southern Pacific at Shasta City. It was during this year that the railroad also completely dieselized with the purchase of six new engines. Perhaps one of the most interesting parts of operaion is the 17.6 mile track from McCloud to Shasta City around the west side of Mt.Shasta. In order to lessen the grade the railroad has a well engineered switchback about halfway between points. In 1969 the company bought three new SD38's #36 through #38. They also had an SD38-2 #39 for many years. On July 1, 1992 the McCloud River Railway took over the previous 105 year old line. They have run many special tourist trains from scenic rides to Dinner trains. In 2005 the company filed to abandone all of the railroad from Burney to three miles out of McCloud. With the Union Pacific takeover of both the Western Pacific and the Southern Pacific the transfer traffic evaporated. Today about 20 miles of railroad is all that remains in operation.
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MCR Shay #1
Image, McCloud Lumber Co. RR, Camp No. 1 Order No. MCR001I Original print from the Fred C. Stoes Collection Several men pose in front of a long string of flatcars loaded with saw logs at McCloud Lumber Co. Camp No. 1. A Shay with the steam engine on the opposite side is seen in the foreground on the log train. "The Shay featured on this page is McCloud River Railroad #17. The Shay was one of two purchased new by the company in 1911 (#16, c/n 2401 and #17, c/n 2402). The pair served on the McCloud until 1924, when they were sold to Fruit Growers Supply Company as their #'s 4 and 5 for use on their Lassen Operations logging railroad out of Susanville, CA. The pair served until 1952, when the logging railroad was closed in favor of trucks and the Shays were scrapped." .....Jeff Moore Shopping Cart 8.5" by 11" Image, Price - $ 5.00 [Add To Cart] --------------------MCR 2-8-2 #19
Image, McCloud River Railroad 2-8-2 #19 Order No. MCR19I Original print from the Fred C. Stoes Collection A nice McCloud River Railroad 2-8-2 locomotive #19 poses with caboose #31. "The McCloud photo on this page features the #19, which has a very interesting history. Built by Baldwin in 1915 as c/n #42000 for the Caddo & Choctaw Railroad (Arkansas) as their #4; then to Choctaw River Lumber Company as their #4; then to United Mining & Smelting Company #2069 (in Mexico). Purchased by McCloud River in 1924, it became their #19. Sold 1953 to Yreka Western Railroad, Yreka, CA as their #19; to Oregon Pacific & Eastern Railroad (Cottage Grove, OR) #19 1970; back to Yreka Western #19 1988. Still on the YW, but is not in service at the moment due to boiler work needed under the new operating rules. Caboose #031, coupled to the #19, is an ex-Great Northern car. It was donated in 1964 along with some other equipment to a proposed railroad museum to be located just south of Dunsmuir, CA. The museum fizzled but was later resurrected as the commercially operated Railroad Park Resort, which survives to today. The #031 is still there." Shopping Cart 8.5" by 11" Image, Price - $ 5.00 [Add To Cart] --------------------MCR SD38 #37
Image, McCloud River Railroad EMD SD38 diesel #37 Order No. MCR37I Photographer: Gordon Lloyd Jr. McCloud, California, July 23, 2004: McCloud River Railroad EMD SD38 road diesel #37 poses in the Yard. Shopping Cart 8.5" by 11" Image, Price - $ 5.00 [Add To Cart] --------------------MCR "shorty" caboose #101
Image, McCloud River Railway "shorty" caboose #101 Order No. MCR101I Photographer: Rick Hamman McCloud River Railway "shorty" caboose poses in the afternoon sun at McCloud, California, circa 1990. Shopping Cart 8.5" by 11" Image, Price - $ 5.00 [Add To Cart] --------------------MCR FMC boxcar #2322
Image, McCloud River Railway FMC 52 ft. boxcar #2322 Order No. MCR2322I Photographer: Rick Hamman McCloud, California, circa 1990: A McCloud River Railway FMC 52'6" double-door box car is photographed in yard. Car was built in June of 1977. Shopping Cart 8.5" by 11" Image, Price - $ 5.00 [Add To Cart] --------------------
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