The Ferroequinologist March 2000, Central Coast Chapter NRHS

California Western Railroad

Route of the Skunk Train

California Western 45 during its inaugural press run in 1965. The engine was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW) as a 2-8-2 type for the Medford Lumber Comapny in October of 1924, construction, number 58045. In Baldwin's clumsy nomenclature, it was assigned class 12-32 1/4E-78	The photo shown here is of Medford Lumber No. 3 at the Northwestern Pacific interchange in Schellville, California. Medford Corporation (Medco) was the successor to the Owen-Oregon Lumber Co. of Medford, Oregon. Medco 3  was originally purchased by Owen-Oregon as their No. 3 then became Medco No. 3 in either 1932 or 1937 (authorities disagree). (Two Photos by Jim Wren)

During the 19th Century sawmills were established at an early date along the Mendocino Coast, with outbound lumber being shipped by sea to San Francisco and other points. However, as logging operations reached into the rugged backcountry of the Coastal Range, moving the redwood logs to the coast required a railroad. 

In 1885 the Fort Bragg Railroad was opened as a logging railroad owned by the Fort Bragg Lumber Company, which was later reorganized as the Union Lumber Company. 

Rails Extended to Willits on March 1, 1902 and rails of the California Northwestern Railway reached Willits from the south providing a connection from Tiburon on San Francisco Bay. On July 1, 1905 the Fort Bragg Railroad was renamed California Western Railroad & Navigation Company and plans were underway to extend rails eastward to a rail connection with the outside world at Willits. On January 8, 1907 the California Northwestern along with a number of other lines operating between San Francisco Bay and Eureka under the control of Southern Pacific and Santa Fe interests were consolidated into the Northwestern Pacific Railroad, which was jointly owned by Southern Pacific and Santa Fe. On October 23, 1914 a gold spike was driven at Cain Rock finishing the isolated lines in the Eureka area with those from San Francisco Bay. 

Leaving Fort Bragg, the railroad follows Pudding Creek east to Glen Blair Junction where it passes through 1, 122-foot-long tunnel No. 1. A three-mile logging branch once ran from Glen Blair Junction to Glen Blair. Once through the tunnel, the railroad followed the Noyo River. After reaching Northspur, the mid-point on the line 20 miles from Fort Bragg, the rails continued toward Willits. From Shake City the line climbs a 2.6 per cent grade passing through Horseshoe Curve and Crowley Loop. Just before reaching the summit, the track passes through the 790-foot TunnelNo. 2.Once past Summit, the line drops down a grade that reaches 3 percent at some points before end of track is reached at Willits.

California Western rails reached Willits in late 1911. On December 19, 1911 an enthusiastic crowd welcomed the first passenger train from Fort Bragg, pulled by 4-6-0 No. 5 when it arrived in Willits. With connection being made with the Northwestern Pacific at Willits, finished lumber from the Fort Bragg Union Lumber Company mill could now be shipped nationwide in addition to moving by sea from Fort Bragg. 

Passenger Service 

After rails reached Willits, the residents of Fort Bragg had a convenient mode of transportation from the isolated coast. Instead of a slow steamship trip between Fort Bragg and San Francisco, travelers could now board a passenger train from Fort Bragg to Willits where connections were made with the NWP for the trip to Sausalito where a 30-minute ferry ride put passengers at the Ferry Building at the foot of Market street in downtown San Francisco. For a period of time, a through Pullman sleeping car was operated between Fort Bragg and Sausalito in connection with NWP's overnight passenger train between Sausalito and Eureka. 

Passenger train service, which was started in 1904 and extended to Willits in 1911, was discontinued in 1925 when the first of the self-powered yellow "Skunk" railcars was inaugurated. The little trains were quickly nicknamed for their original gas engines, which prompted folks to say, "You can smell 'em be- fore you can see 'em. " 

California Western welcomed more modern equipment in later years, which railfans can still ride. The vintage 1925 M-100 motorcar -- the only remaining train of its kind in use anywhere today -- runs the line year-round, as does the 1935 M-300 motorcar. During the busier summer months, they are joined by three 1950s diesel engines and 1924-built Baldwin 2-8-2 No. 45. CWR No. 45 came from the Medford Corporation (Medco No. 3) and was purchased in 1965 and was in service until 1980.It briefly returned to service in 1983 for the filming of Paramount Pictures' "Racing with the Moon."

Between 1916 and 1917 the Ten Mile Branch was built north from Fort Bragg to Ten Mile River. This logging branch followed the river inland to reach the redwoods and was operated until 1949 when the rails were ripped up and the fine converted to a log truck road. In 1947 the name of the railroad was changed to California Western Railroad. 

It was returned to service in 1983 for the filming of Paramount Pictures' "Racing with the Moon." Between 1916 and 1917 the Ten Mile Branch was built north from Fort Bragg to Ten Mile River. This logging branch followed the river inland to reach the redwoods and was operated until 1949 when the rails were ripped up and the fine converted to a log truck road. In 1947 the name of the railroad was changed to California Western Railroad. 

Decline and Rebirth 

In 1970 Boise Cascade Corp. purchased the Union Lumber Company along with the California Western. In 1973 the mill and railroad were again sold, this time to Georgia Pacific Corp. In 1977 the railroad was leased to Willis Kyle. In June 1987 the line was purchased from Georgia Pacific by Mendocino Coast Railway, a subsidiary of Kyle Railways. In 1996 Kyle Railways sold the line to a local group and California Western Railroad Inc. was born.

Motive Power 

CWR's new GP9s have not yet replaced the aging fleet of ex-SP Alco RS11s in excursion service, as witnessed by this photo of No. 61 ready to depart Willets on July 17, 1988. (Photo by Ken Rattenne)

While the Skunk motorcars handled passenger service between Fort Bragg and Willits, a small fleet of steam locomotives handled the nightly freight between the mill and the NWP connection at Willits and took care of local switching at the mill.In 1949 California Western purchased their first diesel power, two Baldwin 1000-horsepower DS-4-4-1000 numbers 51 and 52. In 1956 the road purchased another DS-4-4-1000 Baldwin from Pan-American Engineering Co. and numbered it 53. No. 54, another Baldwin switcher was purchased from SP in 1969.

In 1960 Nos. 51, 52 and 54 were destroyed when a freight train lost its air on the Summit grade and derailed. The railroad then acquired two former McCloud River Railroad Baldwins and a former SP 

Baldwin giving the numbers 55-57. These were replaced in 1979 with three former SP Alco RS-11s, which were renumbered 61-63. 

In 1987 the Alcos were replaced with EMD GP9s 64 (ex- SP 3411) and 65 (ex-SP 3412). Two more GP9s, Nos. 66 and 67 were added in 1998. No. 66 is ex-Chesapeake & Ohio No. 6145 built in 1956. No. 67 is ex-Bangor & AroostookNo. 77 and built in 1954. 

CWR GP9 66 leads an excursion through the Redwoods on 8/6/02. (Photo by Kirk Rattenne)

Today the motorcars and GP9s and steam engine 45 handle the passenger duties while freight service awaits the reopening of the NWP connection between Willets and Schellville. 

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