Eel River and Eureka Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Eel River and Eureka Railroad company was organized on November 14, 1882 by a group of Eureka
businessmen led by John M. Vance (b. Nova Scotia
October 1, 1821 - d. January 1892).
. The longest tunnel was nearly 2000 feet (609.6 m) through Table Bluff between the stops of Salmon Creek and Swauger's Station
.
By 1896, the Eel River and Eureka Railroad was running passenger trains twice a day, every day but Sunday when there were three trains. From June 1895 to June 1896, the line had 32,811 passengers who paid a total of $24,748.70 in fares. In the same period, the line earned $67,568.85 from lumber and freight, over 3,000 tons of which was butter from the Eel River
Valley dairies.
After the junction at Alton the Pacific Lumber Company
Railroad extended south about 4 miles (6.4 km) through and slightly beyond the town of Scotia
.
In October 1902, all the property and rights of the Eel River and Eureka Railroad were transferred to the San Francisco and Northwestern Railway
.
The tracks became part of a continuous line from San Francisco to Trinidad
in the summer of 1914. On December 28, 1918, the San Francisco and Northwestern Railway transferred the assets to the Northwestern Pacific Railroad
.
Eureka, California
Eureka is the principal city and the county seat of Humboldt County, California, United States. Its population was 27,191 at the 2010 census, up from 26,128 at the 2000 census....
businessmen led by John M. Vance (b. Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
October 1, 1821 - d. January 1892).
History
The primary 25 miles (40.2 km) of the Eel River and Eureka Railroad ran from the line's office and depot at the foot of Second Street, Eureka to Burnell's station, a town near HydesvilleHydesville, California
Hydesville is a census-designated place in Humboldt County, California, United States. Hydesville is located southeast of Fortuna, at an elevation of 364 feet...
. The longest tunnel was nearly 2000 feet (609.6 m) through Table Bluff between the stops of Salmon Creek and Swauger's Station
Loleta, California
Loleta is a census-designated place in Humboldt County, California. It is located south of Fields Landing, at an elevation of 46 feet . The population was 783 at the 2010 census....
.
By 1896, the Eel River and Eureka Railroad was running passenger trains twice a day, every day but Sunday when there were three trains. From June 1895 to June 1896, the line had 32,811 passengers who paid a total of $24,748.70 in fares. In the same period, the line earned $67,568.85 from lumber and freight, over 3,000 tons of which was butter from the Eel River
Eel River (California)
The Eel River is a major river system of the northern Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. Approximately 200 miles long, it drains a rugged area in the California Coast Ranges between the Sacramento Valley and the ocean. For most of its course, the river flows northwest, parallel to the...
Valley dairies.
After the junction at Alton the Pacific Lumber Company
Pacific Lumber Company
The Pacific Lumber Company, officially abbreviated PALCO, was one of California's major logging and sawmill operations, located south of Eureka and north of San Francisco. The once storied company and its historically positive relationship with conservationists begun in the 1920s was altered...
Railroad extended south about 4 miles (6.4 km) through and slightly beyond the town of Scotia
Scotia, California
Scotia is a census-designated place in Humboldt County, California. It is located south-southeast of Fortuna, at an elevation of 194 feet . The ZIP Code is 95565. The population was 850 at the 2010 census....
.
In October 1902, all the property and rights of the Eel River and Eureka Railroad were transferred to the San Francisco and Northwestern Railway
San Francisco and Northwestern Railway
San Francisco and Northwestern Railway was a Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway subsidiary formed in 1903 to connect Humboldt Bay to the Santa Fe rail system....
.
The tracks became part of a continuous line from San Francisco to Trinidad
Trinidad, California
Trinidad is a seaside city in Humboldt County, located on the Pacific Ocean north of the Arcata-Eureka Airport and north of the college town of Arcata...
in the summer of 1914. On December 28, 1918, the San Francisco and Northwestern Railway transferred the assets to the Northwestern Pacific Railroad
Northwestern Pacific Railroad
The Northwestern Pacific Railroad is a regional railroad serving California's North Coast. The railroad currently runs on 62 miles of the 462 mile main line, stretching from Schellville, California to Eureka, California...
.