Narrow gauge railroads in the United States
Encyclopedia
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
of Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. Isolated narrow gauge lines were built in many areas to minimize construction costs for industrial transport or resort access, and some of these lines offered common carrier service. Isolated lines evolved into regional narrow gauge systems in Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, and Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
.
New England
The first narrow gauge common carrier rail road was the Billerica and Bedford Railroad which ran from North Billerica to BedfordBedford, Massachusetts
Bedford is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is within the Greater Boston area, north-west of the city of Boston. The population of Bedford was 13,320 at the 2010 census.- History :...
in Middlesex County, Massachusetts from 1877 to 1878. There were extensive 2 ft (610 mm) gauge lines in the Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
forests early in the 20th century. In addition to hauling timber, agricultural products and slate, the Maine lines also offered passenger services. The Boston, Revere Beach & Lynn Railroad was a narrow gauge commuter railroad that operated in Massachusetts. Narrow gauges also operated in the mountains of New Hampshire, on the islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard is an island located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, known for being an affluent summer colony....
and in a variety of other locations.
Mid-Atlantic States
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
was the East Broad Top Railroad
East Broad Top Railroad
The East Broad Top Railroad and Coal Company is a for-profit heritage railroad headquartered in Rockhill Furnace, Pennsylvania, north of Interstate 76 and south of U.S. Route 22, the William Penn Highway. The railroad operates excursion trains on a seasonal schedule.-History:The East Broad Top...
in central Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. Running from 1873 until 1956, it supplied coal to brick kilns and general freight to the towns it passed through, connecting to the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
at Mount Union, Pennsylvania
Mount Union, Pennsylvania
Mount Union is a borough in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, 45 miles southeast of Altoona, on the Juniata River. In the vicinity are found bituminous coal, ganister rock, fire clay, and some timber. A major Easter grass factory is located in the northern quadrant of the borough limits; until May...
. Purchased for scrap by the Kovalchick Corporation when it ended common carrier service in 1956, it reopened as a tourist railroad in 1960. Still owned by the Kovalchick family, trains operate over 5 miles (8 km) of the original 33 miles (53.1 km) mainline. This trackage is today the oldest surviving stretch of narrow gauge railroad in the United States.
It was the last survivor of an extensive narrow gauge network in New York and Pennsylvania that included many interconnecting lines. The largest concentration was in the Big Level region around Bradford, Pennsylvania
Bradford, Pennsylvania
Bradford is a small city located in rural McKean County, Pennsylvania, in the United States 78 miles south of Buffalo, New York. Settled in 1823, Bradford was chartered as a city in 1879 and emerged as a wild oil boomtown in the Pennsylvanian oil rush in the late 19th century...
, from which lines radiated towards Pittsburgh and into New York state. The Waynesburg & Washington Railroad, a subsidiary of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
, operated in the southwestern part of the state until 1933.
Southeast
The Southeast helped initiate the narrow gauge era with the opening of the Tuskegee Railroad in 1871.Longest lived of its narrow gauges was the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad
East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad
The East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad , affectionately called the "Tweetsie" in reference to the sound of its steam whistles, was primarily a railroad established in 1866 for the purpose of serving the mines at Cranberry, North Carolina.The narrow gauge portion of the ET&WNC was...
. Originally built as a broad gauge in 1866, the was later converted to a narrow gauge railroad between Johnson City, Tennessee
Johnson City, Tennessee
Johnson City is a city in Carter, Sullivan, and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, with most of the city being in Washington County...
and Cranberry, North Carolina
Cranberry, North Carolina
Cranberry is an unincorporated community in Avery County, North Carolina, United States. The community was founded in 1850 and was named after Cranberry Creek, which flows in the area...
and ultimately Boone, North Carolina
Boone, North Carolina
Boone is a town located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, United States. Boone's population was reported as 17,122, as of 2010...
. It continued in service until 1950.
Another long-lived southern narrow gauge was the Lawndale Railway and Industrial Co.
Lawndale Railway and Industrial Co.
The Lawndale Railway and Industrial Company operated a narrow gauge railroad from Shelby to Lawndale, North Carolina from 1899 to 1943. It served the Cleveland Cotton Mills in Shelby, as well as a cotton mill at Double Shoals, and also hauled agricultural products and supplies, coal, and general...
Midwest
One of the first three narrow gauges in the U.S. -- the Painesville & Youngstown—opened in Ohio in 1871, and the narrow gauge movement reached its greatest length in the Midwest. For a brief time in the 1880s it was possible to travel by narrow gauge from Lake Erie across the Mississippi River and into Texas. The hub of this system, Delphos, OhioDelphos, Ohio
Delphos is a city in Allen and Van Wert Counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. It had a population of 6,944 at the 2000 census.The Allen County portion of Delphos is part of the Lima Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Van Wert County portion is part of the Van Wert Micropolitan Statistical...
, shared with Durango, Colorado
Durango, Colorado
The City of Durango is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of La Plata County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau said that the city population was 16,887 in 2010 census.-History:...
the distinction of being the only towns in the United States from which it was possible to travel by narrow gauge in all four compass directions.
The Chicago Tunnel Company
Chicago Tunnel Company
The Chicago Tunnel Company built a narrow gauge railway freight tunnel network under the downtown of the city of Chicago. This was regulated by the Interstate Commerce Commission as an interurban despite the fact that it operated entirely under central Chicago, did not carry passengers, and was...
operated a 60-mile long underground 2-foot gauge freight railroad under the streets of the Chicago Loop
Chicago Loop
The Loop or Chicago Loop is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas located in the City of Chicago, Illinois. It is the historic commercial center of downtown Chicago...
. This common carrier
Common carrier
A common carrier in common-law countries is a person or company that transports goods or people for any person or company and that is responsible for any possible loss of the goods during transport...
railroad used electric traction
Railway electrification system
A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...
, interchanged freight with all of the railroads serving Chicago, and offered direct connections to many loop businesses from 1906 to 1959.
Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
was a center of the narrow gauge movement. In addition to serving as the northern end of the Little Giant "transcontinental", it had several other notable lines, including the long-lived Ohio River & Western, the Kelley Island Lime & Transport Company
Kelley Island Lime & Transport Company
Formed in 1886 on the Lake Erie Island of Kelley's Island, Ohio, the Kelley Island Lime & Transport Company was also known by its initials, KIL&T. It was once the world's largest producer of limestone and lime. The firm began quarry operations on Kelley's Island in 1886 and was dissolved in the...
(the world's largest operator of Shay locomotives, virtually all of them narrow gauge) and the Connotton Valley, a successful coal hauler still in operation today as the standard-gauge Wheeling & Lake Erie.
Numerous 3-foot-gauge common carrier narrow gauge lines were built in Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
in the 19th century. The largest cluster of lines radiated from Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
, with the Des Moines, Osceola and Southern extending south to Cainsville, Missouri
Cainsville, Missouri
Cainsville is a city in Harrison County, Missouri, United States. The population was 370 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Cainsville is located at ....
, the Des Moines North-Western extending northwest to Fonda
Fonda, Iowa
Fonda is a city in Pocahontas County, Iowa, United States. The population was 648 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Fonda is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
and smaller lines extending north to Boone
Boone, Iowa
Boone is a city in and the county seat of Des Moines Township, Boone County, Iowa, United States. It is the principal city of the 'Boone, Iowa Micropolitan Statistical Area', which encompasses all of Boone County. This micropolitan statistical area, along with the 'Ames, Iowa Metropolitan...
and Ames
Ames, Iowa
Ames is a city located in the central part of the U.S. state of Iowa in Story County, and approximately north of Des Moines. The U.S. Census Bureau designates that Ames, Iowa metropolitan statistical area as encompassing all of Story County, and which, when combined with the Boone, Iowa...
. These lines were all abandoned or regauged by 1900. The Burlington and Western and the Burlington and Northwestern system extended from Burlington
Burlington, Iowa
Burlington is a city in, and the county seat of Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 25,663 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in the 2000 census. Burlington is the center of a micropolitan area including West Burlington, Iowa and Middletown, Iowa and...
to Washington, Iowa
Washington, Iowa
Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Iowa, United States. It is part of the Iowa City, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,047 at the 2000 census.-History:...
and the coal fields around Oskaloosa
Oskaloosa, Iowa
Oskaloosa is the county seat of Mahaska County, Iowa, United States. The population was 11,463 in the 2010 census, an increase from 10,938 in the 2000 census. -History:...
. This system was widened to standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
on June 29, 1902 and merged with the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,...
a year later. The Bellevue and Cascade, from Bellevue
Bellevue, Iowa
Bellevue is a city in Jackson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,350 at the 2000 census. The city lies along the Mississippi River , next to Bellevue State Park....
on the Mississippi
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
to Cascade
Cascade, Iowa
Cascade is a city in Dubuque County and Jones County, Iowa, United States. The Dubuque County portion is part of Dubuque Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Jones County portion is part of Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,958 at the 2000 census, but is now...
inland remained in service until abandonment in 1936. A caboose
Caboose
A caboose is a manned North American rail transport vehicle coupled at the end of a freight train. Although cabooses were once used on nearly every freight train, their use has declined and they are seldom seen on trains, except on locals and smaller railroads.-Function:The caboose provided the...
from the Bellevue and Cascade is the only surviving piece of Iowa narrow gauge equipment. It currently operates on the Midwest Central Railroad
Midwest Central Railroad
The Midwest Central Railroad is a narrow gauge heritage railroad operating on the grounds of the Midwest Old Thresher's Reunion in Mount Pleasant, Iowa....
in Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant, Iowa
Mount Pleasant is a city in and the county seat of Henry County, Iowa, in the United States. The population was 8,668 in the 2010 census, a decline from 8,751 in the 2000 census. It was founded in 1835 by pioneer Presley Saunders.- History :...
, a heritage railroad.
Rocky Mountains
Aspen
Populus section Populus, of the Populus genus, includes the aspen trees and the white poplar Populus alba. The five typical aspens are all native to cold regions with cool summers, in the north of the Northern Hemisphere, extending south at high altitudes in the mountains. The White Poplar, by...
, Cripple Creek
Cripple Creek, Colorado
The City of Cripple Creek is a Statutory City that is the county seat of Teller County, Colorado, United States. Cripple Creek is a former gold mining camp located southwest of Colorado Springs near the base of Pikes Peak. The Cripple Creek Historic District, which received National Historic...
, Telluride
Telluride, Colorado
The town of Telluride is the county seat and most populous town of San Miguel County in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Colorado. The town is a former silver mining camp on the San Miguel River in the western San Juan Mountains...
and Silverton. Through affiliated companies, its lines extended west to Salt Lake City, Utah and south to Santa Fe, New Mexico. The northern trunk line was re-gauged to standard early, but the southern portions remained steam hauled and narrow gauge until the 1960s.
Other major narrow gauges in Colorado included the Rio Grande Southern
Rio Grande Southern Railroad
The Rio Grande Southern Railroad was a narrow gauge railroad which ran from Durango to Ridgway in the western part of the US state of Colorado...
, the Denver, South Park and Pacific
Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad
The Denver, South Park, and Pacific Railroad was a historic narrow gauge railway that operated in Colorado in the western United States in the late 19th century. The railroad opened up the first rail routes to a large section of the central Colorado mining district in the decades of the mineral boom...
, Colorado Central, and the Florence and Cripple Creek
Florence and Cripple Creek Railway
The Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad was a railroad running northward from junctions with the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad at the mill towns of Florence and later moved to Cañon City, CO, on the banks of the Arkansas River, up steep and narrow Phantom Canyon to the Cripple Creek Mining...
. The Uintah Railway
Uintah Railway
The Uintah Railway was a small railroad company in Utah and Colorado in the United States. It operated from 1902 to 1939.-History:The company was founded in 1902 as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Gilson Asphaltum Co. with the sole purpose of building a railroad into the isolated Uintah basin...
operated in Utah and Colorado. By the twentieth century, Colorado was the largest mother lode of narrow gauge railroading in North America.
California and Coast
The Southern Pacific operated several narrow gauges, including the Carson and Colorado Railway. Another major SP line was the Nevada-California-Oregon Railroad, running from Reno into southern Oregon.Two small regional railways in the Pacific Northwest were the Ilwaco Railway and Navigation Co near Astoria, and
the Sumpter Valley Railway
Sumpter Valley Railway
The Sumpter Valley Railway is a heritage railroad located in Baker County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. Built on a right-of-way used by the original railway of the same name, it carries excursion trains on a roughly route between McEwen and Sumpter. The railroad has two steam locomotives and...
near Baker City, OR. The latter one still operates in the summer.
The San Francisco
San Francisco cable car system
The San Francisco cable car system is the world's last permanently operational manually operated cable car system, in the US sense of a tramway whose cars are pulled along by cables embedded in the street. It is an icon of San Francisco, California...
cable cars
Cable car (railway)
A cable car or cable railway is a mass transit system using rail cars that are hauled by a continuously moving cable running at a constant speed. Individual cars stop and start by releasing and gripping this cable as required...
use as did the now defunct Los Angeles Railway
Los Angeles Railway
The Los Angeles Railway was a system of streetcars that operated in central Los Angeles, California and the immediate surrounding neighborhoods between from 1901 and 1963. Except for two short funicular railways it operated on tracks...
and the San Diego Electric Railway
San Diego Electric Railway
The San Diego Electric Railway was a mass transit system in Southern California, USA, using streetcars and buses.The SDERy was established by "sugar heir," developer, and entrepreneur John D. Spreckels in 1892...
.
Alaska
The last surviving commercial common carrierCommon carrier
A common carrier in common-law countries is a person or company that transports goods or people for any person or company and that is responsible for any possible loss of the goods during transport...
narrow-gauge railroad in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
was the White Pass and Yukon Route
White Pass and Yukon Route
The White Pass and Yukon Route is a Canadian and U.S. Class II narrow gauge railroad linking the port of Skagway, Alaska, with Whitehorse, the capital of Yukon. An isolated system, it has no direct connection to any other railroad. Equipment, freight and passengers are ferried by ship through the...
connecting Skagway, Alaska
Skagway, Alaska
Skagway is a first-class borough in Alaska, on the Alaska Panhandle. It was formerly a city first incorporated in 1900 that was re-incorporated as a borough on June 25, 2007. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city was 862...
and Whitehorse
Whitehorse, Yukon
Whitehorse is Yukon's capital and largest city . It was incorporated in 1950 and is located at kilometre 1476 on the Alaska Highway in southern Yukon. Whitehorse's downtown and Riverdale areas occupy both shores of the Yukon River, which originates in British Columbia and meets the Bering Sea in...
, Yukon Territory
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
. It ended common carrier service in 1982, but has since been partially reopened as a tourist railway.
Hawaii
Hawaii boasted an extensive network of narrow gauge sugar cane railways, but also was home to the Oahu Railway and Land CompanyOahu Railway and Land Company
The Oahu Railway and Land Company, or OR&L, was a narrow gauge common carrier railroad that served much of the Hawaiian island of Oahu until its dissolution in 1947.-Origin:...
which was the only US narrow gauge railroad to use signals. OR&L used Automatic Block Signals or ABS on their double track mainline between Honolulu and Waipahu a total of 12.9 miles (20.8 km) and had signals on a branch line for another nine miles (14 km). The section of track from Honolulu to Waipahu saw upwards of eighty trains a day, making it one of the busiest narrow gauge main lines in the world.
Other applications of narrow gauge in the U.S.
Shay locomotive
The Shay locomotive was the most widely used geared steam locomotive. The locomotives were built to the patents of Ephraim Shay, who has been credited with the popularization of the concept of a geared steam locomotive...
, Climaxes
Climax locomotive
A Climax locomotive is a type of geared steam locomotive in which the two steam cylinders were attached to a transmission located under the center of the boiler. This transmits power to driveshafts running to the front and rear trucks....
, and Heislers
Heisler locomotive
The Heisler locomotive was the last variant of the three major types of geared steam locomotive, Charles L. Heisler receiving a patent for the design in 1892 following the construction of a prototype in 1891. Somewhat similar to a Climax locomotive, Heisler's design featured two cylinders canted...
.)
Many narrow gauge lines were private carriers serving particular industries. One major industry that made extensive use of 3 ft (914 mm) gauge railroads was the logging industry, especially in the West. Although most of these lines closed by the 1950s, one notable later survivor was West Side Lumber Company railway
West Side Lumber Company railway
The West Side Lumber Company railway was the last of the gauge narrow gauge logging railways operating in the American west.- Narrow gauge :- Standard gauge :...
which continued using 3 ft (914 mm) gauge geared steam locomotive
Geared steam locomotive
A geared steam locomotive is a type of steam locomotive which uses reduction gearing in the drivetrain, as opposed to the common directly driven design....
s until 1968.
There is one narrow gauge industrial
Industrial railway
An industrial railway is a type of railway that is not available for public transportation and is used exclusively to serve a particular industrial, logistics or military site...
railroad still in commercial operation in the United States, the US Gypsum operation in Plaster City, California
Plaster City, California
Plaster City is an unincorporated community in Imperial County in the U.S. state of California. It is located west of El Centro, at an elevation of 105 feet .United States Gypsum operates a large gypsum quarry and plant there, and owns the town....
, which uses a number of Montreal Locomotive Works
Montreal Locomotive Works
Montreal Locomotive Works was a Canadian railway locomotive manufacturer which existed under several names from 1883–1985, producing both steam and diesel locomotives. For a number of years it was a subsidiary of the American Locomotive Company...
locomotives obtained from the White Pass
White Pass and Yukon Route
The White Pass and Yukon Route is a Canadian and U.S. Class II narrow gauge railroad linking the port of Skagway, Alaska, with Whitehorse, the capital of Yukon. An isolated system, it has no direct connection to any other railroad. Equipment, freight and passengers are ferried by ship through the...
after its 1982 closure.
The famous San Francisco cable car system
San Francisco cable car system
The San Francisco cable car system is the world's last permanently operational manually operated cable car system, in the US sense of a tramway whose cars are pulled along by cables embedded in the street. It is an icon of San Francisco, California...
has a gauge of 3 in 6 in (1,066.8 mm), as did the street cars
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
on the former Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
street railway
Los Angeles Railway
The Los Angeles Railway was a system of streetcars that operated in central Los Angeles, California and the immediate surrounding neighborhoods between from 1901 and 1963. Except for two short funicular railways it operated on tracks...
.
Rail haulage has been very important in the mining industry. By 1922, 80 percent of all new coal mines in the United States were being developed using 3 in 6 in (1,066.8 mm) (42 inch) gauge trackage, and the American Mining Congress recommended this as a standard gauge for coal mines, using a 42-inch wheelbase and automatic couplers centered 10 inches above the rail.
U.S. Common Carrier narrow gauges in the twentieth century
Literally thousands of narrow gauge railroads were built or projected in the U.S. The following list includes those common carrier narrow gauge railroads which operated into the Twentieth Century. Note: this list intentionally excludes tourist railroads, amusement parks, loggers, and other non-common carriers.| Railroad | State | Start year | End year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altoona and Beech Creek Railroad Altoona and Beech Creek Railroad The Altoona and Beech Creek Railroad was a narrow gauge railroad in Blair and Cambria Counties, Pennsylvania which operated during the late 19th and early 20th century. It carried passenger traffic up from the vicinity of Altoona to Wopsononock and coal and timber down from Wopsononock and... |
Pennsylvania | 1891 | 1916 | converted Gauge conversion In rail transport, gauge conversion is the process of converting a railway from one rail gauge to another, through the alteration of the railway tracks... to standard gauge Standard gauge The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge... |
| Anniston and Atlantic Railroad Anniston and Atlantic Railroad The Anniston and Atlantic Railroad was a 53-mile narrow gauge railroad built between Anniston, Alabama and Sylacauga, Alabama, via Talladega, Alabama and Murphy, Alabama.... |
Alabama | 1884 | 1890 | converted to standard gauge |
| Arizona and New Mexico Railway | Arizona, New Mexico | 1883 | 1901 | converted to standard gauge |
| Arizona Narrow Gauge Railroad, later Tucson, Globe and Northwestern Railroad | Arizona | 1886 | 1894 | |
| Arkansas Central Railway, later Arkansas Midland Railroad | Arkansas | 1872 | 1887 | gauge until 1883, converted to standard gauge |
| Batesville and Brinkley Railroad | Arkansas | 1882 | 1888 | converted to standard gauge |
| Bellevue and Cascade Railroad | Iowa | 1880 | 1936 | |
| Bingham Canyon & Camp Floyd | Utah | 1872 | 1881 | Sold to D&RG in 1881, Standard Gauged 1883 |
| Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad The Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad is a historic railroad that operated in Massachusetts.It was constructed as an 8.8-mile gauge narrow gauge passenger-carrying railroad to serve the Boston area.... |
Massachusetts | 1875 | 1940 | |
| Bradford, Bordell and Kinzua Railroad, later Buffalo, Bradford and Kane Railroad | Pennsylvania | 1880 | 1906 | |
| Bridgton and Saco River Railroad Bridgton and Saco River Railroad The Bridgton and Saco River Railroad was a gauge railroad that operated in the vicinity of Bridgton and Harrison, Maine. It connected with the Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad from Portland, Maine, to St... , later Bridgton and Harrison Railway |
Maine | 1883 | 1941 | gauge |
| Carson and Colorado Railroad Carson and Colorado Railroad The Carson and Colorado Railway was a U.S. narrow gauge railroad that ran from Mound House, Nevada, to Keeler, California below the Cerro Gordo Mines. It was incorporated on May 10, 1880 as the Carson and Colorado Railroad, and construction on the railroad began on May 31, 1880. A track gauge of ... , later Carson and Colorado Railway, then Nevada and California Railway, then Southern Pacific Southern Pacific (narrow gauge) The Southern Pacific narrow gauge is the informal name given to a network of narrow gauge railroad lines operated by the Southern Pacific Railroad in western Nevada and eastern California.... |
California, Nevada | 1881 | 1960 | |
| Catskill and Tannersville Railway Catskill and Tannersville Railway The Catskill and Tannersville Railway was a historic narrow gauge railroad operating in New York.Also known as "The Huckleberry", the C&T operated tracks that were laid to a three foot gauge... |
New York | 1899 | 1918 | |
| Catskill Mountain Railroad Catskill Mountain Railroad The Catskill Mountain Railroad , is a heritage railroad based in Shokan, New York, United States that began operations in 1983. It leases from Ulster County the former Ulster and Delaware Railroad tracks from Mile Post 2.8 in Kingston to MP 41.4 in Highmount, where it connects with the Delaware... , later Catskill Mountain Railway Catskill Mountain Railway The Catskill Mountain Railway was a narrow gauge railroad, long, running from Catskill to Palenville in Greene County, New York.... |
New York | 1882 | 1918 | |
| Colorado Central Railroad Colorado Central Railroad The Colorado Central Railroad was a U.S. railroad company that operated in Colorado and southeastern Wyoming in the late 19th century. Originally founded in the Colorado Territory in the wake of the Colorado Gold Rush to ship gold from the mountains, it eventually expanded from its initial... , later Colorado and Southern Railway Colorado and Southern Railway The Colorado and Southern Railway was a railroad company in the western United States that operated independently from 1898 to 1908, then as part of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad until it was absorbed into the Burlington Northern Railroad in 1981.The railway began as the... |
Colorado | 1872 | 1941 | |
| Colorado and Southern Railway Colorado and Southern Railway The Colorado and Southern Railway was a railroad company in the western United States that operated independently from 1898 to 1908, then as part of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad until it was absorbed into the Burlington Northern Railroad in 1981.The railway began as the... |
Colorado | 1898 | 1943 | Formed from Colorado Central Railroad Colorado Central Railroad The Colorado Central Railroad was a U.S. railroad company that operated in Colorado and southeastern Wyoming in the late 19th century. Originally founded in the Colorado Territory in the wake of the Colorado Gold Rush to ship gold from the mountains, it eventually expanded from its initial... and the Denver, South Park & Pacific Railway. |
| Coronado Railroad | Arizona | 1879 | 1932 | gauge, later gauge |
| Cotton Plant Railroad | Arkansas | 1879 | 1882 | gauge until 1881, to Batesville and Brinkley Railroad |
| Crescent Tramway | Utah | 1883 | 1900 | gauge |
| Denver and Rio Grande Western Railway | Colorado, Utah, New Mexico | 1871 | 1969 | Utah portion standard gauged 1883 |
| Eagles Mere Railroad | Pennsylvania | 1892 | 1928 | |
| Easy and West Railroad of Alabama | Alabama, Georgia | 1871 | 1890 | converted to standard gauge |
| East Broad Top Railroad and Coal Company | Pennsylvania | 1873 | 1956 | |
| East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad The East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad , affectionately called the "Tweetsie" in reference to the sound of its steam whistles, was primarily a railroad established in 1866 for the purpose of serving the mines at Cranberry, North Carolina.The narrow gauge portion of the ET&WNC was... |
Tennessee, North Carolina | 1881 | 1950 | |
| Eureka and Palisade Railroad Eureka and Palisade Railroad The Eureka and Palisade Railroad was a narrow gauge railroad, constructed in 1873-1875 between Palisade and Eureka, Nevada, a distance of approximately... |
Nevada | 1874 | 1938 | |
| Farmville and Powhatan Railroad, later Tidewater and Western Railroad | Virginia | 1882 | 1917 | |
| Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad | Colorado | 1894 | 1915 | |
| Franklin and Megantic Railroad, later Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad The Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad was a narrow gauge common carrier railroad that operated approximately of gauge railroad in Franklin County, Maine.-History:Josiah L... |
Maine | 1884 | 1908 | gauge |
| Fulton County Narrow Gauge Railway | Illinois | 1880 | 1905 | converted to standard gauge |
| Golovin Bay Railroad | Alaska | 1902 | 1906 | |
| Hot Springs Branch Railroad | Arkansas | 1875 | 1889 | converted to standard gauge |
| Kane and Elk Railroad | Pennsylvania | 1896 | 1911 | |
| Kennebec Central Railroad | Maine | 1890 | 1929 | gauge |
| Lancaster, Oxford and Southern Railroad | Pennsylvania | 1873 | 1919 | |
| Lawndale Railway and Industrial Company | North Carolina | 1899 | 1945 | |
| Lewisburg and Buffalo Valley Railroad | Pennsylvania | 1897 | 1906 | |
| Linville River Railway | North Carolina | 1899 | 1913 | sold to East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad |
| Little Cottonwood Transportation Company | Utah | 1910 | 1925 | |
| Magma Arizona Railroad | Arizona | 1914 | 1923 | converted to standard gauge |
| Maryland Central Railroad, later Baltimore and Lehigh Railroad | Maryland, Pennsylvania | 1882 | 1900 | converted to standard gauge; became Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad The Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad , familiarly known as the "Ma and Pa", was an American short-line railroad between York and Hanover, Pennsylvania, formerly operating passenger and freight trains on its original line between York and Baltimore, Maryland, from 1901 until the 1950s... |
| Monson Railroad Monson Railroad The Monson Railroad was a gauge narrow gauge railroad which operated between Monson Junction on the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad and Monson, Maine. The primary purpose of this railroad was to serve several slate mines and finishing houses in Monson... |
Maine | 1883 | 1943 | gauge |
| Montgomery Southern Railway | Alabama | 1882 | 1889 | converted to standard gauge |
| Montrose Railway | Pennsylvania | 1872 | 1903 | converted to standard gauge |
| Morenci Southern Railway | Arizona | 1899 | 1932 | |
| Mount Gretna Narrow Gauge Railway Mount Gretna Narrow Gauge Railway The Mount Gretna Narrow Gauge Railway was a gauge narrow gauge line of the Cornwall and Lebanon Railroad in the state of Pennsylvania that operated between 1889 and 1916... |
Pennsylvania | 1889 | 1915 | gauge |
| Nantucket Railroad Nantucket Railroad The Nantucket Railroad was a gauge narrow gauge railroad on the island of Nantucket. The railroad linked the village of Nantucket with the village of Siasconset. Built in 1881, the line closed in 1917, with the track and rolling stock sent to France as part of the Allied forces of the First World... |
Massachusetts | 1881 | 1917 | |
| Nevada and Oregon Railroad Nevada and Oregon Railroad The Nevada and Oregon Railroad was an American narrow gauge railroad that operated from Reno, Nevada then northwest to the California state line near present day Hallelujah Junction. A portion of the route is part of today's Union Pacific Railroad branch connecting their Feather River mainline... , later Nevada and California Railroad, then Nevada-California-Oregon Railway Nevada-California-Oregon Railway The Nevada–California–Oregon Railway was a narrow gauge railroad originally planned to connect Reno, Nevada to the Columbia River. However, only of track were laid so service never extended beyond Lakeview, Oregon... |
Nevada, California, Oregon | 1882 | 1929 | |
| Nevada Central Railway | Nevada | 1880 | 1938 | |
| Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad The Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad was located in Northern California's Nevada County and Placer County, where it connected with the Central Pacific Railroad. The Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Company incorporated on April 4, 1874, and was headquartered in Grass Valley, California... |
California | 1876 | 1942 | |
| Nevada Short Line Railway Nevada Short Line Railway The Nevada Short Line Railway was a railroad that ran east from Oreana to the silver mining area of Rochester, Nevada. The railway terminated near, but did not connect with, the Southern Pacfiic Railroad in Oreana due to the Nevada Short Line being narrow gauge and the SP being a standard... |
Nevada | 1913 | 1918 | |
| New Berlin and Winfield Railroad | Pennsylvania | 1905 | 1916 | |
| Newport and Shermans Valley Railroad Newport and Shermans Valley Railroad The Newport and Shermans Valley Railroad was a nineteenth century, narrow gauge railroad in Pennsylvania. It ran from Newport, Pennsylvania to New Germantown, Pennsylvania. It carried lumber, and transferred it to the standard gauge Pennsylvania Railroad at Newport... |
Pennsylvania | 1891 | 1934 | |
| North Pacific Coast Railroad North Pacific Coast Railroad The North Pacific Coast Railroad was a common carrier narrow gauge steam railroad begun in 1874 and sold in 1902 to new owners who renamed it the North Shore Railroad and which rebuilt the southern section into a standard gauge electric railroad.The NPC operated in the northern California... , later 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... |
California | 1873 | 1930 | |
| Oahu Railway and Land Company Oahu Railway and Land Company The Oahu Railway and Land Company, or OR&L, was a narrow gauge common carrier railroad that served much of the Hawaiian island of Oahu until its dissolution in 1947.-Origin:... |
Hawaii | 1889 | 1947 | |
| Ohio River and Western Railway | Ohio | 1877 | 1931 | |
| Oregonian Railway Oregonian Railway The Oregonian Railway was a narrow gauge railroad in the Willamette Valley in the U.S. state of Oregon.-History:A group of Scot capitalists formed the Oregonian Railway Company, Limited after purchasing the bankrupt Dayton, Sheridan & Grande Ronde railroad in 1879.The first changes made were to... |
Oregon | 1878 | 1893 | to Southern Pacific; converted to standard gauge |
| Otis Elevating Railway Otis Elevating Railway The Otis Elevating Railway was a cable funicular railroad to the Catskill Mountain House in Palenville, New York. For the first 64 years of its existence, the Catskill Mountain House was accessible only by a long stage coach from Catskill Landing on the Hudson... , later Otis Railway |
New York | 1892 | 1918 | Funicular railway |
| Pajaro Valley Consolidated Railroad | California | 1890 | 1929 | |
| Phillips and Rangeley Railroad Phillips and Rangeley Railroad The Phillips and Rangeley Railroad was a gauge narrow gauge common carrier railroad in the State of Maine.It connected the towns of Phillips and Rangeley and was built to serve the forestry and resort industries of Franklin County. This railroad pioneered the use of large 2-foot gauge rolling... , later Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad The Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad was a narrow gauge common carrier railroad that operated approximately of gauge railroad in Franklin County, Maine.-History:Josiah L... |
Maine | 1890 | 1908 | gauge |
| Pioche Pacific Transportation Company | Nevada | 1891 | 1948 | |
| Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Railroad Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Railroad The Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Railroad was a narrow gauge railroad in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Originally built in 1871, it may have been the first American common carrier narrow gauge railroad. It purchased a rail line called the Coal Hill Coal Railroad from the Pittsburgh Coal... |
Pennsylvania | 1871 | 1909 | 3 in 4 in (1,016 mm) gauge |
| Pittsburgh and Western Railroad | Pennsylvania | 1878 | 1911 | |
| Rio Grande Southern Railroad Rio Grande Southern Railroad The Rio Grande Southern Railroad was a narrow gauge railroad which ran from Durango to Ridgway in the western part of the US state of Colorado... |
Colorado | 1892 | 1951 | |
| Sandy River Railroad Sandy River Railroad The Sandy River Railroad was built to serve the towns of Strong and Phillips in the Sandy River valley upstream of Farmington. The Sandy River Railroad was the first narrow gauge common carrier railroad built in the State of Maine.- History :... , later Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad The Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad was a narrow gauge common carrier railroad that operated approximately of gauge railroad in Franklin County, Maine.-History:Josiah L... |
Maine | 1879 | 1908 | gauge |
| Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad The Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad was a narrow gauge common carrier railroad that operated approximately of gauge railroad in Franklin County, Maine.-History:Josiah L... |
Maine | 1908 | 1935 | gauge |
| Shannon-Arizona Railway | Arizona | 1910 | 1932 | |
| South Pacific Coast Railroad South Pacific Coast Railroad The South Pacific Coast Railroad was a narrow gauge steam railroad running between Santa Cruz, California and Alameda, with a ferry connection in Alameda to San Francisco. The railroad was created as the Santa Clara Valley Railroad, founded by local strawberry growers as a way to get their crops... |
California | 1878 | 1940 | |
| Sumpter Valley Railway Sumpter Valley Railway The Sumpter Valley Railway is a heritage railroad located in Baker County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. Built on a right-of-way used by the original railway of the same name, it carries excursion trains on a roughly route between McEwen and Sumpter. The railroad has two steam locomotives and... |
Oregon | 1891 | 1947 | |
| Susquehanna and Eagles Mere Railroad Susquehanna and Eagles Mere Railroad The Susquehanna and Eagles Mere Railroad was a logging railroad operating from 1902 to 1930 in Sullivan and Lycoming Counties in Pennsylvania in the United States.... |
Pennsylvania | 1902 | 1917 | |
| Talladega and Coosa Valley Railroad | Alabama | 1884 | 1889 | converted to standard gauge |
| Tanana Valley Railroad | Alaska | 1904 | 1930 | |
| Tionesta Valley Railroad | Pennsylvania | 1882 | 1941 | |
| Seaboard Railway of Alabama, later Tombigbee and Northern Railway | Alabama | 1891 | 1904 | converted to standard gauge |
| Tonopah Railroad | Nevada | 1904 | 1905 | converted to standard gauge |
| Tuscarora Valley Railroad Tuscarora Valley Railroad The Tuscarora Valley Railroad was a narrow gauge shortline that operated in central Pennsylvania from 1891 to 1934.-Construction and plans for extension:... |
Pennsylvania | 1893 | 1934 | |
| Tuskegee Railroad | Alabama | 1871 | 1963 | |
| Uintah Railway Uintah Railway The Uintah Railway was a small railroad company in Utah and Colorado in the United States. It operated from 1902 to 1939.-History:The company was founded in 1902 as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Gilson Asphaltum Co. with the sole purpose of building a railroad into the isolated Uintah basin... |
Colorado, Utah | 1904 | 1939 | |
| United Verde and Pacific Railway | Arizona | 1894 | 1920 | |
| Utah & Pleasant Valley | Utah | 1875 | 1881 | |
| Wasatch & Jordan Valley | Utah | 1872 | 1879 | Merged with Bingham Canyon & Camp Floyd, standard gauged 1883 |
| Waynesburg and Washington Railroad Waynesburg and Washington Railroad The Waynesburg and Washington was a narrow gauge line between Washington and Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. It was converted to standard gauge in 1944 and renamed the Waynesburg Secondary. It had steep grades and sharp curves. It had few online industries and was used as an interurban passenger... |
Pennsylvania | 1877 | 1944 | converted to standard gauge |
| White Pass & Yukon Route | Alaska | 1898 | 1982 | |
| Wild Goose Railroad, later Nome Arctic Railroad, then Seward Peninsula Railroad | Alaska | 1900 | 1955 | |
| Wiscasset and Quebec Railroad, later Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway The Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway is a gauge railway which operated from Wiscasset, Maine to Albion and Winslow, Maine. It was operated as a for-profit company from 1895 until 1933... |
Maine | 1895 | 1933 | gauge |
Viewing narrow gauge railroads today
Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum
The Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Company and Museum is located in Portland, Maine, United States. The organization was founded in 1993 and contains a collection of rolling stock and artifacts from the gauge narrow gauge railroads that ran in the state of Maine in the late 19th century and early...
in Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
.
In 1957, the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad
East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad
The East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad , affectionately called the "Tweetsie" in reference to the sound of its steam whistles, was primarily a railroad established in 1866 for the purpose of serving the mines at Cranberry, North Carolina.The narrow gauge portion of the ET&WNC was...
was revived as a tourist attraction under the common name, Tweetsie Railroad
Tweetsie Railroad
Tweetsie Railroad is a family oriented railroad and Wild West theme park located between Boone and Blowing Rock, North Carolina, United States. In addition to a ride aboard an authentic steam locomotive, the park features amusement rides and other attractions geared towards families with...
. It currently runs a three mile (5 km) route near Blowing Rock, North Carolina
Blowing Rock, North Carolina
Blowing Rock is a town in North Carolina, USA, situated in both Caldwell and Watauga counties. The population was 1,418 at the 2000 census. However, during the summer the town's population increases to about 10,000.]]\\...
. Similarly, the East Broad Top Railroad
East Broad Top Railroad
The East Broad Top Railroad and Coal Company is a for-profit heritage railroad headquartered in Rockhill Furnace, Pennsylvania, north of Interstate 76 and south of U.S. Route 22, the William Penn Highway. The railroad operates excursion trains on a seasonal schedule.-History:The East Broad Top...
was revived in 1960 and runs on three miles of original 1873 trackage.
Significant remnants of the Colorado system remain as tourist attractions which run in the summer, including the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad
Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad
The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad is a narrow gauge heritage railroad running between Chama, New Mexico and Antonito, Colorado. It runs over the Cumbres Pass, the highest point on a US passenger railway....
which runs between Antonito, CO in the San Luis Valley
San Luis Valley
The San Luis Valley is an extensive alpine valley in the U.S. states of Colorado and New Mexico covering approximately and sitting at an average elevation of above sea level. The valley sits atop the Rio Grande Rift and is drained to the south by the Rio Grande River, which rises in the San Juan...
and Chama, NM; and the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is a narrow gauge heritage railroad that operates of track between Durango and Silverton, in the US state of Colorado...
which runs in the San Juan Mountains
San Juan Mountains
The San Juan Mountains are a high and rugged mountain range in the Rocky Mountains in southwestern Colorado. The area is highly mineralized and figured in the gold and silver mining industry of early Colorado. Major towns, all old mining camps, include Creede, Lake City, Silverton, Ouray, and...
between its namesake towns of Durango
Durango, Colorado
The City of Durango is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of La Plata County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau said that the city population was 16,887 in 2010 census.-History:...
and Silverton
Silverton, Colorado
The town of Silverton is a Statutory Town that is the county seat of, and the only incorporated municipality in, San Juan County, Colorado, United States. Silverton is a former silver mining camp, most or all of which is now included in a federally designated National Historic Landmark District,...
. Another line is the Georgetown Loop Railroad between Georgetown, Colorado
Georgetown, Colorado
The historic town of Georgetown is a Territorial Charter Municipality that is the county seat of Clear Creek County, Colorado, United States. The former silver mining camp along Clear Creek in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains was established in 1859 during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush...
and Silver Plume, Colorado
Silver Plume, Colorado
The historic Town of Silver Plume is a Statutory Town located in Clear Creek County, Colorado, United States. Silver Plume is a former silver mining camp along Clear Creek in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
in central Colorado. Much equipment from the Colorado narrow gauges is on display at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, Colorado. Many pieces of the D&RGW's narrow gauge equipment was sold off to various other companies upon its abandonement; these can be found on the Ghost Town & Calico Railroad at Knott's Berry Farm
Knott's Berry Farm
Knott's Berry Farm is a theme park in Buena Park, California, now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, and a line of jams, jellies, preserves, and other specialty food, now part of The J. M. Smucker Company based in Placentia, California....
in California, among others. D&RGW 223
D&RGW 223
Denver and Rio Grande Western 223 is one of a class of 28 2-8-0, Consolidation type, narrow gauge steam railway locomotives built for the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad by the Grant Locomotive Works of Paterson, New Jersey in 1881-82. Number 223 was completed in December, 1881, at a cost of $11,553...
, a C-16 steam locomotive, is undergoing restoration at the Utah State Railroad Museum in Ogden, Utah.
Much of the equipment from the Westside Lumber Co. found its way to tourist lines, including the Roaring Camp and Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad
Roaring Camp and Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad
The Roaring Camp & Big Trees Railroad is a narrow gauge tourist railroad in California that starts from the Roaring Camp depot in Felton, California and runs up steep grades to the top of nearby Bear Mountain, a distance of 3.25 miles The travel is through a redwood forest.The steam engines date...
and Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad
Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad
The Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad is a historic narrow gauge railway with two operating steam train locomotives located near Fish Camp, California, in the Sierra National Forest near the southern entrance to Yosemite National Park...
in California and the Midwest Central Railroad
Midwest Central Railroad
The Midwest Central Railroad is a narrow gauge heritage railroad operating on the grounds of the Midwest Old Thresher's Reunion in Mount Pleasant, Iowa....
in Iowa. Additional equipment from the west coast narrow gauges is displayed at the Nevada County Narrow Gauge RR Museum, in Nevada City, CA, and at the Grizzly Flats Railroad, and Laws Depot Museum.