Tidewater Southern Railway
Encyclopedia
The Tidewater Southern Railway was a short line railroad in Central California
in the United States
. For most of its history, it was a subsidiary of the Western Pacific Railroad
. It was originally built as an interurban
system, connecting to the Central California Traction Company, Western Pacific Railroad
, Southern Pacific Railroad
and Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
in Stockton, California
. Its mainline went southeast from Stockton to Escalon, California
and thence to Modesto, California
before splitting into two branches ending at the towns of Turlock and Hilmar. Until the mid-1930s, there were plans to extend the line to Fresno
and even toward the Los Angeles
area. Today, much of the line is still operated by the Union Pacific Railroad
. Of all the former interurban railroads in California, the former Tidewater Southern retains the highest percentage of still operating trackage.
-hauled passenger service. Electrification, using a 1200 VDC overhead system, was completed in 1913, and regular electric car service began on a 2-hour schedule. In addition to passenger service, the railway operated extensive freight service in the area.
In 1916, the railway was extended to Turlock, California
, and in 1917 to Hilmar, California
. The lines to Turlock and Hilmar split at a junction known as Hatch, California. This portion was never electrified and never operated passenger service, being purely for freight. A freight-only branch to Manteca, California
was constructed in 1918. While many references list this branch as being unelectrified, evidence from the TS mechanical department and the Western Pacific's accounting files show that the line did in fact have overhead wire and was operating with electric locomotives.
Most of the stock of the railway was purchased by the Western Pacific Railroad
in 1917, but the WP began influencing TS actions as early as 1913. The railroad was operated as a subsidiary thereafter.
Passenger service was abandoned in 1932 and the railway operated solely as a freight line, with the exception of offering passenger carriage in the line's cabooses. This situation lasted until the 1960s, with the parent company reportedly having forgotten to formally abandon the passenger tariff. The electrification was dismantled after this point except in Modesto, where a city ordinance prohibited the operation of steam locomotives. The railway therefore retained 2.1 miles of electrification within Modesto, and the railway's two steeplecab
electric locomotives. Outside Modesto, all freight traffic was now steam hauled. Additional steam locomotives were borrowed from the Western Pacific when needed. In 1940, a former Sierra Railroad
steam engine was acquired.
Busy traffic during World War II
increased the Tidewater Southern's traffic hugely, and locomotives were borrowed from other roads to handle it, including two Sacramento Northern Railway
box motor
s, several steam locomotives and a number of WP diesel locomotives, the first on the system.
After the war, the acquisition of more diesel locomotives led to the rapid retirement of the railway's electric locomotives and one of the steam locomotives, although steam traction was retained until several bridges were upgraded in the late 1950s to bear the weight of diesel locomotives. TS steamer 132 was the last in operation, probably performing the last revenue steam work on the Western Pacific system in October, 1953. Starting in the mid-1950s the line also added a small fleet of modern freight cars, some of which survived until the early 1980s.
From the late 1960s, the system's independence began to wither as it became more and more operated by Western Pacific locomotives and crews, until it became only a "paper railroad
", nominally a separate corporation but invisibly so in actual operation. Its traffic, however, continued to expand. The construction of several grain silos near Turlock, used to supply animal feed, eventually required long unit trains to bring in the volume of Midwestern grain required to fill them. By the late 1970s, these trains were the main traffic on the line and led to much anger from the city of Modesto, where the mainline ran down the middle of Ninth Street, the major north-south roadway. The last locomotives and cabooses lettered for the TS were retired in late 1976.
While the WP purchased most of the road's stock in 1917, it did not acquire complete control until some time in the 1960s. A small amount of the common stock (around 4%) was owned by private individuals and the road sent letters to them annually reporting on the company's state and finances. The end for the Tidewater Southern as a company came in 1983 when the Union Pacific absorbed the railway's parent Western Pacific Railroad
. Final merger into the UP occurred in 1986, when the TS corporate structure was finally abolished.
Since 1983, the remaining portions of the Tidewater Southern have been the Tidewater Subdivision of the Union Pacific. In 2001, the line on Modesto's Ninth Street was abandoned, severing the railroad in the middle. The Turlock-bound grain trains now bypass the north end of the railroad and enter former TS rails just south of Modesto. The north end is still served by one train 3-4 times a week. The branch to Manteca was abandoned in the early 1990s.
in 1912 and bought new. This roster was unusual in that all were combine cars, each having a freight section. The Tidewater was one of the few interurbans to never roster a "pure" electric passenger car. When extra capacity was needed, passenger trailers were borrowed from the Central California Traction Company.
It also owned two steeplecab electric freight locomotives: one was a stock General Electric
model, while the other was built by the Central California Traction Company from an old flatcar.
Old newspaper reports and company records indicate that Jewett also built an express motor, but no photos of it have come to light publicly.
The road rostered 3 steam locomotives, with one only being used in the earliest days of the line.
Small General Electric diesel switchers replaced the steam and electric locomotives. These were later displaced by larger locomotive made by the American Locomotive Company
. Western Pacific locomotives took over all operations by the mid-1970s.
When traffic was heavy, steam engines and later diesels were borrowed from the Western Pacific Railroad
. Electric freight motors were also borrowed from time to time from sister roads Sacramento Northern Railroad and Central California Traction
until the electrification was abandoned. The TS never owned or operated a maintenance facility for its locomotives and cars. All work on the interurban cars and electric locomotives was performed by the CCT at their shops in Stockton. Repairs on TS steam and diesel locomotives, as well as freight cars and cabooses, were performed by the Western Pacific.
In the 1950s, the railroad built up a sizable fleet of freight cars, mostly insulated boxcars. One series of 25 cars wore a unique herald of a "Cornucopia
" and bore the legend "Serving California's Heartland". This herald was one of the most colorful and complex ever used by an American railroad and is still remembered today. One of these cars is preserved at the Western Pacific Railroad Museum
and its heralds has been restored, although they have been skillfully hand-painted, rather than being decals as in the original paint scheme.
at Rio Vista Jct. WRM volunteers report that restoration of this car is desired, but would be very expensive.
Two of the famous Cornucopia
freight cars are preserved at the Western Pacific Railroad Museum
at Portola
, along with a former Western Pacific bunk car. This car, TS 0565-H, was used as the depot in Escalon for many years after a fire destroyed the original station.
Caboose 305 is preserved in Modesto and will eventually be placed on the former right of way in the northern section of the city, which has now been turned into a linear park.
Several other pieces of equipment also survive:
Only two Tidewater Southern depots survive: the Stockton Hotel in downtown Stockton and the freight depot in Turlock.
Central California
Central California, sometimes referenced as Mid-State, is an area of California south of the San Francisco Bay Area and north of Southern California...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. For most of its history, it was a subsidiary of the Western Pacific Railroad
Western Pacific Railroad
The Western Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was formed in 1903 as an attempt to break the near-monopoly the Southern Pacific Railroad had on rail service into northern California...
. It was originally built as an interurban
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
system, connecting to the Central California Traction Company, Western Pacific Railroad
Western Pacific Railroad
The Western Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was formed in 1903 as an attempt to break the near-monopoly the Southern Pacific Railroad had on rail service into northern California...
, Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
and Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
in Stockton, California
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
. Its mainline went southeast from Stockton to Escalon, California
Escalon, California
Escalon is a city in San Joaquin County, California, United States. The population was 7,132 at the 2010 census, up from 5,963 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
and thence to Modesto, California
Modesto, California
Modesto is a city in, and is the county seat of, Stanislaus County, California. With a population of approximately 201,165 at the 2010 census, Modesto ranks as the 18th largest city in the state of California....
before splitting into two branches ending at the towns of Turlock and Hilmar. Until the mid-1930s, there were plans to extend the line to Fresno
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
and even toward the 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...
area. Today, much of the line is still operated by the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
. Of all the former interurban railroads in California, the former Tidewater Southern retains the highest percentage of still operating trackage.
History
The railway was incorporated in 1910; construction from Stockton began in 1911 and service to Modesto began in 1912 with steam locomotiveSteam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
-hauled passenger service. Electrification, using a 1200 VDC overhead system, was completed in 1913, and regular electric car service began on a 2-hour schedule. In addition to passenger service, the railway operated extensive freight service in the area.
In 1916, the railway was extended to Turlock, California
Turlock, California
Turlock is a city in Stanislaus County, California, United States, part of the Modesto Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 Census, Turlock had a population of 80,549, up from 55,810 at the 2000 census, making it the second-largest city in Stanislaus County.-Geography:Turlock lies in the...
, and in 1917 to Hilmar, California
Hilmar, California
Hilmar-Irwin is a census-designated place in Merced County, California, United States. The population was 5,197 at the 2010 census, up from 4,807 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
. The lines to Turlock and Hilmar split at a junction known as Hatch, California. This portion was never electrified and never operated passenger service, being purely for freight. A freight-only branch to Manteca, California
Manteca, California
Manteca is a city in , USA. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 67,096.- History :Manteca is a city in the Central Valley of California, 76 miles east of San Francisco. It was founded in 1861 by Joshua Cowell. Cowell claimed around and built houses on what is now the corner of Main...
was constructed in 1918. While many references list this branch as being unelectrified, evidence from the TS mechanical department and the Western Pacific's accounting files show that the line did in fact have overhead wire and was operating with electric locomotives.
Most of the stock of the railway was purchased by the Western Pacific Railroad
Western Pacific Railroad
The Western Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was formed in 1903 as an attempt to break the near-monopoly the Southern Pacific Railroad had on rail service into northern California...
in 1917, but the WP began influencing TS actions as early as 1913. The railroad was operated as a subsidiary thereafter.
Passenger service was abandoned in 1932 and the railway operated solely as a freight line, with the exception of offering passenger carriage in the line's cabooses. This situation lasted until the 1960s, with the parent company reportedly having forgotten to formally abandon the passenger tariff. The electrification was dismantled after this point except in Modesto, where a city ordinance prohibited the operation of steam locomotives. The railway therefore retained 2.1 miles of electrification within Modesto, and the railway's two steeplecab
Steeplecab
In railroad terminology, a steeplecab is a style or design of electric locomotive; the term is rarely if ever used for other forms of power...
electric locomotives. Outside Modesto, all freight traffic was now steam hauled. Additional steam locomotives were borrowed from the Western Pacific when needed. In 1940, a former Sierra Railroad
Sierra Railroad
The Sierra Railroad Company a privately owned common carrier which has a freight division which handles all track maintenance and freight operations for all branches owned by the Sierra Railroad Company...
steam engine was acquired.
Busy traffic during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
increased the Tidewater Southern's traffic hugely, and locomotives were borrowed from other roads to handle it, including two Sacramento Northern Railway
Sacramento Northern Railway
←The Sacramento Northern Railway was originally a electric interurban railway linking Chico in northern California to the California capitol of Sacramento The original name of the line was the Chico Electric Railway, or CERY. CERY was sold after a few months of operation to the Northern Electric...
box motor
Box motor
A box motor, in railroad terminology, is a self-propelled boxcar, normally powered by electricity and running on an interurban railway or a streetcar line. Many box motors were converted from passenger cars on the systems that ran them, with the seats and most of the windows removed and large...
s, several steam locomotives and a number of WP diesel locomotives, the first on the system.
From the late 1960s, the system's independence began to wither as it became more and more operated by Western Pacific locomotives and crews, until it became only a "paper railroad
Paper railroad
In the United States, a paper railroad is a company in the railroad business which exists "on paper only": as a legal entity which does not own any track, locomotives, or rolling stock. Frequently, paper railroads were set up as subsidiaries by larger parent railroads, or formerly existed and...
", nominally a separate corporation but invisibly so in actual operation. Its traffic, however, continued to expand. The construction of several grain silos near Turlock, used to supply animal feed, eventually required long unit trains to bring in the volume of Midwestern grain required to fill them. By the late 1970s, these trains were the main traffic on the line and led to much anger from the city of Modesto, where the mainline ran down the middle of Ninth Street, the major north-south roadway. The last locomotives and cabooses lettered for the TS were retired in late 1976.
While the WP purchased most of the road's stock in 1917, it did not acquire complete control until some time in the 1960s. A small amount of the common stock (around 4%) was owned by private individuals and the road sent letters to them annually reporting on the company's state and finances. The end for the Tidewater Southern as a company came in 1983 when the Union Pacific absorbed the railway's parent Western Pacific Railroad
Western Pacific Railroad
The Western Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was formed in 1903 as an attempt to break the near-monopoly the Southern Pacific Railroad had on rail service into northern California...
. Final merger into the UP occurred in 1986, when the TS corporate structure was finally abolished.
Since 1983, the remaining portions of the Tidewater Southern have been the Tidewater Subdivision of the Union Pacific. In 2001, the line on Modesto's Ninth Street was abandoned, severing the railroad in the middle. The Turlock-bound grain trains now bypass the north end of the railroad and enter former TS rails just south of Modesto. The north end is still served by one train 3-4 times a week. The branch to Manteca was abandoned in the early 1990s.
Equipment
The Tidewater Southern only ever owned three interurban electric passenger cars; all were built by the Jewett Car CompanyJewett Car Company
The Jewett Car Company was an early 20th century American industrial company that manufactured street cars.The company was founded in 1893 in Jewett, Ohio, where its first factory was located. In 1904, the company relocated from Jewett to a site along South Williams Street in Newark, Ohio, but...
in 1912 and bought new. This roster was unusual in that all were combine cars, each having a freight section. The Tidewater was one of the few interurbans to never roster a "pure" electric passenger car. When extra capacity was needed, passenger trailers were borrowed from the Central California Traction Company.
It also owned two steeplecab electric freight locomotives: one was a stock General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
model, while the other was built by the Central California Traction Company from an old flatcar.
Old newspaper reports and company records indicate that Jewett also built an express motor, but no photos of it have come to light publicly.
The road rostered 3 steam locomotives, with one only being used in the earliest days of the line.
Small General Electric diesel switchers replaced the steam and electric locomotives. These were later displaced by larger locomotive made by the American Locomotive Company
American Locomotive Company
The American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States.-Early history:...
. Western Pacific locomotives took over all operations by the mid-1970s.
Tidewater Southern locomotive roster
| Builder | Type | Locomotive Numbers | Built | Years of Service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Pacific Railroad Central Pacific Railroad The Central Pacific Railroad is the former name of the railroad network built between California and Utah, USA that formed part of the "First Transcontinental Railroad" in North America. It is now part of the Union Pacific Railroad. Many 19th century national proposals to build a transcontinental... |
2-6-2 2-6-2 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-6-2 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels, six coupled driving wheels and two trailing wheels.Other equivalent classifications are:... T |
1 (first 1) | 1882 | 1912–1917 | Used in construction and earliest operations. |
| Rome Locomotive Works | 4-6-0 4-6-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. This wheel arrangement became the second-most popular... |
1 (second 1) | 1891 | 1918–1946 | Former Denver and Rio Grande Railroad, former Western Pacific Western Pacific Railroad The Western Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was formed in 1903 as an attempt to break the near-monopoly the Southern Pacific Railroad had on rail service into northern California... . |
| Baldwin Locomotive Works Baldwin Locomotive Works The Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of... |
2-6-2 | 132 (renumbered from 32) | 1923 | 1940–1953 | Last revenue steam locomotive on Western Pacific system. |
| Central Cal Traction | steeplecab electric Steeplecab In railroad terminology, a steeplecab is a style or design of electric locomotive; the term is rarely if ever used for other forms of power... |
100 | 1912 | 1914–1948 | Built from a flatcar. |
| General Electric General Electric General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States... |
steeplecab electric | 106 | 1921 | 1921–1948 | Sold to Sacramento Northern Railway Sacramento Northern Railway ←The Sacramento Northern Railway was originally a electric interurban railway linking Chico in northern California to the California capitol of Sacramento The original name of the line was the Chico Electric Railway, or CERY. CERY was sold after a few months of operation to the Northern Electric... , retired and scrapped 1957. |
| General Electric | 44 ton GE 44-ton switcher The GE 44-ton switcher is a 4-axle diesel locomotive built by General Electric between 1940 and 1956. It was designed for industrial and light switching duties, often replacing steam locomotives that had previously been assigned these chores... |
135 (renumbered 735) | 1946 | 1946–1967 | Donated to Feather River Rail Society by A&K Railroad Materials in 2008. |
| General Electric | 70 ton GE 70-ton switcher The GE 70-ton switcher is a 4-axle diesel locomotive built by General Electric between about 1942 and 1955. It is classified as a B-B type locomotive. The first series of "70 tonners" were a group of seven center cab locomotives built for the New York Central Railroad in November, 1942. These... |
141 (renumbered 741) | 1948 | 1948–1964 | |
| General Electric | 70 ton | 142 (renumbered 742) | 1948 | 1948–1967 | |
| General Electric | 70 ton | 743 | 1953 | 1953–1968 | Currently owned by Dakota Southern Railway Dakota Southern Railway The Dakota Southern Railway is a railway that runs between Kadoka, South Dakota and Mitchell, South Dakota. It connects with the BNSF Railway in Mitchell.-History:... . |
| American Locomotive Company American Locomotive Company The American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States.-Early history:... |
S2 ALCO S-2 and S-4 The ALCO S2 and S4 were switcher diesel locomotives produced by ALCO and Canadian licensee Montreal Locomotive Works . Basically, the two locomotives differed only in trucks, with the S-2 using ALCO's own Blunt trucks, and the S-4 riding on standard AAR type A switcher trucks. Both were powered... |
744 (first 744) | 1949 | 1967–1969 | Ex-Missouri Pacific Railroad Missouri Pacific Railroad The Missouri Pacific Railroad , also known as the MoPac, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River. MoPac was a Class I railroad growing from dozens of predecessors and mergers, including the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway , Texas and Pacific... . Traded to Western Pacific Railroad Western Pacific Railroad The Western Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was formed in 1903 as an attempt to break the near-monopoly the Southern Pacific Railroad had on rail service into northern California... for second 744. |
| American Locomotive Company | S2 | 744 (second 744) | 1943 | 1969–1970 | Ex-Western Pacific. |
| American Locomotive Company | S2 | 745 (first 745) | 1943 | 1967–1970 | Ex-Missouri Pacific. Traded to Western Pacific for second 745. |
| American Locomotive Company | S2 | 745 (second 745) | 1943 | 1970–1976 | Ex-Western Pacific. Last locomotive owned by the railroad. |
| American Locomotive Company | RS1 ALCO RS-1 The ALCO RS-1 was a 4-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by Alco-GE between 1941 and 1953 and the American Locomotive Company from 1953 to 1960. This model has the distinction of having the longest production run of any diesel locomotive for the North American market.The carbody configuration of... |
746 | 1949 | 1970–1976 | Ex-Spokane International Railway. Retired and sold to Central California Traction Company. |
| American Locomotive Company | RS1 | 747 | 1949 | 1970–1975 | Ex-Spokane International. Retired and scrapped. |
When traffic was heavy, steam engines and later diesels were borrowed from the Western Pacific Railroad
Western Pacific Railroad
The Western Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was formed in 1903 as an attempt to break the near-monopoly the Southern Pacific Railroad had on rail service into northern California...
. Electric freight motors were also borrowed from time to time from sister roads Sacramento Northern Railroad and Central California Traction
Central California Traction
The Central California Traction Company is a Class III short-line railroad operating in Northern California. It is owned jointly by the Union Pacific and BNSF Railway. The railroad extends from the Port of Stockton to Lodi, California...
until the electrification was abandoned. The TS never owned or operated a maintenance facility for its locomotives and cars. All work on the interurban cars and electric locomotives was performed by the CCT at their shops in Stockton. Repairs on TS steam and diesel locomotives, as well as freight cars and cabooses, were performed by the Western Pacific.
In the 1950s, the railroad built up a sizable fleet of freight cars, mostly insulated boxcars. One series of 25 cars wore a unique herald of a "Cornucopia
Cornucopia
The cornucopia or horn of plenty is a symbol of abundance and nourishment, commonly a large horn-shaped container overflowing with produce, flowers, nuts, other edibles, or wealth in some form...
" and bore the legend "Serving California's Heartland". This herald was one of the most colorful and complex ever used by an American railroad and is still remembered today. One of these cars is preserved at the Western Pacific Railroad Museum
Western Pacific Railroad Museum
The Western Pacific Railroad Museum in Portola, California, formerly known as the Portola Railroad Museum before , is a heritage railroad that preserves and operates historic American railroad equipment. The museum's mission is to preserve the history of the Western Pacific Railroad and is...
and its heralds has been restored, although they have been skillfully hand-painted, rather than being decals as in the original paint scheme.
Preservation and survivors
TS interurban car 200 is stored indoors, unrestored at the Western Railway MuseumWestern Railway Museum
The Western Railway Museum, in Solano County, California is located on Highway 12 between Rio Vista and Suisun. The museum is built along the former mainline of theSacramento Northern Railway...
at Rio Vista Jct. WRM volunteers report that restoration of this car is desired, but would be very expensive.
Two of the famous Cornucopia
Cornucopia
The cornucopia or horn of plenty is a symbol of abundance and nourishment, commonly a large horn-shaped container overflowing with produce, flowers, nuts, other edibles, or wealth in some form...
freight cars are preserved at the Western Pacific Railroad Museum
Western Pacific Railroad Museum
The Western Pacific Railroad Museum in Portola, California, formerly known as the Portola Railroad Museum before , is a heritage railroad that preserves and operates historic American railroad equipment. The museum's mission is to preserve the history of the Western Pacific Railroad and is...
at Portola
Portola
Portola may refer to:Music* Portola, a 1998 album by Rose MelbergPeople* Gaspar de Portolà , Spanish soldier, first governor of the Californias , explorer and founder of San Diego and MontereyPlaces...
, along with a former Western Pacific bunk car. This car, TS 0565-H, was used as the depot in Escalon for many years after a fire destroyed the original station.
Caboose 305 is preserved in Modesto and will eventually be placed on the former right of way in the northern section of the city, which has now been turned into a linear park.
Several other pieces of equipment also survive:
- Interurban car 202 is built into part of a barn on private property near Turlock, CaliforniaTurlock, CaliforniaTurlock is a city in Stanislaus County, California, United States, part of the Modesto Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 Census, Turlock had a population of 80,549, up from 55,810 at the 2000 census, making it the second-largest city in Stanislaus County.-Geography:Turlock lies in the...
.
- Caboose 307 is a private residence in Oakland, CaliforniaOakland, CaliforniaOakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
.
- Caboose 308 is privately owned and fully restored in Modesto.
- A boxcar sits in an industrial yard in Beckwourth, CaliforniaBeckwourth, CaliforniaBeckwourth is a census-designated place in Plumas County, California, United States. Beckwourth is located on the Middle Fork Feather River east of Portola...
.
- Locomotive 735 has been donated to the Western Pacific Railroad MuseumWestern Pacific Railroad MuseumThe Western Pacific Railroad Museum in Portola, California, formerly known as the Portola Railroad Museum before , is a heritage railroad that preserves and operates historic American railroad equipment. The museum's mission is to preserve the history of the Western Pacific Railroad and is...
at Portola, CA.
- Locomotive 743 operates in South DakotaSouth DakotaSouth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
.
- Locomotive 745 was derelict for many years in Stockton before being scrapped in early 2008.
- Locomotive 746 is privately owned and derelict in Willits, CaliforniaWillits, CaliforniaWillits is a city in Mendocino County, California, United States. Willits is located north-northwest of Ukiah, at an elevation of 1391 feet . The population was 4,888 at the 2010 census, down from 5,073 at the 2000 census. Willits is at the center of Mendocino County and its redwood forests...
.
Only two Tidewater Southern depots survive: the Stockton Hotel in downtown Stockton and the freight depot in Turlock.