1873 

Samuel S. Montague

The Southern Pacific Railroad surveyed the region to build its newest subsidiary railroad. The  C.P.'s Chief Engineer, Samuel Montague planned to bring the rails through the City of Yreka, which would have assured the continued growth and prosperity of the city.

1883

Samuel Montague died and the Southern Pacific Railroad engineers decided to resurvey the Shasta Valley for a less expensive route. A township was established by the S.P.R.R., which they named Montague, in honor of Samuel Montague.

1886-1887

The Southern Pacific Railroad stunned the citizens of Yreka by announcing their decision to bypass their city. The people of Yreka were not at all satisfied with being left off the railroad and decided to build their own. The first effort was the securement of subscriptions to the extent of about $75,000. Without perfecting an organization, an assessment of one per cent was levied on the subscriptions to make a survey. They had Palmer & Storey, San Francisco engineers, make a survey in April, 1887, from Yreka to Julien's (a couple of miles north of Montague) for their proposed Yreka Branch Railroad. Though this was a level ten mile route, it would require the expense of building and maintaining a depot at Julien's, so this route was abandoned. Another effort was made to bond the town for building a railroad over the shorter but hillier route to Montague and an election was held on August 27, 1887, to incur an indebtedness in the sum of $85,000. The result of the election was almost unanimous in favor of the undertaking, there being only four "No" votes cast. When the vote counting was finished and the result announced, enthusiasm ran high. Bells were rung, cannon boomed, the band headed a long torchlight procession and the joyful demonstration rode far into the night. Unfortunately, the bonds didn't sell because a southern California boom made money scarce.

 1888

 Engine  #1 at old Yreka depot woodshed.

The next move was on the original plan of a stock corporation and a meeting was held on April 24, 1888, at the No.1 fire engine house in Yreka. The Yreka Railroad was organized with a capital stock of $100,000 - 4000 shares at $25 per share, and Jerome Churchill, J. M. Walbridge, H. B. Gillis, Charles Iunker, and F. A. Autenrieth were elected as directors. The company was officially incorporated on May 28, 1888, with Jerome Churchill as president. The contract for construction of the railroad was let to A. J. Gillis and work got under way the middle of August. The rail, rolling stock and an engine were ordered, with W. N. Dale's sawmill near Igurna furnishing the 20,000 ties needed. Tools and apparatus had arrived and boarding houses were built for the workers. The timbers for the trestles and bridges, and a large number of ties had been delivered at Montague. A large number of teams had been engaged to haul theJ timbers and ties, and to assist in hauling dirt for leveling and filling in the railroad grade. In early September, the work was being crowded along, the plows, scrapers, dump carts and other equipment being all new, it was expected to be finished to Shasta River in a day or two. The first rails, of which 520 tons had been ordered, had left New Construction began on the Yreka Railroad using 20,000 ties and 40 pound rail. The first rails were laid westward from Montague on November 26th and reached the Shasta River one week later, a distance of approximately 3.6 miles. At about the same time, seventy men and twenty-eight teams were working feverishly to grade the railroad's right of-way from Yreka, over Butcher Hill and down to the Shasta River. A wooden trestle was built over the Shasta River. Rails were laid into Yreka where they crossed Yreka Creek by way of another wooden trestle.

1889

  Yreka Western depot   #1 "Old Betsy"  # 2

The railroad was officially opened for traffic on Wednesday, January 9, 1889, and the passenger train was eported behind time in getting started by trouble with the brakes, but made a lively trip after getting off. On the following Sunday, two excursion trains were run in addition to the regular passenger train. It was expected to easily make the trip in 15 minutes with the completion of the ballasting, and the fare was set at 50 cents one way and 75 cents round trip. With the completion of the railroad, the men employed on the construction were discharged and on receiving their pay, some of them tested Yreka benzine quite freely, to ascertain how it compared with the Montague dynamite. The Journal's rFPort on the railroad was that the up grade from Yreka to China graveyard was 116 feet to the mile. From this point around Butcher Hill to Mrs. Smith's ranch was down grade 116 feet, from this to near Shasta River the grade was 80 feet, with 116 feet within a mile to the bridge and less than 100 feet from the bridge to Montague. The railroad was 7.9 miles long and laid with 40 pound rail. The depot and yards were located at Main and Second Streets (in later years it was moved to the present site at the east end of Miner Street to make room for Highway 99 which cuts through the old depot grounds). The cost of construction and equipment overshot the original estimate and was about $110,000. On the morning of July 19, a fire broke out in the Fiock Hotel and the Yreka Fire Department received a frantic appeal for help. The fire fighting apparatus was loaded on flat cars and in 13 minutes arrived in Montague, but unfortunately arrived too late to save the large two-story frame building. The anticipated returns were slow in developing, wliich together with the damage inflicted in the snow winter of 1889-90, when attendant freshets in Yreka Creek washed away the grade for a long distance on the east side and greatly damaged the bridge approaching town, made a rather gloomy outlook for the stockholders. From the very inception of the railroad, the people of Scott Valley, to the west, had not only been in sympathy with its building, but many had purchased stock in the hope that it would be extended to Fort Jones and Etna in the valley.

1904

On May 6, a "railroad" meeting was held at Etna and on the following evening at Fort Jones, for the purpose of organizing a railroad company, with a capital of $100,000, to aid the construction of a railroad from Yreka through Scott Valley to Etna to be known as the Yreka & Pacific Railroad. Engineers estimated that it would cost approximately $1,000,000 to build the 42 miles of railroad with a maximum grade of two per cent. The high cost of construction was more than the people of the valley could raise, so no more was done about it.

 In 1905, a special circus train pulled into Yreka, and after a fine performance, the special was loaded with all circus belongings and the cars coupled up into one long train instead of splitting it into two for the heavy pull out of town. Rough handling by the engineer in jerking the long load, spread the light rails and derailed several cars, one loaded with wild beasts. It cost the railroad $2500 in damages.  It was reported that exotic animals were seen wandering the streets of Yreka shortly after.

The firm of Scott & Van Arsdale of San Francisco became interested in the Yreka Railroad and purchased it in April, 1906, taking over Patronage was slow to develop for the first few years.

1910

 After a flood at Yreka Creek

This year the management of the railroad decided to move the station to a location east of Yreka Creek to avoid the flooding problems. The station was built where it stands to this day and has the same appearance as the original depot.

1915

There were plans to expand the rails west into the Scott Valley and eventually to Happy Camp resulting in the railroad to change its name to the Yreka Western Railroad. However, mass production of low-cost automobiles had a negative impact on the Yreka Railroad. More and more households used the automobile to travel over primitive roadways to Montague or other points north and south of Yreka, destroying passenger revenues. The Yreka Western fell into fiscal crisis and the railroad became virtually inoperable due to long-term lack of track maintenance. The plan to expand west was abandoned.

1928

The Yreka Western Railroad was sold to the Klamath River Holding Company. Once again, the plan to expand the rails westward via Scott Valley to the Gray Eagle Copper Mine in Happy Camp was proposed. The expansion and upgrading of the existing line was estimated to have a cost factor of approximately $10,000,000.

Transfer of ownership of the railroad was completed on June 19th. The condition of the roadbed had deteriorated to a point where the railcars transporting shipper’s goods would more frequently derail than make it safely to the Montague exchange. Shippers began to desert the railroad in favor of shipping by trucks.

The California Railroad Commission approved application for bonds to repair the railroad on December 8th.

The route of the planned westward expansion was surveyed during the entire summer.

1929

The stock market crash and an ICC examiner's ruling that there was no economic justification for the extension west, ended the Yreka Western's second attempt to extend its rails into Scott Valley.

The great depression had a dire effect on the amount of freight and passengers. The track fell into a state of disrepair. Train crews felt that it was a major achievement if they made it to Montague and back to Yreka without derailing.

1935

 Engine # 9

The Yreka Western Railroad was placed into receivership and managed by Mr. O.J. Steele. Mr. Steele paid over $32,000 in debts and rebuilt the track, replacing the original 40 pound rail with 75 pound rail.

1940's

 YWRR's only Shay #94 1945  Engine # 7  Engine # 8

Yreka prospered with the construction of many lumber mills in the area. The Yreka Western Railroad built spurs to the mills to service their shipping needs. The railroad became profitable again. Receivership was terminated on September 30th, 1948.

1954

 #19  #18

The Yreka Western Railroad purchased two 2-8-2 Baldwin steam locomotives from the McCloud River Railroad, #18 and #19.

1956

 The old Yreka engine house.

The Yreka Western was sold at auction for $141,000 to Mr. Willis B. Kyle.

1958

The Yreka Western Railroad purchased its first diesel locomotive to help handle the freight produced by 13 saw mills in the area, from Bamburger Railroad. That locomotive was an EMD SW-8 and was given the number of 602. The two steam locomotives that remained on the roster, (#18 and #19) were put on standby status.

1960

Steam excursions trains using #18 and #19 were established. The two locomotives ran double headed until #18 blew a steam cylinder head in 1967.

It was in this year the flying goose logo was established, inspired over cocktails during a party by a mountain located east of Yreka called Goose Nest Mountain and Mr. Willis' blue painted private business car.

1970

Number 19 was sent, under a lease agreement, to operate an excursion train on the Oregon Pacific & Eastern located at Cottage Grove, Oregon.

1973 

Number 19 becomes a movie star, as the train in Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation's, “Emperor of the North”, starring Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine.

1980's

Environmental issues caused a general decline in the supply of forest products from the region. In turn, that decline caused the closure of many of the mills served by the Yreka Western Railroad. Accordingly, the closure of mills greatly reduced the freight revenue from 2,500 cars in 1979 to only 324 cars in 1986.

There were rumors that the owner of the railroad would apply for abandonment. City officials convinced the owner of Kyle Railroads to begin an excursion train. The City of Yreka subsidized the operation for several years. The excursion train was pulled by Y.W.R.R. diesel number 21. That operation saw 3,500 people riding the train on the first year.

1986

Once again, Hollywood came calling and # 19 was cast in a supporting role as the train in Columbia Pictures, “Stand By Me”, directed by Rob Reiner.

1988

Number 19 was returned to the Yreka Western Railroad after the sale of the Oregon Pacific & Eastern in 1988. Number 19 had her boiler refurbished and began pulling the "Blue Goose" steam excursion train to Montague in the spring of 1989.

1990's

After the death of Mr. Kyle, the short line railroad empire acquired by Kyle over the years went to his business partner, Mr. Lynn Cecil.

One of the two remaining lumber mills in Yreka closed in 1998 leaving only one customer to be serviced by the railroad. This left the railroad in question of sustaining profitability.

Mr. Cecil decided that it was time to retire after working in the railroad business for over 30 years. Earlier, he had put all of his short line railroads up for sale. All but the Yreka Western sold.

1999

Mr. Cecil applied for abandonment of the Yreka Western Railroad. The sole mill left in the Shasta Valley serviced by the Y.W.R.R. filed a motion to keep the railroad operational. That motion was given a temporary stay. The railroad was again offered for sale.

Engine #18 was sold to the McCloud Railroad, her original home in McCloud, California. The McCRR planned to completely recondition and restore the locomotive for excursions on their line.

A group of citizens who were concerned that a major part of local history was about to be lost forever organized and formed what came to be known as "The Committee to Save The Blue Goose." The committee gathered donations from young and old alike, in an attempt to purchase the railroad and keep the Blue Goose rolling for future generations.

The efforts of the Save the Blue Goose Committee, enthusiasm of the people of Siskiyou County, and others who donated money to save the railroad from abandonment caught the eye of the administration of the Rocky Mountain Mining & Railway Museum of Denver, Colorado. This group immediately began to study the feasibility of purchasing the Yreka Western RR.

2000

On January 14, 2000 the Yreka Western Railroad was purchased by The Rocky Mountain Mining & Railway Museum, a non-profit 501 (C) (3)corporation. The new management and ownership brought a renewed effort to restore and enhance the operations of the Yreka Western Railroad and the Blue Goose Steam Train. With the cooperation of the City of Yreka, Save the Blue Goose Committee and countless other business and private individuals, the shortline railroad was on a new track and a bright future.

The first season saw ridership on the Blue Goose Steam Train in excess of 15,000 passengers. The Freight operations had negotiated a new shipping contract with the YWR’s largest shipper, Timber Products Company. A new spur was constructed and shipment of veneer wood products began. In addition to the existing wood chip movement, freight carloads exceed 2000 for the first time in 25 years on the YWR. A new Master Plan and Enhancement study was conducted to evaluate the assets and revenue potential of the short line as well restoration of its history building and rolling stock.

2001

Engine #19 continued to thrill its passengers and perform well, despite the fact that the locomotive had been in continuous use for the last decade. A new diesel #244, an ALCO MRS-1 from the Portola Railroad Museum was added to the YWR locomotive roster. During the 2001 season, #19 had some much needed work performed on its running gear and continued to pull the Blue Goose Passenger train for the 2001 excursion season.

2002

 #244 hauling freight.

Fresh from its winter maintenance program and repairs, Engine #19 ran the 2002 season and June 18, was pressed into Freight Service, while SW-8 #21 was done with prime mover repairs. Engine #244, was still waiting shipment to Yreka while loaded on a flat car in Portola CA. The Rocky Mountain Railway and Mining Museum management received the final draft of the Yreka Western Railroad Enhancement study, and immediately being to implement the first stages of the improvements outline in the study. The repainting of the depot in traditional yellow and brown in 2001 had already put a new face on the Yreka Western property. Fresh coats of paint and new lettering were applied to all passenger cars. The Museum began its application for a $25,000.00 Forest Service Stabilization Grant. Site improvement in both the Yreka and Montague stations with new signage and updated vegetation did much to improve the appearance and reduce the dusty summer conditions.

2003

In accordance with new F.R.A. regulations regarding inspection and maintained of steam engines, #19 was scheduled for an extensive rehabilitation during the 2003-2004 off season, such as re-tubing the boiler and replacement of stay bolts. The Forest Service Grant and other donations are expected to cover most of the costs of these repairs. The railroad's SW-8 # 21 did the honors of pulling some of the summer passenger trains

2004

In November of 2003, a fire was started by an unknown source in Tunnel #13 on the Siskiyou of the Central Oregon & Pacific RR, (CORP). The fire caused major damage to support beams within the bore, resulting in numerous cave-ins inside the 3,100 foot long tunnel. This fire had an effect on the YWRR in a reduction of shipments of the veneer wood products to Medford, OR. The wood chip movement continued south to Black Butte, CA.

Operation of the Blue Goose steam excursion train were cancelled for the 2004 season. The CORP and Union Pacific Railroad,  owner of  the tunnel, continued repairs on this vital north-south rail line.

The Yreka Western experienced  several threatening situations during its history, and has earned the title, "The Little Railroad That Refuses to Die." With the dedicated efforts of the Trustees of the Rocky Mountain Railway and Mining Museum, the City of Yreka, and the support of Siskiyou County, the legacy of this historic short line railroad would continue.

2005

 #19 awaiting boiler restoration. 

 On 4 January, the Yreka Western Railroad found itself facing temporary receivership status for the 3rd time in its 115 year history. This time it was a scheme of fraud and embezzlement, uncovered by the Trustees of the RMRMM, concocted by the General Manager of the YWR and various crooked accomplices.  Greed and fraud had followed the little railroad, but again, as in its past, the Yreka Western Railroad not only survived, but experience a rebirth and prosperity.

The CORP tunnel opened in March of 2005 and carloads of veneer wood product resumed their journey over the Siskiyou Summit into Medford OR. As a matter of record, freight carloads rebounded to those seen in 2000 and 2001. The YWR was back on track. Now the Museum Trustees turned their attention to the revival of the Blue Goose Steam Train Excursions.

18 August, 2005: The Siskiyou County Superior Court dissolved the Receivership and determined the Yreka Western RR and all of its assets were owned by the Rocky Mountain Railroad and Mining Museum. With the guidance and persistence of Mr. Court Hammond, President of the YWR, the support of the Museum Trustees, Mr. John Knapp and Mr. Les Retherford, work was already under way for upgrades and repair s to the  track, rolling stock and other vital infrastructures.

The long awaited restoration of # 19 begins in preparation of the 2006 tourist season.

2006

 #19 2006.  Yreka Western Depot.   The Great Northern car.

June 2006, Yreka Western Railroad resumed tourist operations. This marked the end to a three year hiatus in the servicing of tourist passengers for the historic railroad. WELCOME BACK #19!