San Joaquin Valley and Yosemite Railroad

San Joaquin Valley and Yosemite Railroad
Overview
Parent companySouthern Pacific Company
LocaleBerenda, California and Raymond, California area
Dates of operationFebruary 15, 1886–1956
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Length21 miles (34 km)

The San Joaquin Valley and Yosemite Railroad, operational from 1886 to 1888, was a pioneering route providing the earliest rail access to Yosemite Valley. This short-lived line laid the groundwork for subsequent transportation developments in the region.

History

Main article: History of the Yosemite area § Transportation

Incorporation and Early Operations

The railroad was officially established by the Southern Pacific Company on February 15, 1886. It spanned a 21 miles (34 km) stretch from Berenda to Raymond, California.[1] On May 14, 1888, the San Joaquin Valley and Yosemite Railroad merged into the Southern Pacific Railroad.[2] During its time, the line was an essential component of the Southern Pacific's expanding network, enhancing access to California's interior.

Route to Yosemite

The railroad offered an innovative travel option for visitors to Yosemite, connecting with stagecoaches at Raymond for the 60 miles (97 km) onward journey to the park. From 1887, this service allowed for an integrated travel experience from major cities such as San Francisco and Los Angeles, combining rail and stagecoach travel to reach Yosemite Valley.[citation needed]

Decline and abandonment

The introduction of the more direct Yosemite Valley Railroad in 1907 made the San Joaquin Valley and Yosemite obsolete. Despite the construction of a 2.3-mile spur from Knowles Junction to Knowles in 1890, the envisioned 20 miles (32 km) extension to Yosemite never came to fruition.[3] By 1942, the track east of Daulton was abandoned, followed by the section between Berenda and Daulton in 1956.[citation needed]

The final years saw the line's reduction to freight service for the Raymond granite quarry and small farms along the route, leading to its complete abandonment and dismantlement by 1956. A notable end to the line's history was marked by a railfan excursion organized by the California-Nevada Railroad Historical Society on March 27, 1955, celebrating the once vital route to Yosemite's wonders.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ "The Railroad to the Yosemite". Los Angeles Herald. Vol. 24, no. 152. 24 February 1886. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
  2. ^ "Another Consolidation". Sacramento Daily Union. Vol. 59, no. 70. 15 May 1888. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
  3. ^ Dunscomb, Guy. A Century of Southern Pacific Steam Locomotives.
  4. ^ "The First Rail Route to the Yosemite Valley: Southern Pacific's Raymond Branch". The Western Railroader. 35 (1). January 1972.