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Santa Maria Valley Railroad
Overview
Headquarters	Santa Maria, California
Reporting mark	SMV
Locale	Santa Barbara County, California
Dates of operation	1911–present
Technical
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Other
Website	www.smvrr.com

The Santa Maria Valley Railroad (reporting mark SMV) is a 14.8 miles (23.8 km) shortline railroad that interchanges with the Union Pacific Railroad's (former Southern Pacific) Coast Line at Guadalupe, California. As of 2006, the Railroad is owned by the Coast Belle Rail Corporation.

Traffic

The TRC handles 2,000 cars annually (1996 estimate). Commodities hauled include:

Asphalt
Fertilizer
Fresh and Frozen Food products
Gypsum wallboard
Lumber
Machinery
Petroleum Products
Plastic
Scrap iron

Prior traffic included:

Beer
Sugar and Sugar beets

Passenger Service

Special passenger service was only offered during World War II on the Air Base branch to transport military personnel to the Santa Maria Army Air Base for training. The Air Base branch was constructed in 1943. Excursions were offered for the first time on the SMVRR in November 2006, continuing into 2007.

History

The SMV was incorporated on July 14, 1911 as the Santa Maria Valley Railway at Los Angeles, California with A. A. Dougherty listed as President.^[1]

The first 3.26 miles (5.25 km) of track, from the Southern Pacific connection at Guadalupe to Betteravia Junction, was actually built by the SP in August 1899 to get to a sugar mill. The SP leased the track to the SMV years later. From Betteravia the SMV built to Santa Maria and on to Roadamite. The SMV also had branches running from Stowell to Air Base, Suey to Rosemary Farms and Rex to Gates.

By 1925 the railway traffic had steeply declined and the railway went bankrupt. Captain George Allan Hancock [1], a principal of the Dominion Oil Company, purchased the railroad for $75,000 at a Sheriff's auction. The railroad was then reorganized as the Santa Maria Valley Railroad in 1926. Until 2006, the railroad was owned by Captain G. Allan Hancock's estate.

The original line ran for 23 miles (37 km), from Guadalupe to Roadamite. The track from Gates to Roadamite was abandoned in 1950.

The last run of No. 21, Captain Hancock's favorite steam locomotive, was in February 1962. Captain Hancock took the throttle one last time. Walt Disney was in the cab with Captain Hancock.

Baldwin 21 currently is undergoing restoration in Astoria, Oregon to be returned to excursion service.

The Union Sugar Beet plant closed in 1993, ending the beet train era.

In 1999 the G. Allan Hancock Estate gained full control of the SMV. The assets of the railroad were sold to Coast Belle Rail Corporation in 2006, ending an 81-year ownership by the Hancock family.

Other than No. 21, three other steam locomotives are in existence. Following a successful 38 year restoration, the Baldwin Locomotive Works 1924-built No. 205 was sold to the Albany and Eastern Railroad in Lebanon, Oregon and is used on the Santiam Excursion Trains.^[2] No. 100 is in Nevada, but has not yet entered restoration by the Virginia and Truckee. No. 1000 resides on Static Display in Griffith Park at Travel Town.

Timeline

July 14, 1911 Santa Maria Valley Railway organized
August 23, 1911 grading commenced
September 28, 1911 laying rails commenced
March 15, 1912 construction completed
October 7, 1911 first train operated
1926 Santa Maria Valley Railway reorganized as the Santa Maria Valley Railroad
1950 track abandoned between Gates and Roadamite
2006 Purchased by the Coast Belle Rail Corp. from the descendants of G.A. Hancock family
2008 All track east of McClelland Street now vacated. Offices moved to Betteravia Industrial Park (at the site of the old sugar mill).

Route

Main Route

Guadalupe (interchange with UP - former SP) originally leased to SMV by SP.
Betteravia Junction
Carr
Pacer
Midco
Santa Maria

Air Base Branch (Santa Maria Army Air Base)

Santa Maria
Airbase (also with a spur to Pesco)

Betteravia Branch

Betteravia Junction
Gumm (Iremel)
Betteravia

Rosemary Branch (abandoned)

Santa Maria
Suey
Rosemary (Rosemary Farms)
Battles

Gates Branch (abandoned)

Rosemary (named after owner G. Allan Hancock's daughter)
Rex
Gates
Roadamite (Gates - Roadamite abandoned in 1950)

Motive Power

The SMV has 5 locomotives:

SMV #70 a GE 70-ton switcher built in January 1950 (Builder No. 30381) acquired for operation in November 1972 from Fort Dodge DM&S
SMV #80 a GE 70-ton switcher built in December 1953 (Builder No. 32207) acquired for parts for its fleet of 70-ton switchers in November 1972 from Fort Dodge DM&S
SMV #1801 an EMD GP9 built in June 1959 (Builder No. 25314) Built for Milwaukee Road as their #319
BUGX #1322, a former Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe (AT&SF) EMD GP7(u), still with the original Blue and Gold Paint Scheme (leased)
FWRY 3501 EMD GP35, Purchased from the Fillmore and Western Railway in 2021.

The SMV operated five 70 ton switchers and one U6B that were acquired between 1948-1959.

Complete roster of Locomotives Owned by the Santa Maria Valley Railroad
#	Builder	SN	Type	Built	Acq'	Ret'	Dispoistion	Notes
1	Schenectady	1588	4-6-0	9/1882	1911	1913	Scrapped	Was Southern Pacific of Arizona #69.
1 (2nd)	Baldwin	31418	2-8-0	8/1907	1913	1925	to #15	Originally Tonopah & Tidewater #5, purchased from that road
2	Baldwin	29312	2-6-0	8/1906	1913	1925	to #12	Originally Tonopah & Tidewater #4, purchased from that road
12	Baldwin	29312	2-6-0	8/1906	1925	1937	Scrapped	Previously #2
15	Baldwin	31418	2-8-0	8/1907	1925	1933	Scrapped	Previously #1
21	Baldwin	58638	2-8-2	4/1925	1925	1962	Stored	New. Leased to Shasta-McCloud Steam Rail Tour in 1966. See history. Being restored in Astoria, OR
100	Baldwin	59284	2-8-2	6/1926	1942	1962	Sold	Was Pope & Talbot, Inc. Sold to White Mountain Scenic RR. See history. Under restoration at Virginia and Truckee Railroad
125	Baldwin	52790	2-6-2	1/1920	Unk	1947	Scrapped	Was Columbia & Nehalem River #125
150	Baldwin	55804	2-8-2	11/1922	Unk	1951	Scrapped	Was Vance Lumber Company #4
205	Baldwin	57613	2-6-2	1/1924	1933	1950	Operational	Was San Joaquin & Eastern #205. Donated to 37th Agricultural District. See history. Restored. At Albany & Eastern Railroad in Lebanon, Oregon ^[3]
1000	Alco Schenectady	61535	2-8-2	1/1920	1944	1954	Donated	Was Newaukum Valley #1000. Donated to Travel Town Museum. See history.
10	General Electric	30019	70-ton	6/1948	1948		Scrapped
20	General Electric	30176	70-ton	7/1948	1948		Sold	Sold to Peninsula Terminal
30	General Electric	30447	70-ton	8/1950	1950	2000	Sold	Sold to Nevada Northern, soon sold to Colorado, Kansas & Pacific Railroad
40	General Electric	31282	70-ton	3/1952	1952	2000	Sold	Sold to Nevada Northern, soon sold to Colorado, Kansas & Pacific Railroad
50	General Electric	31283	70-ton	3/1952	1952		Sold	Sold to Peninsula Terminal
60	General Electric	33494	U6B	5/1959	1959	1992	Scrapped
70	General Electric	30381	70-ton	1/1950	1972		Operational	Was Fort Dodge, Des Moines & Southern #411
80	General Electric	32207	70-ton	12/1953	1972		Operational	Was Fort Dodge, Des Moines & Southern #401
1801	EMD	59E-90	GP9	6/1959	1992		Operational	Was Great Western of Colorado #1801

Roster from the Friends of the SMV: https://friends-smvrr.org/images/history/SMVRR-roster.pdf

Also see The Diesel Shop Roster: https://www.thedieselshop.us/SMVR.HTML

References

^ "Santa Maria Valley Railroad on a roll and on track for a bright future - KEYT". www.keyt.com. Archived from the original on 2019-05-29.
^ "Train enthusiasts celebrate steam locomotive's 100th". 16 February 2024.
^ "Train enthusiasts celebrate steam locomotive's 100th". 16 February 2024.

Fickewirth, Alvin A. (1992). California railroads: an encyclopedia of cable car, common carrier, horsecar, industrial, interurban, logging, monorail, motor road, shortlines, streetcar, switching and terminal railroads in California (1851–1992). San Marino, CA: Golden West Books. ISBN 0-87095-106-8.
Robertson, Donald B. (1998). Encyclopedia of Western Railroad History. Vol. IV. Caldwell, ID: Caxton Printers. ISBN 0-87004-385-4. OCLC 13456066. OL 2716499M.
Stindt, Fred A. (1996). American Shortline Railway Guide - 5th Ed. Waukesha, WI: Kalmbach Publishing Company. ISBN 0-89024-290-9.
Walker, Mike (1997). Steam Powered Video's Comprehensive Railroad Atlas of North America - California and Nevada - Post Merger Edition. Kent, United Kingdom: Steam Powered Publishing. ISBN 1-874745-08-0.
"Santa Maria Valley Railroad Historical Museum". Railroad Today and History. Retrieved January 9, 2006.
"Santa Maria Valley Railroad Excursions". Excursions. Retrieved August 21, 2007.