McCloud River Railroad
Equipment Roster
McCloud Railway Passenger Cars

The McCloud Railway Company in the middle 1990s faced a circumstance similar to the McCloud River Railroad thirty years previously, that of a rapidly growing passenger business but only the three passenger flats and the cabooses available for excursion service, though the dinner train cars could be used if needed. In 1996 Trains Unlimited Tours chartered its second excursion event on the railroad, and it leased and brought to McCloud two ex-VIA Rail coaches for the weekend. The railroad quickly became interested in the cars and purchased them shortly after the trip. History of the cars are as follows:

5742- 54-seat lightweight passenger coach. Built circa 1950 for Florida East Coast railroad; to Canadian National; to VIA; to Jack Hathaway; donated 11/1993 to Feather River Rail Society; to McCloud Railway fall 1996.

5743- 52-seat lightweight coach. Built 1948 as Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific sleeping car #2, named Lake Coeur d'Alene; to Canadian National #2142 in 1967, named Wanapitei River; converted 6/1978 to Dayniter coach #5743; to VIA; to Jack Hathaway; donated 11/1993 to Feather River Rail Society; to McCloud Railway fall 1996.

The McCloud Railway Company started developing plans in the last half of the 1990s for some innovative bed and breakfast type operations in which guests would travel by train to some siding along the line. The guests would sleep and eat in cars on multi-day adventures, with day trips to various local attractions by vehicle. The dramatic freight business declines and other economic pressures kept these services from every progressing beyond the initial planning stages, but around 1997 or 1998 the railroad did buy three additional cars specifically for this service, likely directly from VIA, consisting of the following:

MR 1- Duplex sleeping car, named Edgeley
MR 2 or 4- Lightweight cafe/lounge car, ex-VIA #750 (car has been stenciled with both numbers)
MR 3- Baggage/dorm car, likely rebuilt by VIA from a roomette/sleeper

In 2005 the railroad created some numbering confusion with these cars when leased the two coaches to the brand new Modoc Northern Railroad for use in a special excursion marking the startup of their operations. McCloud restinciled the 5742 to "MR 3" and the 5743 to "MR 4" prior to the lease.

The two sleeping cars and the cafe/lounge car have remained stored on various sidings around McCloud since arrival. In the spring of 2012 the McCloud Railway conveyed the two coaches to the Yreka Western's parent organization for use on their Sierra Nevada & Pacific Railroad, which landed a contract that year to operate the Wallowa-Union Railroad out of Elgin, Oregon. YW crews restincilled the cars WURR 5742 and 5743 and in June moved the cars to the Mt. Shasta City interchange tracks, but before UP could pick them up the YW ownership lost the contract, and McCloud Railway reposessed the cars. The railroad returned them to McCloud in the fall of 2012. All five cars have been heavily vandalized in their years sitting in the McCloud yards since passenger operations ended.


The two coaches are seen here at Signal Butte as part of a steam excursion behind the #18 on 24 May 2003. Travis Berryman photo.


The MR3/5742 in McCloud in May 2007.


The MR 4/5743 in McCloud in May 2007.


The two coaches in October 2016 showing some signs of neglect and vandalism.


The 5742 showing its lettering for the Wallowa-Union Railroad.


MR 1, the Duplex sleeper, in May 2007. The staggered windows showed some of the layout of the sleeping compartments inside the car.


The other side of the sleeper in October 2016.


The MR 2 or 4 in May 2007.


The other side of the car in October 2016.


The MR 3 in May 2007.


The other side of the car in October 2016.