McCloud Rails : Passenger Operations: Excursion Photos

The First Excursion
12 June 1948



The Northern California Railroad Club sponsored the first railfan excursion over the McCloud River Railroad. Thirty club members and guests piled into three cabooses tacked onto the end of the daily freight to Pondosa, which was pulled on this day by #14 and #16. The Western Railroader proclaimed the trip to be the best yet operated in the west.


The excursion preparing to depart the McCloud depot. John Cummings/Pacific Northwest Virtual Logging Data Center.

The excursion along the line east of McCloud. Jeff Moore collection.

Taking water somewhere on the line. John Cummings/Pacific Northwest Virtual Logging Data Center.

The excursion arriving at Car A and the junction with the Pondosa branch. John Cummings/Pacific Northwest Virtual Logging Data Center.

The #27 was following close behind the excursion with a freight bound for Lookout Junction. The excursion paused at Car A long enough for the riders to photograph it before continuing down the branch to Pondosa. John Cummings/Pacific Northwest Virtual Logging Data Center.

Switching at Car A. Jerry Graham photo, Jeff Moore collection.

Upon arrival at Pondosa the excursion left the #14 in camp and proceeded to Pondosa Upper Yard behind just the #16. John Cummings/Pacific Northwest Virtual Logging Data Center.

Another shot of the #16 switching Pondosa Upper Yard. Harold Buckley Jr. photo, Jeff Moore collection.

Switching Pondosa Upper Yard. John Cummings/Pacific Northwest Virtual Logging Data Center.

Switching Pondosa Upper Yard. Jeff Moore collection.

McCloud River Railroad operating rights at the time ended at Pondosa Upper Yard. The lumber company allowed the excursion to operate over a couple hundred feet of its trackage so that it could pose for photographs on the bridge over Highway 89. Dennis Sullivan collection.

After eating lunch at the cookhouse the train started the return trip to McCloud. It's seen here switching at Car A. John Cummings/Pacific Northwest Virtual Logging Data Center.

The excursion again met the #27 at Car A.

The #27 passing the excursion at Car A. Harold Buckley Jr. photo, Jeff Moore collection.

The return trip to McCloud included two boxcars of lumber and 27 loaded log cars. Jeff Moore collection.

The trip report the Western Railroader printed several months afterwards.