McCloud River Railroad : Passenger Operations: Excursion Photos

Steam Locomotive #25:
Pondosa 1970
The McCloud River Railroad faced a stark choice in 1970. The steam excursions pulled by the #25 remained popular in the railfan and local communities, but the locomotive's boiler certification would be expiring during the year. The railroad initially decided the road's resources were better spent elsewhere, which would remove the locomotive from service. A boiler inspector allowed the #25 to continue operations through the summer and into the fall, during which time it powered a number of "last run" events, cumulating with a "Last Run Barring a Miracle" operated to Burney on 10 October and sponsored by the Pacific Locomotive Association.

The large number of railfans and locals that showed up for each announced "last run" prompted the railroad to change its mind. Corporate parent U.S. Plywood consented, and the shop crew had some open time on their schedule in the winter in and around preventive scheduled maintenance on the new SD38s. Shortly after the last of the "last runs" the railroad announced it would renew the boiler certification after all, and they had the #25 back under steam by the spring of 1971.

Photos on this page are of one of the "last" runs, to Pondosa around September 1970. While not the "last" run, it would be a lost, specifically the final time of a steam locomotive would venture into the old logging camp. All photos by and courtesy of Dennis Sullivan.