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McCloud Rails : Passenger Operations: Excursion Photos Early Shasta Wonderland and Similar Excursions |
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The connections with north-south mainlines at the extreme ends of its system brought the McCloud River Railroad almost nothing in the way of bridge freight traffic, but railfan groups discovered early on that the road could be used a part of "circle" trips that would run to McCloud on one of the connecting mainlines and return to the origin point on the other. The California-Nevada Railroad Historical Society sponsored a number of these trips, and a good number of them operated under the Shasta Wonderland banner. Known or recorded excursions in the early years that used the McCloud River as a bridge between the SP and GN/WP mainlines are as follows: - 28-30 May 1949, California-Nevada Railroad Historical Society round trip that ran SP-MR-GN-WP. - 22-24 May 1959, "Shasta Wonderland" Tour from the Bay Area, WP-GN-MR-SP, with a side trip to the Yreka Western. - 2-6 September 1960, "Evergreen Journey". This ambitiouns trip started in Los Angeles and over the course of the four days ran up the Santa Fe to Stockton, then Western Pacific to Bieber, then Great Northern to Hambone, then McCloud River to Mt. Shasta City, then Southern Pacific to Montague for a trip over the Yreka Western, then from Montague back to Stockton on the Southern Pacific, and finally back to Los Angeles over the Santa Fe. - 17-19 May 1963, "Shasta Wonderland" Tour from the Bay Area, WP-GN-MR-YW-SP. - 22-24 May 1964, "Shasta Wonderland" Tour from the Bay Area, WP-GN-MR-SP. |
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The photos on this page are of the Shasta Wonderland trip of May 1964. The #25's air pump had not yet been repaired from its failure back in January, which limited
the steamer to a cosmetic role only on this trip, much to the frustration of the railfans on the trip. Baldwin diesels #32 and #33 provided the power for the trip.
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New January 2026. George Manley caught the train on its way to Lookout Junction, which ran as a normal Lookout Job freight but with the #25 and the two passenger flats cut in behind the Baldwins.
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New January 2026. The #32 and #33 spotting the outbound train in the Lookout Junction interchange tracks while waiting for the passenger special to arrive from the south. George Manley photo.
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New January 2026. The three McCloud locomotives during switching moves at Lookout Junction. George Manley photo.
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New January 2026. A closeup of the #25 during the switching. George Manley photo.
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New January 2026. At some point during the switching the #32 and #33 cut off from the #25. George Manley photo.
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An uncredit shot of the #25 at Lookout Junction during the switching..
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Another shot of the #33, #32, and #25 picking up the May 1964 Shasta Wonderland excursion at Lookout Junction.
Photo is by Ken Douglas and is presented here courtesy of Keith Ardinger.
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New January 2026. Western Pacific F-7A #914 led the excursion into Lookout Junction, it had cut away from the train. George Manley photo.
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New January 2026. The McCloud power has retrieved the excursion train and is moving the passenger flats and caboose to the end of the train prior to the departure for McCloud. George Manley photo.
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The two diesels pushed the train from the rear most of the trip to McCloud, but the #25 was able to lead the train most of the day.
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New January 2026. The train near White Horse. George Manley photo.
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New January 2026. The train near Hambone. George Manley photo.
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Taking water at Bartle.
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Nebraska Curve.
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