News & Events

Thursday, 16 August 2012 20:49 Martell Amador Central Railroad Depot sees the “end of the line” with demolition by owner SPI




Amador County – Amador County Historical Society president Thornton Consolo said it was the “end of the line” starting Friday for the 107-year-old Amador Central Railroad Depot in Martell.

Consolo said the demolition began the morning of Friday, Aug. 8 with five workers disassembling the building “so as to salvage as much lumber from ...

Engines fire up for this weekend's Railroad Days
Martha Garcia, Colfax Record Editor
Colfax Record, 10-04-12


Colfax continues to observe its railroad heritage this weekend when the community celebrates Union Pacific’s 150th anniversary during the annual Colfax Railroad Days, presented by the Colfax Area Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with local service organizations and businesses.
Railroad Days, which runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. ...

Gus Thomson/Media Life

AUBURN CA - Things are going to get eerily historic soon on the Mountain Quarries Railroad Bridge.
Plans are to use some temporary railroad tracks to position a 30,000-pound, oil-fired steam engine on the span over the American River in the canyon near Auburn – something that hasn’t been seen since the early part of the last century.
But this particular steam engine isn’t just any old steam engine. It’s the last surviving locomotive from the days ...

As part of the 100th Anniversary of the Mountain Quarries RR, the sole survining locomotive will be returning to Auburn for display at a couple of the events lined up. Transportation, storage, and repairs/painting are basically nailed down. Hopefully we will have her ready for showing at the Confluence Festival in June at the American River Overlook in Auburn. The major goal is to have her on display on the Mountain Quarries Bridge for the Grand Finale celebration in September. All we need ...

Iconic Auburn-area bridge turns 100
Gus Thomson/Auburn Journal

AUBURN CA - Whatever you may want to call it, Placer County loves its Mountain Quarries Railroad Bridge.
Painted, photographed and just plain admired, the span that some dare to call “No Hands Bridge” has reached the spry old age of 100, with plenty of structural stability left in its concrete-arch frame.
To celebrate the centennial of Mountain Quarries Railroad Bridge (that’s the official name, although no

...

2012 marks the 100th anniversary of the Mountain Quarries RR near Auburn,CA. Several events are in the planning stages or being finalized. This will hopefully culminate in having the single remaining locomotive posed on the "No Hands" Bridge in September. Alot of work is to still to be done to make this happen and eventually many volunteers may be needed to get'r done. I will be posting updates and event schedules as we go.

As for now, for starters, there is an Art ...

Train museum facing derailment?
City officials say they don’t intend to ‘displace’ rail group

By Don Chaddock Telegraph Managing Editor

Don Chaddock / The Telegraph

Bill Anderson, president of the Folsom, El Dorado, Sacramento Historic Railroad Association, walks through the Folsom Railroad Museum he helps staff. The museum, housed in a passenger car, is slated to be moved from ...

Up first this morning was a trip to Nevada City. Dave Braun recently passed away and his ex West Side/Swayne Lumber caboose is now at the railroad museum. Definately gonna take some work but plans are to restore her to the as built Swayne Lumber condition. Also caught the guys having some fun in the shop building a soapbox derby car.

The Nevada Co Traction hasn't run in awhile and while visiting the area, I was able to give it a onceover as well. Re-shot all the motive power. Seems ...

Historic Folsom Station project is slowly coming together
- from http://www.sacbee.com
by Carlos Alcalá
calcala@sacbee.com Published: Thursday, Apr. 7, 2011 - 12:00 am | Page 1B


In recent years, Folsom has seen development of river crossings, a light-rail extension, a new high school, a regional performing arts center and shopping venues galore.
Despite that passel of projects, Patrick Maxfield is most excited about what is still largely a hole in ...

Crane deposits locomotive

WORK CREWS steady a 22 ton Plymouth diesel locomotive as it is being lifted from a trailer onto the railroad tracks in the town of El Dorado Friday afternoon. Democrat photo by Pat Dollins

It wasn’t wrapped, but the train engine that arrived in El Dorado on Friday, Dec. 17, might as well have had a big red ribbon on it.
The 22-ton ...

Preservation groups buy historic Amador Central Railroad


By Matt Weiser
mweiser@sacbee.com
Published: Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010 - 12:00 am | Page 1B


The historic Amador Central Railroad, recently threatened with bulldozing, will remain open to recreational train travel following a sale to preservation groups.
Sierra Pacific Industries, a privately held logging company, agreed to sell the railroad to the Amador County Historical Society ...

Mark your calenders.

Survival of the historic SP Placerville Branch


July 07, 2010 04:50PM

The Placerville Branch from Folsom is owned by a JPA under rail banking legislation. Fedshra (Folsom, El Dorado Sacramento Historical Railroad Association) are trying to develop excursions and the El Dorado Western are developing a narrow gauge logging center on the upper part of the track to demonstrate its 3ft gauge Shay among other things.
Trails interests ...

May 19, 2010
Owner hopes to re-open shuttered train ride

By Kyle Magin
Staff Writer

A train ride through Nevada City history is stuck in the depot while its owner strives to attain state-required certification.

In November 2008, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health notified owners of the Nevada County Traction Co. they had to stop running a historically themed train operating on the grounds of Nevada City's Northern Queen ...

Locals in shock after SPI reveals intentions to destroy Amador County's entire railroad

Friday, March 12, 2010
By Scott Thomas Anderson



The Amador Foothills Railroad as it looks today. Photo by: Scott Thomas Anderson

For more than a century, a line of two steel rails has glided through the hills of western Amador. It's a narrow, rustic tribute to the county's ...

SPI-owned tracks must go from Hwy 49

Friday, November 20, 2009

By Roger Phelps

At Sierra Pacific Industries' expense, a problem rail crossing of Highway 49 in Martell will be torn out and an arguably hazardous pavement condition around the track redone.

SPI is responsible for maintaining state highway pavement for several yards surrounding the old Amador Central Railroad tracks it owns.

Some Amador residents say the roadway at ...