Overview | |
---|---|
Headquarters | Eureka |
Locale | California's North Coast from Eureka - Alton, California |
Dates of operation | 1882–1902 |
Successor | San Francisco and Northwestern Railway |
Technical | |
Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
Previous gauge |
|
The Eel River and Eureka Railroad company was organized on November 14, 1882, by a group of Eureka businessmen led by John M. Vance (b. Nova Scotia October 1, 1821 – d. January 1892). [1] One of the other founders of the line was William Carson. [2]
The primary 25 miles (40 km) of the Eel River and Eureka Railroad ran from the line's office and depot at the foot of Second Street, Eureka to Burnell's station, a town near Hydesville. [3] The longest tunnel was nearly 2,000 feet (610 m) through Table Bluff [3] between the stops of Salmon Creek and Swauger's Station.
By 1896, the Eel River and Eureka Railroad was running passenger trains twice a day, every day but Sunday when there were three trains. [4] From June 1895 to June 1896, the line had 32,811 passengers who paid a total of $24,748.70 in fares. [4] In the same period, the line earned $67,568.85 from lumber and freight, over 3,000 tons of which was butter from the Eel River Valley dairies. [4]
After the junction at Alton the Pacific Lumber Company Railroad extended south about 4 miles (6.4 km) through and slightly beyond the town of Scotia. [3]
In October 1902, all the property and rights of the Eel River and Eureka Railroad were transferred to the San Francisco and Northwestern Railway. [5]
The tracks became part of a continuous line from San Francisco to Trinidad in the summer of 1914. [6] On December 28, 1918, the San Francisco and Northwestern Railway transferred the assets to the Northwestern Pacific Railroad. [5] The line was considered one of the toughest in the nation to build and maintain. [7]
Depot buildings were added at all major stops. A roundhouse and depot were built in Eureka, California. The Eureka Depot building was torn down in January 1971 and two weeks later the roundhouse was also demolished. [8] The Fortuna Depot building is now a historical museum. [8]
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