Steam & Excursion > Pondosa, California - On the McCloud River RR.

When we remember the McCloud River RR we think of Mt. Shasta City, McCloud, Burney and maybe even Lookout. On cannot understand the McCloud River RR operations of the 1930's through the 1960's without taking into account the Pondosa Branch.

From the 1930's til 1956, the log trains of the McCloud Lumber Co. were based out of Pondosa. This small town had its own privately owned mill as well that shipped out loads to the McCloud River RR.

A fleet of logging 2-6-2's of both Baldwin and ALCO heritage called Pondosa home. They had their own shops and servicing felicities as we see in this July 1941 photo by Bert Ward. In this scene we see McCRRR ALCO #22 and and
one of the 90-ton Baldwin Mikes for which the McCRRR was famous ready to depart the Pondosa enginehouse to start their next day of backwoods railroading.

Unfortunately, this branch along with all McCRRR trackage east of McCloud itself is now gone and the pine forest is reclaiming the site of this once bustling log camp.

Martin

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As always, thanks for another post about Western short line and logging steam. I always find them fascinating!

The steel bridge carrying the branch over Highway 89 lasted a long, long time, but I see by Google Maps that it has been removed.

Stan

They used that branch for years to store cars. Driving 89, it looked like the train that never moved. They had twin water tanks that froze in the winter and created beautiful icicle displays.

Nudge