Steam & Excursion > McCloud River RR #18 To Yreka Western And Back Again!

By 1955 the McCloud River RR had purchased enough diesels that the majority of the steam fleet at McCloud was no long needed. This rendered surplus McCloud River RR Baldwin 2-8-2 #18, once the pride of the McCloud steam fleet.

Nearby, the Yreka Western had not yet converted to diesel and they needed additional power to back up their ex-McCloud River RR 2-8-2 #19. The YWRR quickly made a deal to purchase #18 and had her sent over the SP from Mt. Shasta to Montague where the YWRR connected with the SP.

In these 2 photos we see the #18 as she appeared on both railroads. The first photo shows #18 at the water tank in McCloud in 1940 still in her factory appearance with wooden cab and high-mounted headlight.

The next view sows #18 at the water tank at Yreka in 1958 when in service for her new owner. A few changes have occurred over the years including a steel cab and center-mounted headlight.

I have included a letter that shows some of the correspondence for the sale of the engine from the McCloud River RR to the Yreka Western. As you can see the shop men wanted to make sure that the factory blueprints went along with the engine as they would be needed in keeping the engine in operation.

Years later in 1998, it would be the McCloud Railway that would be looking for additional steam power and would return to the Yreka Western to buy back #18 from that line. See below:


Martin



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 12/19/12 05:15 by LoggerHogger.

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By 1998 the McCloud Railway, under the ownership of Jeff Forbis, had returned steam to service at McCloud by returning McCloud Ry #25 to steam. It was decided that a second steam locomotive would be needed for the steam program at McCloud.

The Yreka Western RR was owned by Kyle Railways in 1998 and the general manager was my old friend Larry Bacon. You can see the humor Larry was famous for in this letter he wrote to Jeff to congratulate the McCloud Railway in buying back it's old #18 after more than 40 years.

Fortunately for all of us, Jeff did not head Larry's tongue-in-cheek warning and he went ahead and purchased #18 back and returned her to service on the McCloud Railway.


Martin



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/19/12 05:16 by LoggerHogger.

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That letter from Larry is classic - he was a close family friend. Wonderful to see his sense of humor again....

Thanks for sharing, Martin!

-Rick

Rick Selby
Redmond, WA
Pacific Northwest RPM

I wonder if that center-mounted headight is the same as the high headlight, just remounted.

Nope, the center mounted headlight doesn't have the number boards on the side. "New" headlight when it was relocated, or at least it is by the latter photo.

Taylor

Posted from iPhone

He didn't buy the bridge, did he? That wasn't what happened, was it?

Hee hee....Dave

I think 18 looks much better with the centered headlight vs. high mounted, but then it could be the NY Central in me and my "love" (not) for the Pennsy.