Western Railroad Discussion > Yreka Western RR

Early January were sad days for many residents of Yreka, as the community mourned the death of Larry Bacon, who died suddenly at 63 on Jan. 2nd. Mr. Bacon had recently retired after a 32-year career as City Attorney, City of Yreka. A half-time position for many years, he also had a law practice. Starting in 1986, he was the 1/2-time General Manager of the Yreka Western until the short line was sold to new owners from Colorado in January 2000.
Mr. Bacon, an admitted railfan, worked for Southern Pacific as a brakeman while attending college in Sacramento and the Bay Area. He graduated from UC Berkeley in 1963. He and his family moved to Yreka in 1966 where he assumed the job as public defender. In 1970 he was appointed City Attorney for the City of Yreka.
In late 1985, Kyle Railways filed in abandon Yreka Western after railroad lost some 90 % of its freight business over the preceding 5 years. Yreka city leaders fought to save the railroad and came up with a plan to have a tourist passenger train. The city worked out an agreement with Kyle Rys. to off-set any losses from the train during an initial trial period.
Local interest was so great that it changed Kyle Railways' plan on moving YW-owned 2-8-2 #19.
The Mikado had been in service at Cottage Grove on the OP&E "Blue Goose" through 1987 until Kyle sold their 1/2 interest in the OP&E to their partner, Bohemia Inc., owner of the lumber mill at the end of the line. Bohemia had no interest in running a tourist train. Willis Kyle planned to move #19 to Fort Bragg for service on the Skunk Line, owned at that time by Kyle Railways. Pleas from Yreka city leaders, including Mr. Bacon, and a number of phone calls from local residents asking "bring our engine back" changed #19's destination to Montague and Yreka instad of Willits and Fort Bragg.
No. 19 had to be re-tubed and first replaced diesel power on the "Blue Goose" in July 1990. Passenger loadings climbed substantially once the train was steam powered. The "Blue Goose" prolonged the YW's life and freight loadings gradually improved, although no where near the pre-1980 level.
Mr. Bacon assumed a volunteer position with the Yreka Western, coordinating the passenger service. It remained volunteer until 1990 when he became YW's paid General Manager on a 1/2-time basis. He did everything he could to add to the historical ambiance of the steam train, even riding a large Penny Farthing replica bicycle around the station parking lot when the "Blue Goose" was pulling back in at the end of its roundtrip. (The bicycle was a replica of a turn-of-the-century bicycle with a huge front wheel and tiny rear wheel.) Bacon won it at a softball game raffle. He said it took him a week to learn how to ride it, saying that getting on and off it was the key to riding it.
Mr. Bacon was well known for his enjoyment of life and a very likeable personality. In short, he was a real character. People enjoyed being around him. Those of us who knew him miss him - his death is a great loss for the community.
He was honored in 1994 as Yreka's Citizen of the Year.
A long news article detailing his contributions as a city leader and role in saving the Yreka Western RR was in the Siskiyou Daily News, January 6th online edition. Search the Archives. address is: http://www.siskiyoudaily.com

Kent Stephens

Kent: Excellent story, all fans should mourn his loss.

Larry

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr Bacon a couple years back while doing an article on the YW. He was a very charming gentleman and clearly very enthusiastic about the institution he was so instramental in saving.
The YW is going through some tough times right now due to its link to Oregon being severed with the Tunnel #13 fire on the Siskiyou Line and on going work on the #19. I encourage everyone to take a stop off I-5 this season and take a ride across the Shasta Valley on Yreka Western this season. Steam powered or diesel, it is a great trip back into the heyday of California shortline railroading and a worthy legacy of Larry Bacon's work.

A lot of the YW cars go south to Black Butte, but indeed times are tough for the little guys.