Passenger Trains > The NWP rides again!

Timber Heritage Association takes riders along the shores of Humboldt Bay near Eureka, CA on the former Northwestern Pacific between Eureka and Arcata, CA. The gasoline powered rail  vehicle is a 4 wheel contraption home built by the Arcata & Mad River Railroad in the 1930's. It is currently powered by it's fourth 6 cylinder Ford industrial engine. The original engine was a Hudson. The yellow car, being pulled by A&MR #60 is of Pacific Lumber ancestry. It was originally powered put THA decided it would be of better use to serve as a trailer to #60 after removing the engine. It had sat for decades in weeds before being restored by THA. THA has an active post-covid summer schedule hosting rides in Eureka and on the former Vance Lumber Company (and then NWP) Samoa Branch.

THA has a good sized collection of logging era steam engines, steam donkeys and other railroad equipment in it's museum in Samoa.

If you look carefully in the side window you will just barely see Yours Truly engineering.

My apologies, I neglected the photo credit: Joesph Oliver   



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/20/22 09:15 by OnTime.

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I will have to get up there and ride. My last time on those rails was in the SW1500 on the last revenue NWP freight train there under SP ownership.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/19/22 11:17 by GenePoon.

Great to see old OOS trackage being used.    So much better than yet another rail trail.   And a bridge that's not condemned!  thats great.

Biggest problem....no one knows about this.   Pll who are good at restoring trains and getting things like this together...not necessarily good at publicity.   Stuff like this need to be pitched to national magazines with on line presence. ...or  highlighted on SFO radio TV and podcasts.

Congradulations....and hope u can get some more track active....

 

How long a run?  Cool looking motor car. 

If u look at their website, I believe its 2 miles on an NWP branchline.    Didnt see a map, which would be really helpful.
 

That looks very fun!

Do you have a wye or loop track option on each end of the run to Eureka to keep the #60 in the lead?   

Nope it's a push-pull operation. A brakeman is always stationed to ride the (yellow) trailer facing in the reverse direction.  The trailer is equipped with a horn, a bell, an emergency foot brake and kill switch for an emergency shutdown of the engine in #60. In push mode (reverse operation) the brakie blows for the crossings and rings the bell as necessary while entertaining the riders.