Modesto & Empire Traction Company: A Former Interurban
Last revised: September 3, 2024
By: Adam Burns
The Modesto & Empire Traction Company (reporting marks, MET) was founded in the early 20th
century with intentions by the local town of Modesto, California to see
additional rail service brought to its community.
While the M&ET, which began under a different name, was officially an interurban property it never utilized electric operations and from an early date began focusing on its freight business.
Recently the company celebrated its 100th anniversary, which is all the more astounding considering its system length has never been greater than 5 miles from the time it began!
During the diesel era the railroad was known for its large fleet of General Electric-built switchers, which were only recently retired in favor of more environmentally-friendly gensets.
The future for this little short line, which has been family owned since it began full operations, looks strong with a diverse traffic base and connections to both western Class Is.
Photos
Modesto & Empire Traction 70-tonners #606 and #602 work a long string of boxcars down Yosemite Avenue in Modesto on October 21, 2005. The little GE switchers have since been replaced by more environmentally friendly power. Doug Kroll photo.History
In the late 19th century the San Francisco & San Joaquin Valley Railway, financed by Claus Spreckels, completed its main line through north-central California along the fertile San Joaquin Valley as a means of providing competition to the entrenched Southern Pacific.
The SF&SJV route would become part of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe's main line through the state and unfortunately, while the line provided an excellent alternative transportation artery between Sacramento and Bakersfield it bypassed downtown Modesto to the east by about five miles.
So, the town decided to construct their own line as an alternative to the SP route currently serving the area (they were unhappy with the rates being charged), founding the Modesto Interurban Railroad in March of 1909.
The MI was completed within the year to Empire, 5.186 miles directly east with .262 miles of sidings. However, the property would sit unused for two years before operations actually got under way.
Modesto & Empire Traction 70-tonner #600 wearing one of the short line's older liveries at the Modesto engine house during the 1970's.With little freight business in the area it was leased to the Tidewater & Southern on April 18, 1911 as an interurban operation.
The T&S had a arrived in Modesto a month earlier and was operating a 7-mile system to the Stanislaus River. Ultimately, the interurban did nothing with the MI property and it continued to remain dormant.
Then in July of that year a young rancher by the name of T.K. Beard stepped forward, offering to purchase equipment for the road and operate it if the company's outstanding debt were paid off.
The stockholders agreed and the property was turned over to Beard a few months later, renaming it as the Modesto and Empire Traction Company on October 7, 1911.
Officially, the new M&ET (or Modern & Efficient Transportation as it initials came to be known) opened to the public on November 11th.
For the new owner, while passenger service was welcomed the focus quickly became establishing a strong freight business where the real money was to be made.
In 1917 Beard worked with the Tidewater Southern (reorganized from the Tidewater & Southern) to construct an industrial park in Modesto, controlled by a subsidiary known as the Modesto Terminal Company.
This area eventually drew several businesses and became a very important aspect of the company's freight business. The M&ET survived the depression years without falling into bankruptcy and saw traffic explode during World War II.
Interestingly, though, it was directly after the war that the railroad experienced its biggest growth.
At the time the little short line had built another industrial park, the Beard Industrial District (a vision of Mr. Beard's years earlier who had passed away in the 1920s), which quickly saw new businesses spring up there (by the late 1960s it boasted three dozen).
Four Modesto & Empire Traction 70-tonners rest between assignments at the short line's main shops on October 21, 2005. Doug Kroll photo.All of this new traffic forced the Modesto & Empire Traction to begin dieselizing, purchasing three new GE 70-tonners between 1947 and 1952 (another was acquired second-hand in 1955).
Prior to this it had relied on small steam locomotives from 2-6-2 Prairies to 4-6-0 Ten-Wheelers (other wheel arrangements the company owned included a 2-6-0 Mogul, 0-6-0, 0-4-0T, and 2-4-4T).
System Map
Interestingly, despite the "traction" in its name the M&ET only offered passenger service until 1917.
Ironically, the only interurban car it ever owned was battery powered, #11, which it acquired in 1911 from the Toledo Edison Company (it also utilized a gasoline-powered rail car to haul travelers, #10, built by Hall-Scott in 1910 the first piece of equipment the company owned).
Steam Roster
| Type | Wheel Arrangement | Road Number | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mogul | 2-6-0 | 3 | 1 | Built new by Cooke in 1921. Scrapped in 1949. |
| Switcher | O-4-0T | 4 | 1 | Acquired in 1934. Ex-Feather River Pine Mills, Ex-Hutchinson Lumber. Built new for Monmouth Copper in 1907 by Porter. |
| Switcher | 0-6-0 | 5 | 1 | Acquired in 1932. Built by Vulcan in 1911 for State Belt of California. |
| Ten-Wheeler | 4-6-0 | 6 | 1 | Acquired in 1936. Built by Baldwin in 1914 for the San Joaquin & Eastern. |
| Prairie | 2-6-2 | 7 | 1 | Acquired in 1938. Built by Baldwin in 1923 for the Lassen Lumber & Box Company, later sold to Red River Lumber before M&ET ownership. |
| Saddletank | 2-4-4T | 8 | 1 | Acquired in 1942. Built by Baldwin in 1910 for South San Francisco Belt, later sold to Algoma Lumber before M&ET ownership. |
| Prairie | 2-6-2 | 9 | 1 | Acquired in 1944. Built by Baldwin in 1923 for the Mt. Shasta Power. Owned by Key System, Oakland Terminal, and AT&SF before M&ET ownership. |
| Ten-Wheeler | 4-6-0 | 309 | 1 | Acquired in 1929 from AT&SF. Built by Baldwin in 1896 for SF&SJV. |
| Ten-Wheeler | 4-6-0 | 312 | 1 | Acquired in 1928 from AT&SF. Built by Baldwin in 1896 for SF&SJV. |
Diesel Roster
| Builder | Model Type | Road Number | Notes | Quantity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GE | 70-Ton | 600-602 | Acquired new: 1947-1952 | 3 |
| GE | 70-Ton | 603-608, 613 | Ex-CRB&L, Ex-NL&G, Ex-Southwest Portland Cement, Ex-SP, Ex-McR&L, Ex-K&N, Ex-ME | 7 |
| EMD | SW1500 | 1500-1501 | Ex-SP | 2 |
| RailPower | RP20BD | 2000-2001 | Acquired New | 2 |
| RailPower | RP20BD | 5403-5406 | Leased Since 2009 | 5 |
(Thanks to "Modesto & Empire Traction...Diesel Style" by author Ted Benson from the March, 1969 issue of Trains as a primary reference for this article.)
A pair of Modesto & Empire Traction's trusty 70-tonners sit outside the engine house in Modesto during 1985.Since the post-war era the M&ET has carried on as a traditional short line carrier. At its peak it had three connections to Class I lines; the Western Pacific and aforementioned Santa Fe and Espee.
However, after the mega-merger movement this number stands at two with the Union Pacific to the west and BNSF Railway to the east.
It has also supplanted its original GE 70-tonners as well as two EMD SW1500s it purchased years later with seven RailPower 2,000 horsepower RP20BDs, a genset road-switcher that is designed to be more environmentally friendly by using generators and battery banks.
Since the M&ET first began it has taken pride in its little family-owned operation, which continues today with clean locomotives and a well-kept right-of-way.
Recent Articles
-
Long Island Rail Road Steam Locomotives: History, Roster & Photos
Sep 21, 26 09:50 PM
Long Island steam—G5s 20–50, H10s 101–119, last steam at Hicksville October 8, 1955. Post-1898 class roster. -
Long Island Rail Road: Map, History, Pictures, Logo
Sep 21, 26 08:27 PM
Long Island Rail Road—Brooklyn & Jamaica 1836, Greenport 1844, Pennsylvania control 1900, Penn Station 1910. MTA since 1968. Steam and diesel rosters. -
Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad (2026): Sunset Dinner and Moonlight
Sep 21, 26 02:40 PM
2026 Oregon Coast Scenic does not post the old four-course Sunset Dinner. The evening ride is the 21+ Moonlight Excursion from Garibaldi, with pre-ordered sandwiches. Confirm on oregoncoastscenic.org. -
Adirondack Dinner Train (2026): Dates, Tickets & What to Expect
Sep 21, 26 01:38 PM
2026 Adirondack Dinner Train—Utica Union Station, 6 p.m., about 3 hours to Remsen. First Class from $139. Chef Patrick O’Connor. Confirm on adirondackrr.com. -
Lehigh Valley Steam Locomotives: History, Roster & Photos
Sep 21, 26 01:31 PM
Lehigh Valley steam—Camelback Consolidations, 2-10-2s, K-class Pacifics, six Mountains, Wyoming 4-8-4s. Post-1900 roster after Drury. Last steam September 14, 1951. -
Lehigh Valley Diesel Roster: All-Time
Sep 21, 26 01:23 PM
Lehigh Valley diesel—boxcabs 1926, FTs 1945, F3/F7, FA/PA, C628 Snowbirds, GP38-2s, U23Bs. All-time roster with serials and orders. Last steam September 14, 1951. -
Lehigh Valley Railroad: Map, Roster, Logo, History
Sep 21, 26 01:09 PM
Lehigh Valley—DLS&S 1847, named January 7 1853, Mauch Chunk–Easton September 12 1855. Route of the Black Diamond. Jersey City–Buffalo. Conrail April 1 1976. -
Wisconsin Great Northern Dinner Train (2026)
Sep 21, 26 12:47 PM
2026 Wisconsin Great Northern dinner train—Trego, $105, Namekagon River. January 8–31 and May 5–December 17. Confirm on spoonertrainride.com. -
Lehigh and New England Railroad: Map, Rosters, History
Sep 21, 26 12:33 AM
Lehigh & New England—South Mountain & Boston 1873, named April 2 1895. Anthracite, cement, Maybrook. Last Camelbacks, Alco FAs. Voluntary shutdown October 31 1961. -
TVRM Chattanooga Dinner Train (2026): Dates, Tickets & What to Expect
Sep 21, 26 12:20 AM
2026 TVRM Chattanooga Dinner Train Experience—Grand Junction, select Fri/Sat March 6–October 24, three-course, 2–3 hours, from $110. Confirm on tvrail.com. -
Lehigh and Hudson River Railroad: Map, Rosters, History
Sep 20, 26 11:55 PM
Lehigh & Hudson River—Warwick Valley 1860, Railway April 1 1882. Easton–Maybrook bridge road, Alphabet Route, Alco RS-3s and C420s. Conrail April 1 1976. -
Royal Gorge First Class Dinner Train (2026)
Sep 20, 26 11:47 PM
2026 Royal Gorge Route First Class Lunch & Dinner—Cañon City, about 2 hours, from $199+, 12+. Confirm on royalgorgeroute.com. -
GE "44-Tonner" Locomotives: Roster, Specs, History
Sep 20, 26 11:09 PM
GE 44-ton switcher—90,000-pound rule, Caterpillar D17000 center-cab, Sept 4 1940 CB&Q 9103 through Oct 1956 Dansville & Mount Morris 1. Phases, serial roster, PRR 46. -
Strasburg Rail Road Dining (2026): Dinner on the Rails & Elegant Expre
Sep 20, 26 11:00 PM
2026 Strasburg Rail Road seated meals—Dinner on the Rails, Elegant Express, Valentine dinner. Lee E. Brenner diner. Confirm on strasburgrailroad.com. -
International-Great Northern Railroad: Map, History, Timetables
Sep 20, 26 10:43 PM
International–Great Northern—Houston & Great Northern 1866, International Railroad 1870, merged Sept 30 1873. Palestine, Longview–Laredo, Gould, Missouri Pacific March 1 1956. -
Nevada Northern Taste of Italy Dinner Train (2026)
Sep 20, 26 03:25 PM
2026 Nevada Northern Taste of Italy—adults-only multi-course Italian dinner, steam when healthy, East Ely. Sep. 19 gala listed. Confirm on nnry.com. -
Cape Cod Dinner Train (2026): Dates, Tickets & What to Expect
Sep 20, 26 02:53 PM
Cape Cod Central Dinner Train—Hyannis, Buzzards Bay, and Falmouth. Four-course, 3–3½ hours, from $99.99. Confirm on capetrain.com. -
Erie Steam Locomotives: History, Roster & Photos
Sep 20, 26 11:55 AM
Erie Railroad steam—Camelback 2-8-0s, 155 N-1 Mikados, 105 Berkshires, K-class Pacifics, Triplexes. Post-1900 roster after Drury. Last steam March 17, 1954. -
Erie Railroad Diesel Roster: All-Time
Sep 20, 26 11:47 AM
Erie Railroad diesel—boxcabs 1926, FTs 1944, F3/F7, FA/PA, GP7/GP9, Baldwins, Limas. All-time roster with serials, orders, classes. Last steam March 17 1954. EL October 17 1960. -
Erie Railroad: Map, Passenger Trains, Logo, History
Sep 20, 26 11:44 AM
Erie Railroad—New York & Erie 1832, Piermont–Dunkirk May 14 1851, six-foot then standard June 1880, Chicago 1883. High-and-wide fourth way. Erie Lackawanna October 17 1960. -
Colebrookdale Railroad Dining (2026): Secret Valley Dinner Train
Sep 20, 26 11:36 AM
2026 Colebrookdale Railroad dinner in Boyertown—Secret Valley Dining Class, about 2 hours. Saturday evenings. Confirm on colebrookdalerailroad.com. -
Boone & Scenic Valley Wolf Dinner Train (2026)
Sep 19, 26 08:15 PM
2026 Boone & Scenic Valley Wolf Dinner Train—Des Moines River valley, Bass Point Creek High Bridge, Union Pacific dining cars. Confirm on bsvrr.com. -
C&NW 4-6-2s 1617 & 1620: Minnesota 400 Yellow Jackets
Sep 19, 26 11:28 AM
C&NW Class E Pacifics 1617 and 1620—Alco Schenectady 1917, yellow-and-green E-4-style shrouds 1941 for the Minnesota 400. Crews called them Yellow Jackets. Renumbered 617/620. Scrapped 1956. -
Erie Lackawanna Diesel Roster: All-Time
Sep 19, 26 10:13 AM
Erie Lackawanna diesel—Erie and DL&W inheritance, GP35s, U25Bs, SD45/SDP45/SD45-2, U34CH. All-time roster with serials and orders. Conrail April 1 1976. -
Erie Lackawanna Railway: Map, History, Logo
Sep 19, 26 10:06 AM
Erie Lackawanna Railway—Erie and DL&W, October 17 1960–March 31 1976. Von Willer, White revival, Dereco, Agnes, Conrail. High-and-wide Chicago main. Map, logo, what remains. -
"Empire State Express" (1941 Train): Timetables, Route, Consist
Sep 18, 26 10:59 PM
NYC Empire State Express—George Daniels 1891 day train, 999’s 112.5 mph claim, Budd stainless streamliner December 7 1941, Cleveland and Detroit sections, diesels, 1967 name drop. Timetables, consist… -
New York Central 4-6-4s 5426 & 5429: Empire State Express Hudsons
Sep 18, 26 10:32 PM
NYC J-3a Hudsons 5426 and 5429—Alco 1937, Budd stainless shrouds 1941 for the Empire State Express. Pearl Harbor inaugural. Shrouds off by 1950. Neither preserved. -
"Stourbridge Lion" Locomotive: Facts, History, Photos
Sep 18, 26 10:27 PM
Stourbridge Lion—Foster, Rastrick 0-4-0, first steam locomotive in the United States. Horatio Allen, Honesdale, August 8, 1829. Too heavy for D&H gravity track. Boiler in Baltimore; Colonie replic… -
Delaware & Hudson Steam Roster (Post 1900)
Sep 18, 26 10:01 PM
Delaware & Hudson steam—Camelback 2-8-0s, Loree high-pressure compounds, Class K 4-8-4s, forty Challengers. Post-1900 class roster after Drury. Last steam July 21, 1953. -
Boston & Maine Steam Roster (Post 1900)
Sep 18, 26 02:57 PM
Boston & Maine steam—B-15 Moguls, K-8 Consolidations, P-4 Lima Pacifics, T-1 Limas, R-1 Mountains. Post-1900 class roster after Drury. Last steam July 23, 1956. -
Boston & Maine Diesel Roster (All-Time)
Sep 18, 26 01:25 PM
Boston & Maine diesel—boxcab 1100 1935, Flying Yankee 6000, FTs, E7s, BL2s, GP7/GP9, GP38-2s and GP40-2s. All-time roster. Last steam July 23, 1956. -
Mid-Continent Railway Museum Dining (2026)
Sep 18, 26 01:21 PM
2026 Mid-Continent dining in North Freedom—select-date seated meals in luxury cars, reservations required. Pizza Limited June 28. Confirm on midcontinent.org.
