West Side Lumber Company Railroad

Published: February 16, 2025

The West Side Lumber Company represents a quintessential chapter in the history of America's narrow-gauge logging railroads, vividly illustrating the symbiotic relationship between industry and innovation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Situated in California's Sierra Nevada mountains, this lumber railroad was a model of efficiency and industry resourcefulness.

Westside Lumber Shay #7 is seen here leading an excursion on the Westside & Cherry Valley at Tuolumne, California in November of 1981. Drew Jacksich photo.

The Beginnings

In May 1898, the West Side Flume & Lumber Company was established as a result of an acquisition by William H. Crocker, Henry J. Crocker, Andre Poniatowski, Thomas Bullock, and Charles Gardner, who collectively purchased 55,000 acres of timberland near present-day Tuolumne.

They constructed a modest mill and extended a 3 foot, narrow-gauge railroad 10 miles eastward into the forest. By 1900, the West Side Flume & Lumber Company had transformed their railroad into a common carrier known as the Hetch Hetchy & Yosemite Valley, with aspirations to provide passenger service to the Hetch Hetchy Valley and further into Yosemite National Park.

Initial operations relied on flumes for transporting logs down to the mills, but as the demand grew and logging operations moved deeper into the mountains, a more efficient transportation method became necessary.

Operations

The choice of a narrow-gauge setup was deliberate, as it allowed the tracks to navigate the steep and winding terrain of the Sierra Nevada more effectively than standard-gauge rail.

From its humble beginnings, the railroad expanded rapidly as the lumbermen pushed further into the forested slopes. At its peak, the railroad boasted 72 miles of track (1949), supported by nearly 250 miles of spurs and four major trestles, reaching elevations and locations that would have seemed inaccessible without the boost of industrial ingenuity. The company produced over 40 million board feet annually.

Technological and Operational Aspects

The operations of the West Side Lumber Compan were remarkable not only for their scale but also for their technological innovations. During its heyday, the railroad operated a variety of locomotives, most notably the Shay, along with a few Heislers, which were particularly well-suited to the challenging topography. These steam-powered engines were renowned for their ability to apply power to all the wheels, providing the traction needed for tight curves and steep grades.

The railroad's rolling stock also included various specialized cars for transporting logs, such as skeleton cars and disconnects that could adapt to differing load sizes and types. The adaptability of the railroad allowed it to maximize the efficiency of its operations, reducing waste and increasing output.

The People and Culture

Logging railroads like the West Side Lumber Company Railroad were much more than mere transportation lines; they were lifelines for the communities they served. The crews working the trains, the loggers felling the trees, and the mill workers back in Tuolumne formed a tightly-knit community bound by the industry they supported. The company often provided housing and amenities for its workers, creating a unique socio-cultural ecosystem in which company, employee, and the surrounding environment coexisted.

Local culture was heavily influenced by the rhythms of the railroad and the seasonal nature of logging work. This unique lifestyle is remembered fondly in the anecdotes and stories passed down through generations, highlighting a way of life that was demanding but fulfilled the American ideals of self-sufficiency and pioneering spirit.

Challenges and Changes

As with many such enterprises, the West Side Lumber faced numerous challenges. Economic fluctuations, government regulations, and pressures from emerging technologies influenced the industry significantly.

In 1925 Pickering Lumber acquired the West Side Lumber Company and continued to own the operation until operations ended nearly four decades later.

The 1930s brought the Great Depression, which severely impacted industries nationwide. Yet the railroad managed to endure, thanks in part to the high quality and value of the lumber it carried and the adaptability of its operations.

Post-World War II, the industry saw further changes with the rise of road transport and the decreasing profitability of narrow-gauge operations. Technological advancements, such as the introduction of diesel-electric locomotives and improved logging trucks, began to threaten the viability of rail-based logging operations. By the 1950s, many narrow-gauge railroads began closing as they could not compete with the flexibility and cost-effectiveness of road transport.

Statistics

Overview

Category	Details
Length	Present time (1960): 38.0 miles. Maximum (1949): 72.0 miles.
Gauge	Narrow - 36 inches
Grades	The first 19.0 miles or halfway, 0 to 5% mostly favorable, and the remaining 19.0 miles level. Six-foot ties are used, mostly local Incense Cedar. The road-bed is all dirt, no rock ballast used.
Curves	Up to 60°
Construction	Construction started in 1893. The first 12.0 miles were built using Chinese hand labor, with supplies hauled by pack animals, mostly burros. The next 26.0 miles were also built by hand labor, but Chinese workers were replaced by white laborers. The remainder of the construction was completed using machinery, first with gas shovels and later with modern bulldozers and scrapers.
Bridges	1 bridge at North Fork Tuolumne River at mile 7.0 (300' long and 62' high). A watchman is stationed at the bridge during the operating season for fire protection.
Rail Weight	35-60 lbs
Operating Season	May 15 - November 15
Passing Tracks	11 tracks - Capacity 17 to 48 cars spaced about 3.5 miles apart.
Water Stations	9 stations - 10,000-gallon tanks at about every 4.0 miles.

Camps

Camp	Location	Notes
Camp 8	Mile 11.0	Originally the town of Nashton, where all rolling stock was maintained for the first six years of operation.
Camp 24	Mile 29.0	Railroad Maintenance
Camp Clavey	Mile 37.0	Logging Camp

Locomotive Roster

Road Number	Builder	Model Type	Completion Date	Notes
1	Heisler	2-Truck	1899	Sold to the Swayne Lumber Company; scrapped in 1940.
2	Heisler	2-Truck	1899	On display at West Side Memorial Park (Tuolumne).
3	Heisler	2-Truck	1899	Owned by Roaring Camp & Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad.
4	Heisler	2-Truck	1901	Scrapped in 1950.
5	Lima	2-Truck Shay	1902	Scrapped in 1950.
6	Lima	2-Truck Shay	1903	Scrapped in 1942.
7	Lima	3-Truck Shay	1911	ex-Butte & Plumas Railway #4. Preserved at the Roaring Camp & Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad.
8	Lima	3-Truck Shay	1922	On display at Granby, Colorado (Moffat Road Railroad Museum).
9	Lima	3-Truck Shay	1923	Owned by Midwest Central Railroad (Mt. Pleasant, Iowa).
10	Lima	3-Truck Shay	1928	Now running on the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad. Reportedly the largest narrow-gauge Shay locomotive ever built.
12	Lima	3-Truck Shay	1927	ex-Swayne Lumber Company railway #6. Preserved at the Colorado Railroad Museum.
14	Lima	3-Truck Shay	1916	ex-Sierra Nevada Wood & Lumber Company #10. Preserved at Colorado Railroad Museum.
15	Lima	3-Truck Shay	1913	es-Sierra Nevada Wood & Lumber Company #9. Owned by Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad.

Equipment

Type	Details
Logging Cars	170 cars, 40' long, load of 4,800 board feet average.
Miscellaneous Cars	75 including oil, water, caboose, etc.

Capacity

Train Capacity	Details
First 19.0 miles	19 cars hauling about 90,000 board feet of logs.
Remaining 19.0 miles	38 cars hauling about 180,000 board feet.

Production

Production Type	Amount
Daily Production via Railroad	250,000 Bd. Ft.
Daily Production via Highway	175,000 Bd. Ft.
Total Daily Production	425,000 Bd. Ft.
Yearly Production	45,000,000 Bd. Ft.
Daily Sawmill Production	285,000 Bd. Ft.

Preservation and Legacy

At the conclusion of the summer logging season in fall 1960, equipment was strategically positioned for the anticipated commencement of the next season in spring.

Empty log cars remained in the woods, and the locomotives underwent routine winter maintenance. However, the company abruptly announced that it would be more economical to utilize contract trucks for transporting the logs.

On June 6 and 7, 1961, two trains ventured into the woods to bring the empty cars back to the mill yard and sidings near Tuolumne. The railroad was then placed on standby, pending the assessment of truck performance. Ultimately, the logging railroad ceased operations permanently.

The West Side Lumber Company is a poignant reminder of an era when American industry expanded rapidly into new territories, driven by human initiative and the natural wealth of the land. Its story is woven with the threads of engineering brilliance, economic necessity, and a unique cultural heritage that reflects the broader narrative of American industrial history. Although it may no longer operate as it once did, the railroad's spirit persists in the tales it continues to inspire and the historical preservation it enjoys today.