Service began with the purchase of three-truck Shay locomotive No. 10 from the West Side Lumber Company railway of Tuolumne, California. Built in 1928, No. 10 is reputedly the largest narrow gauge Shay locomotive—and one of the last constructed. In 1986, the YMSPRR purchased Shay No. 15—also a former West Side Lumber Company locomotive—from the West Side & Cherry Valley Railroad tourist line in Tuolumne.
The steam locomotives operate daily during the summer months, while the railroad's "Jenny" railcars, capable of carrying about a dozen passengers, typically handle operations during the off-season. Passengers can ride in either open-air or enclosed passenger cars.[2]
View of the railroad's track as it winds south into thick forest cover.
The current railroad follows a portion of grade originally carved into the mountain by the Madera Sugar Pine Lumber Company in the early 20th century. The company originated in 1874, when it was organized as the California Lumber Company to log the area surrounding Oakhurst, California.[3] The Madera Sugar Pine Lumber Company once had a large sawmill at Sugar Pine, California, just south of the current YMSPRR.[4] The railroad had seven locomotives, over 100 log cars, and 140 miles (230 km) of track in the surrounding mountains.[5] In addition to the railroad, the Company also transported lumber in a flume that stretched 54 miles (87 km) from Sugar Pine to Madera, California.[6] This was the most efficient way to transport rough cut lumber out of the mountains for finishing and transport at the bottom of the mountain. The Madera Sugar Pine Lumber Company practiced clearcutting, which removed almost every single tree within the stands of timber surrounding the YMSPRR track. The thick forest surrounding YMSPRR today belies this history, although large stumps from the original old growth timber dot the forest floor lining the tracks.
A Madera Sugar Pine Lumber Co. log train climbing a steep grade near Sugar Pine, California, circa 1915.
Due to the onset of the Great Depression and a lack of trees, the operation closed in 1931. But the graded right-of-way through the forest remained, enabling the Stauffer family to reconstruct a portion of the line in 1961. The current railroad utilizes locomotives, converted log disconnect cars, and other railroad equipment purchased from the West Side Lumber Company after it ceased railroad operations in 1961.[7]
After his retirement in 1981, Rudy Stauffer was succeeded by his son, Max, as the railroad's owner and operator. Max Stauffer died on March 10, 2017.[8][9]
In late August 2017, the Railroad Fire, which started near the railroad, destroyed West Side Lumber Company equipment stored on a side track.[10]
Locomotives
The Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad features a collection of historic locomotives, including two operational steam locomotives:
Locomotives of the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad
Reputedly the largest Shay locomotive ever constructed.[11] Originally built for the Pickering Lumber Company, later used by the West Side Lumber Company before joining YMSPRR.[12] It burns oil and has a capacity of 1,200 US gal (4,500 L) of oil and 3,400 US gal (13,000 L) of water.
Ford Model A automobiles converted for rail use by the West Side Lumber Company. Each railcar accommodates about 12 people, providing regular service alongside steam operations.[14]
No. 5
Diesel Switch Engine
1935
Not specified
A two-axle diesel switch engine, not in operating condition.[15]
No. 402
Center Cab Diesel Locomotive
Not specified
Not specified
A center cab two-truck diesel locomotive. Not used by YMSPRR for regular scheduled service.
Points of interest
Thornberry Museum
The Thornberry Museum, housed in a relocated 140-year-old log cabin, offers visitors a glimpse into life on the Sierra slopes over a century ago.
The Sugar Pine Trading Company, providing a selection of literature and sources related to the YMSPRR, railroads and the history of Yosemite Valley
The Lewis Creek Amphitheater, accessible by the steam train route, features seasonal performances including jazz and melodrama.[16]
Picnic and event grounds at the eastern terminus of the line
^Hank Johnston. The Whistles Blow No More: Railroad Logging in the Sierra Nevada 1874–1942. Stauffer Publishing (1997) (a thorough study of steam railroad logging in the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains around the current YMSPRR). For additional information regarding railroad logging operations, consult other similar works by Hank Johnston, available at "Gifts at the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad". Archived from the original on December 16, 2013..
^Other former Pickering Lumber steam locomotives survive today. The Niles Canyon Railway in Fremont, California, preserves Pickering No. 12, a three-truck Shay, and No. 1, a three-truck Heisler. The Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad maintains No. 11,"Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad, Elbe, Washington USA". Archived from the original on November 21, 2008. Retrieved March 13, 2009. a three-truck Pacific Coast Shay. No. 3, a two-truck shay, is stored on display at the Tuolumne County Fairgrounds in Sonora, California.[1]. The El Portal Transportation Museum preserves No. 6, a three-truck Pacific Coast Shay similar to No. 11. The Humboldt Log Museum, near Korbel, California, preserves No. 33, a three-truck shay. No. 8 is another three-truck shay, currently in private ownership awaiting repair in Oregon. No. 7 is a three-truck shay on display at the Railtown 1897 State Historic Park in Jamestown, California.
