The Santa Maria Valley Railroad is a shortline railroad that interchanges with the Union Pacific Railroad's (former Southern Pacific) Coast Line at Guadalupe, California. As of 2006, the Railroad is owned by the Coast Belle Rail Corporation.

Traffic

The TRC handles 2,000 cars annually (1996 estimate). Commodities hauled include: * Asphalt * Fertilizer *Fresh and Frozen Food products * Gypsum wallboard * Lumber *

Machinery A machine is a physical system using power to apply forces and control movement to perform an action. The term is commonly applied to artificial devices, such as those employing engines or motors, but also to natural biological macromolecule ...

* Petroleum Products * Plastic *Scrap iron Prior traffic included: * Beer *

Sugar Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose, fructose, and galactose. Compound sugars, also called disaccharides or double ...

and

Sugar beet A sugar beet is a plant whose root contains a high concentration of sucrose and which is grown commercially for sugar production. In plant breeding, it is known as the Altissima cultivar group of the common beet (''Beta vulgaris''). Together wi ...

Passenger Service

Special passenger service was only offered during World War II on the Air Base branch to transport military personnel to the Santa Maria Army Air Base for training. The Air Base branch was constructed in 1943. Excursions were offered for the first time on the SMVRR in November 2006, continuing into 2007.

History

The SMV was incorporated on July 14, 1911 as the Santa Maria Valley Railwayat Los Angeles, California with A. A. Dougherty listed as President. The first of track, from the Southern Pacific connection at Guadalupe to Betteravia Junction, was actually built by the SP in August 1899 to get to a sugar mill. The SP leased the track to the SMV years later. From Betteravia the SMV built to Santa Maria and on to Roadamite. The SMV also had branches running from Stowell to Air Base, Suey to Rosemary Farms and Rex to Gates. By 1925 the railway traffic had steeply declined and the railway went bankrupt. Captain George Allan Hancockbr>
a principal of the Dominion Oil Company, purchased the railroad for $75,000 at a Sheriff's auction. The railroad was then reorganized as the Santa Maria Valley Railroad in 1926. Until 2006, the railroad was owned by Captain G. Allan Hancock's estate. The original line ran for , from Guadalupe to Roadamite. The track from Gates to Roadamite was abandoned in 1950. The last run of No. 21, Captain Hancock's favorite steam locomotive, was in February 1962. Captain Hancock took the throttle one last time. Walt Disney was in the cab with Captain Hancock. Baldwin 21 currently is undergoing restoration in

Astoria, Oregon Astoria is a port city and the seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1811, Astoria is the oldest city in the state and was the first permanent American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains. The county is the northwest corne ...

to be returned to excursion service. The Union Sugar Beet plant closed in 1993, ending the beet train era. In 1999 the G. Allan Hancock Estate gained full control of the SMV. The assets of the railroad were sold to Coast Belle Rail Corporation in 2006, ending an 81-year ownership by the Hancock family. Other than 21, three other steam locomotives are in existence. 205 is nearing completion in the return to Service, also in Oregon, owned by George Lavacott. 100 is also in Oregon, but has not yet entered restoration. 1000 resides on Static Display in Griffith Park at Travel Town.

Timeline

*July 14, 1911 Santa Maria Valley Railway organized *August 23, 1911 grading commenced *September 28, 1911 laying rails commenced *March 15, 1912 construction completed *October 7, 1911 first train operated *1926 Santa Maria Valley ''Railway'' reorganized as the Santa Maria Valley ''Railroad'' *1950 track abandoned between Gates and Roadamite *2006 Purchased by the Coast Belle Rail Corp. from the descendants of G.A. Hancock family *2008 All track east of McClelland Street now vacated. Offices moved to Betteravia Industrial Park (at the site of the old sugar mill).

Route

Main Route

*Guadalupe (interchange with UP - former SP) originally leased to SMV by SP. *Betteravia Junction *Carr *Pacer *Midco * Santa Maria

Air Base Branch (Santa Maria Army Air Base)

*Santa Maria *Airbase (also with a spur to Pesco)

Betteravia Branch

*Betteravia Junction *Gumm (Iremel) * Betteravia

Rosemary Branch (abandoned)

*Santa Maria *Suey *Rosemary (Rosemary Farms) *Battles

Gates Branch (abandoned)

*Rosemary (named after owner G. Allan Hancock's daughter) *Rex *Gates *Roadamite (Gates - Roadamite abandoned in 1950)

Motive Power

The SMV has 5 locomotives: *SMV #70 a GE 70-ton switcher built in January 1950 (Builder No. 30381) acquired for operation in November 1972 from Fort Dodge DM&S *SMV #80 a GE 70-ton switcher built in December 1953 (Builder No. 32207) acquired for parts for its fleet of 70-ton switchers in November 1972 from Fort Dodge DM&S *SMV #1801 an EMD GP9 built in June 1959 (Builder No. 25314) Built for

Milwaukee Road The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (CMStP&P), often referred to as the "Milwaukee Road" , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States, Midwest and Pacific Northwest, Northwest of the United States fr ...

as their #319 *BUGX #1322, a former Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe (AT&SF) EMD GP7(u), still with the original Blue and Gold Paint Scheme (leased) *FWRY 3501 EMD GP35, Purchased from the Fillmore and Western Railway in 2021. The SMV operated five 70 ton switchers and one U6B that were acquired between 1948-1959. Roster from the Friends of the SMV: https://friends-smvrr.org/images/history/SMVRR-roster.pdf Also see The Diesel Shop Roster: https://www.thedieselshop.us/SMVR.HTML

References

* * * * * *

External links

Official Santa Maria Valley Railroad homepageFriends of the Santa Maria Valley Railroad

Additional reading

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Santa Maria Valley Railroad California railroads Companies operating former Southern Pacific Transportation Company lines Transportation in Santa Barbara County, California