The Vaca Valley and Clear Lake Railroad was a standard gauge railroad that operated at Vacaville, California in the late 19th century. The
Vaca Valley Railroad was incorporated on April 12, 1869 to run a branch from the mainline of the
California Pacific Railroad
The California Pacific Railroad Company (abbreviated Cal. P. R. R. or Cal-P) was incorporated in 1865 at San Francisco, California as the California Pacific ''Rail Road'' Company. It was renamed the California Pacific Railroad ''Extension'' Compan ...
(later
Southern Pacific Railroad's mainline between
Sacramento
)
, image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg
, mapsize = 250x200px
, map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...
and
Oakland, CA
Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the Bay ...
) at
Elmira to
Rumsey.
The Vaca Valley Railroad ran 4.35 miles from Elmira to
Vacaville
Vacaville is a city located in Solano County in Northern California. Sitting approximately from Sacramento and from San Francisco, it is within the Sacramento Valley. As of the 2020 census, Vacaville had a population of 102,386, making it th ...
. In June 1869 the line was opened for service. The Vaca Valley was sold at the Solano County Sheriff's auction on September 17, 1870 but retained the same name. The railroad was then extended beyond Vacaville, reaching
Winters on August 26, 1875.
In 1877, just 10 weeks after completing the track between Winters and
Madison Madison may refer to:
People
* Madison (name), a given name and a surname
* James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States
Place names
* Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...
the Vaca Valley Railroad became the Vaca Valley and Clear Lake Railroad.
In 1888 this railroad fell under control of
Southern Pacific's subsidiary, the
Northern Railway. By 1888, the Northern Railway extended the line northwest from Madison to
Capay and Rumsey.
In 1898 the line was operated by Southern Pacific (SP) and ran from the Cal-P Oakland-Sacramento mainline at Elmira to Rumsey. SP abandoned the track between Rumsey and Capay in 1934. The track between Rumsey and
Esparto
Esparto, halfah grass, or esparto grass is a fiber produced from two species of perennial grasses of north Africa, Spain and Portugal. It is used for crafts, such as cords, basketry, and espadrilles. ''Stipa tenacissima'' and ''Lygeum spartum ...
was removed in 1937. Passenger service continued between Elmira and Esparto until 195
The line between Winters and Vacaville, which ran parallel to the west side of
Interstate 505
Interstate 505 (I-505) is a north–south auxiliary Interstate Highway in the Sacramento Valley in Northern California. It is a spur auxiliary route of I-5 that runs from near Dunnigan south to I-80 in Vacaville. I-505 is primarily a rura ...
, was abandoned in the 1970s, ending at the grocery warehouses just south of Midway Road/I-505 in Vacaville. The Vacaville Branch's last train operated in about 1985 and the line was removed to Elmira by the 1990s.
Timeline
*July 27, 1868
California Pacific Railroad
The California Pacific Railroad Company (abbreviated Cal. P. R. R. or Cal-P) was incorporated in 1865 at San Francisco, California as the California Pacific ''Rail Road'' Company. It was renamed the California Pacific Railroad ''Extension'' Compan ...
completes track from Vallejo – Elmira via Suisun. At Vallejo the Cal-P had a railroad ferry to San Francisco.
*August 10, 1868 California Pacific completes Elmira – Dixon track, and reaches Sacramento in 1869/1870.
*April 12, 1869 Vaca Valley Railroad incorporated in Vacaville to build line from California Pacific at Elmira to Vacaville.
*May 10, 1869 On the same day the last spike was driven at Promontory Point, Utah to complete the Central Pacific Railroad/Union Pacific Railroad, grading commenced on the Vaca Valley Railroad.
*June 7, 1869 Rails laid on Vaca Valley Railroad
*June 16, 1869 The first train of the Vaca Valley Railroad was operated
*June 21, 1869 track between Elmira and Vacaville (5 miles) placed into operation.
*August 26, 1875 track between Vacaville and Winters (Winter's) (10 miles) opened via Allendale.
*June 30, 1876 California Pacific Railroad sold to Central Pacific Railroad. Vaca Valley Railroad owns 19.5 miles of track.
*February 19, 1877 Vaca Valley Railroad continues northwest expansion towards Madison and is renamed the Vaca Valley & Clear Lake Railroad.
*May 1, 1877 track opened between Winters and Madison, a total of 27.4 miles from Elmira.
*May 15, 1888 Vaca Valley & Clear Lake RR merged into the Northern Railway, (a Southern Pacific Railroad subsidiary. Northern Railway was created on this date as a consolidation of several smaller railroads.
*July 1, 1888 Northern Railway opens 23.65 miles of track between Madison and Rumsey via Capay (Esparto).
*April 14, 1898 Northern Railway consolidated into Southern Pacific Railroad. Line is known as the Rumsey Branch of SP.
*April 15, 1934 SP abandons track between Rumsey and Capay.
*1937 Track removed between Rumsey and Capay. Line becomes SP's Capay Branch.
*1943 Track abandoned from Esparto – Capay. Line becomes SP's Esparto Branch.
*1957 Last passenger train operated between Elmira and Esparto.
*March 7, 1975 Line abandoned between Vacaville – Esparto (ICC Fin Doc AB-12). Line becomes SP's Vacaville Branch.
*1985 Last freight train operates on Vacaville Branch and Vacaville Branch abandoned between Elmira and Vacaville.
Locomotives
These locomotives were listed on the Vaca Valley & Clear Lake Railroad's roster.
* No. 1 "Vacaville" was built by
Vulcan Iron Works
Vulcan Iron Works was the name of several iron foundries in both England and the United States during the Industrial Revolution and, in one case, lasting until the mid-20th century. Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and smithery, was a popular na ...
in May 1867 (Builder No. 9) and was a Type
2-2-4. It was sold to Union Coal Company in 1888 when the railroad was sold to SP's subsidiary, the Northern Railway.
* No. 2 "Ben Ely" was built by
Baldwin Locomotive Works
The Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW) was an American manufacturer of railroad locomotives from 1825 to 1951. Originally located in Philadelphia, it moved to nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania, in the early 20th century. The company was for decades t ...
in July 1875 (Builder No. 3753) and was a Type
2-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, usually in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles and no trailing wheels. ...
(Mogul). In 1888 the engine was renumbered Northern Railway #1022.
Route
![Rumsey Branch of SP 1905](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Rumsey_Branch_of_SP_1905.jpg)
*Elmira (Depot) MP 59.62
*
Vacaville
Vacaville is a city located in Solano County in Northern California. Sitting approximately from Sacramento and from San Francisco, it is within the Sacramento Valley. As of the 2020 census, Vacaville had a population of 102,386, making it th ...
(Depot)
*Vaca Valley (Allendale) MP 68.0
*
Winters (Depot)
*
Madison Madison may refer to:
People
* Madison (name), a given name and a surname
* James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States
Place names
* Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...
*
Esparto
Esparto, halfah grass, or esparto grass is a fiber produced from two species of perennial grasses of north Africa, Spain and Portugal. It is used for crafts, such as cords, basketry, and espadrilles. ''Stipa tenacissima'' and ''Lygeum spartum ...
(Depot) MP 89.95
*
Capay MP 92.79
*
Rumsey MP 110.85
The abandoned grade
Traces of the abandoned grade can be found.
From the Vacaville/Allendale area, the line crossed Midway Road on the west side of I-505 and ran north to Winters on the east side of Hartley Road. At Udell Road the line ran northbound on the east side of Winters Road. The trestle where the line crossed Putah Creek is on the east side of Winters Road. Present-day Railroad Ave in Winters was the old grade through town and continued north along the east side of Yolo County Road 89. At Madison near Highway 16 the railroad crossed 89 and ran on the east side of Railroad Street where it then turned west along Highway 16 towards Esparto. From there, Highway 16 generally follows the path (albeit with straighter curves) of the old railroad up to Rumsey. The railroad was originally planned to continue up the twisty route to Clearlake, but investment never came through. Each of the train stations still exist, and have been converted into residences (except for the Esparto one).
References
*
*
*
External links
Pictures of railroad structures on Winters Branch
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vaca Valley Clear Lake Railroad
Defunct California railroads
Predecessors of the Southern Pacific Transportation Company
Railway companies established in 1877
Railway companies disestablished in 1888
Vacaville, California
Transportation in the San Francisco Bay Area
Solano County, California
1877 establishments in California
1980s disestablishments in California