The Minarets and Western Railway was a Class IIcommon carrier that operated in Fresno County, California, from 1921 to 1933. The railway was owned by the Sugar Pine Lumber Company and was built the same year the lumber company was incorporated so that it could haul timber from the forest near Minarets (northeast of Friant) to its sawmill at Pinedale (near Fresno). The southern portion of the line was operated with joint trackage rights with Southern Pacific.
Minarets and Western Railway Company
Locomotive 102 hauling a load of log cars to the Pinedale Mill.
During the Great Depression, in 1933 the lumber company went bankrupt. The track north of Friant was abandoned and the Pinedale Branch was bought by Southern Pacific, where it was later known as the Pinedale Spur of the Clovis Branch. Southern Pacific later sold the spur and Clovis Branch to the San Joaquin Valley Railroad (SJVR). SJVR abandoned the line in the 1990s and today the Pinedale Spur is preserved as the Fresno-Clovis Rail Trail.[1]
In July 1921, the Sugar Pine Lumber Company formed. They secured timber tracts but could not secure the water rights necessary to build a log flume. Instead, they built a railroad to haul logs out of the mountains.[2]: 143
The Minarets and Western Railroad connected Wishon and Pinedale, their future mill site. From there, finished lumber could reach global markets via the Southern Pacific Railroad.
The Minarets and Western incorporated as a common carrier standard gauge railroad. This was to secure the right-of-way through privately held ranches at fixed rates. Doing so put the railroad under the Interstate Commerce Commission. This required the M&W to offer passenger and freight service. This was a formality as the area had less than 600 people to serve. Passenger service was intermittent, and a passenger depot was never built. The line passed through no major towns and had no commercial traffic other than lumber.
Minarets and Western began service in 1922 at an estimated cost of three and a half million dollars.[2]: 144
A second railroad above Bass Lake opened the same year. The Sugar Pine Railroad connected Wishon to the timber operations at Central Camp. Both railroads used standard gauge track and shared the same flatcars. But different locomotives were used in the mountains.
Pinedale Branchedit
The 4.7-mile (7.6 km) Pinedale Branch ran west from Pinedale Junction (today at North Willow Avenue at East Shephard Avenue, Fresno) on the Southern Pacific, to its lumber mill. The branch ran west along the north side of Shephard Avenue. Just west of Millbrook Avenue the railroad crossed Shephard heading in a southwest direction toward Fresno/Pinedale. The depot at Pinedale was located near Highway 41 and East Nees Avenue. Today a granite monument (California State Historical Landmark #934)[3] is at that depot/camp location in remembrance of the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. Pinedale was the destination where the Japanese disembarked the trains for their internment camps.
In the moviesedit
Minarets and Western Railway rolling stock was used in the filming of "Carnival Boat" (1932), which starred Bill Boyd and Ginger Rogers. In action scenes featuring Boyd and other actors atop flatcars carrying loads of timber, the film is intentionally reversed, making it difficult to read the "Minarets and Western Railway" markings. The designation "M & W" is readable at times, and the locomotive is marked "Sugar Pine Lumber Co."
Locomotivesedit
The Minarets and Western railroad had four Mikado type steam locomotives. Each met the rules and regulations of the Interstate Commerce Commission. This allowed M&W to maintain common carrier status despite the line operating like a de facto private contract carrier.[2]: 145
The Oregon-American Lumber Company ordered this locomotive in 1920. They refused delivery once they discovered how poorly suited it was for forest work. The Sugar Pine Lumber company purchased the engine in 1921.
The Southern Pacific absorbed the Minarets and Western Railway and retained the 101. Later, the Birmingham Rail & Locomotive bought the engine. They later sold it to the Aberdeen & Rockfish as their #40.[5]
Built for the Minarets & Western Railway Company with an empty weight of 262,800 pounds (119,200 kg), the #102 was sold to the Southern Pacific in 1935.[4]: 118 The engine worked as a switcher in the SP Dunsmuir yards until 1953.[6]
Built for the Minarets & Western Railway Company with an empty weight of 262,800 pounds (119,200 kg), the #102 was sold to the Southern Pacific in 1935. Later, the Atlanta & St. Andrews Bay bought the engine. They sold it to Chicago & Illinois Midland as No. 527. The engine was scrapped in 1954.[4]: 118
Built for the Minarets & Western Railway Company with an empty weight of 262,800 pounds (119,200 kg), the #102 was sold to the Southern Pacific in 1935. Later, the Long-Bell Lumber Company bought the engine as No. 3296. The engine was scrapped in 1957.[4]: 118
Locomotives of Minarets and Western Railway Company
102 on the Friant Bridge.
Minarets and Western Locomotive 103.
The Minarets and Western Locomotives 102 and 103 stand in front of 101 in Pinedale.
Trusteeship & Liquidationedit
The closure of the Sugar Pine Lumber Company in 1933 wiped out the vast majority of income for the railroad. Minarets and Western missed bond payments and taxes in 1932. It entered trusteeship in 1934. That year, the Interstate Commerce Commission allowed the line from Wishon to Friant to be abandoned. Scrapping started in 1936 with the last rails taken up at Friant in 1939. The four and a half miles from Pinedale to Pinedale Junction became a part of the Southern Pacific Railroad.[2]: 146
Locomotive No. 101 remained in service with the Southern Pacific. The remaining three locomotives went to other carriers.
Referencesedit
^"Fresno-Clovis Rail-Trail". Traillink.com. Rails to Trails Conservancy. 2007. Retrieved September 10, 2008.
^ abcdStenzel, Jane, ed. (2006). As We Were Told: An Oral and Written History (Third Edition (Revised) ed.). Coarsegold, California: Coarsegold Historical Society. ISBN0-9626377-7-7.
^"Temporary detention camps for Japanese Americans - Fresno assembly center". California Office of Historic Preservation. 2008. Retrieved September 10, 2008.
^ abcdefgJohnston, Hank (2011). Rails to the Minarets: The Story of the Sugar Pine Lumber Company (Fourth Edition (Revised) ed.). Fish Camp, California: Stauffer Publishing. ISBN978-0-9846848-0-9.
^"Minarets & Western / Sugar Pine Lumber Co 2-8-2 "Mikado" Locomotives in the USA". Steamlocomotive.com. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
^"Minarets & Western / Sugar Pine Lumber Co 2-8-2 "Mikado" Locomotives in the USA". Steamlocomotive.com. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
Further readingedit
Johnston, Hank (1997). The Whistles Blow No More. Stauffer Publishing. ISBN0-87046-067-6.
Fickewirth, Alvin A. (1992). California railroads: an encyclopedia of cable car, common carrier, horsecar, industrial, interurban, logging, monorail, motor road, shortlines, streetcar, switching and terminal railroads in California (1851-1992). San Marino, CA: Golden West Books. ISBN0-87095-106-8.
Robertson, Donald B. (1998). Encyclopedia of Western Railroad History - Volume IV - California. Caldwell, ID: The Caxton Printers. ISBN0-87004-385-4.
Walker, Mike (1997). Steam Powered Video's Comprehensive Railroad Atlas of North America - California and Nevada (Post Merger ed.). Faversham, Kent, United Kingdom: Steam Powered Publishing. ISBN1-874745-08-0.
minarets, western, railway, class, common, carrier, that, operated, fresno, county, california, from, 1921, 1933, railway, owned, sugar, pine, lumber, company, built, same, year, lumber, company, incorporated, that, could, haul, timber, from, forest, near, min. The Minarets and Western Railway was a Class II common carrier that operated in Fresno County California from 1921 to 1933 The railway was owned by the Sugar Pine Lumber Company and was built the same year the lumber company was incorporated so that it could haul timber from the forest near Minarets northeast of Friant to its sawmill at Pinedale near Fresno The southern portion of the line was operated with joint trackage rights with Southern Pacific Minarets and Western Railway CompanyLocomotive 102 hauling a load of log cars to the Pinedale Mill OverviewParent companySugar Pine Lumber CompanyHeadquartersPinedale CaliforniaLocaleFresno County California Madera County CaliforniaDates of operation1921 1933SuccessorSouthern PacificTechnicalTrack gauge4 ft 8 1 2 in 1 435 mm standard gaugeLength53 mi 85 km Route in 1922 near FriantDuring the Great Depression in 1933 the lumber company went bankrupt The track north of Friant was abandoned and the Pinedale Branch was bought by Southern Pacific where it was later known as the Pinedale Spur of the Clovis Branch Southern Pacific later sold the spur and Clovis Branch to the San Joaquin Valley Railroad SJVR SJVR abandoned the line in the 1990s and today the Pinedale Spur is preserved as the Fresno Clovis Rail Trail 1 Contents 1 History 1 1 Pinedale Branch 2 In the movies 3 Locomotives 4 Trusteeship amp Liquidation 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksHistory editIn July 1921 the Sugar Pine Lumber Company formed They secured timber tracts but could not secure the water rights necessary to build a log flume Instead they built a railroad to haul logs out of the mountains 2 143 The Minarets and Western Railroad connected Wishon and Pinedale their future mill site From there finished lumber could reach global markets via the Southern Pacific Railroad The Minarets and Western incorporated as a common carrier standard gauge railroad This was to secure the right of way through privately held ranches at fixed rates Doing so put the railroad under the Interstate Commerce Commission This required the M amp W to offer passenger and freight service This was a formality as the area had less than 600 people to serve Passenger service was intermittent and a passenger depot was never built The line passed through no major towns and had no commercial traffic other than lumber Minarets and Western began service in 1922 at an estimated cost of three and a half million dollars 2 144 A second railroad above Bass Lake opened the same year The Sugar Pine Railroad connected Wishon to the timber operations at Central Camp Both railroads used standard gauge track and shared the same flatcars But different locomotives were used in the mountains Pinedale Branch edit The 4 7 mile 7 6 km Pinedale Branch ran west from Pinedale Junction today at North Willow Avenue at East Shephard Avenue Fresno on the Southern Pacific to its lumber mill The branch ran west along the north side of Shephard Avenue Just west of Millbrook Avenue the railroad crossed Shephard heading in a southwest direction toward Fresno Pinedale The depot at Pinedale was located near Highway 41 and East Nees Avenue Today a granite monument California State Historical Landmark 934 3 is at that depot camp location in remembrance of the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II Pinedale was the destination where the Japanese disembarked the trains for their internment camps In the movies editMinarets and Western Railway rolling stock was used in the filming of Carnival Boat 1932 which starred Bill Boyd and Ginger Rogers In action scenes featuring Boyd and other actors atop flatcars carrying loads of timber the film is intentionally reversed making it difficult to read the Minarets and Western Railway markings The designation M amp W is readable at times and the locomotive is marked Sugar Pine Lumber Co Locomotives editThe Minarets and Western railroad had four Mikado type steam locomotives Each met the rules and regulations of the Interstate Commerce Commission This allowed M amp W to maintain common carrier status despite the line operating like a de facto private contract carrier 2 145 Name Builder Type Date Shop number Notes101 4 118 ALCO 2 8 2 March 1920 61858 The Oregon American Lumber Company ordered this locomotive in 1920 They refused delivery once they discovered how poorly suited it was for forest work The Sugar Pine Lumber company purchased the engine in 1921 The Southern Pacific absorbed the Minarets and Western Railway and retained the 101 Later the Birmingham Rail amp Locomotive bought the engine They later sold it to the Aberdeen amp Rockfish as their 40 5 102 4 118 ALCO 2 8 2 February 1923 64144 Built for the Minarets amp Western Railway Company with an empty weight of 262 800 pounds 119 200 kg the 102 was sold to the Southern Pacific in 1935 4 118 The engine worked as a switcher in the SP Dunsmuir yards until 1953 6 103 4 118 ALCO 2 8 2 February 1923 64145 Built for the Minarets amp Western Railway Company with an empty weight of 262 800 pounds 119 200 kg the 102 was sold to the Southern Pacific in 1935 Later the Atlanta amp St Andrews Bay bought the engine They sold it to Chicago amp Illinois Midland as No 527 The engine was scrapped in 1954 4 118 104 4 118 ALCO 2 8 2 February 1923 64146 Built for the Minarets amp Western Railway Company with an empty weight of 262 800 pounds 119 200 kg the 102 was sold to the Southern Pacific in 1935 Later the Long Bell Lumber Company bought the engine as No 3296 The engine was scrapped in 1957 4 118 Locomotives of Minarets and Western Railway Company nbsp 102 on the Friant Bridge nbsp Minarets and Western Locomotive 103 nbsp The Minarets and Western Locomotives 102 and 103 stand in front of 101 in Pinedale Trusteeship amp Liquidation editThe closure of the Sugar Pine Lumber Company in 1933 wiped out the vast majority of income for the railroad Minarets and Western missed bond payments and taxes in 1932 It entered trusteeship in 1934 That year the Interstate Commerce Commission allowed the line from Wishon to Friant to be abandoned Scrapping started in 1936 with the last rails taken up at Friant in 1939 The four and a half miles from Pinedale to Pinedale Junction became a part of the Southern Pacific Railroad 2 146 Locomotive No 101 remained in service with the Southern Pacific The remaining three locomotives went to other carriers References edit Fresno Clovis Rail Trail Traillink com Rails to Trails Conservancy 2007 Retrieved September 10 2008 a b c d Stenzel Jane ed 2006 As We Were Told An Oral and Written History Third Edition Revised ed Coarsegold California Coarsegold Historical Society ISBN 0 9626377 7 7 Temporary detention camps for Japanese Americans Fresno assembly center California Office of Historic Preservation 2008 Retrieved September 10 2008 a b c d e f g Johnston Hank 2011 Rails to the Minarets The Story of the Sugar Pine Lumber Company Fourth Edition Revised ed Fish Camp California Stauffer Publishing ISBN 978 0 9846848 0 9 Minarets amp Western Sugar Pine Lumber Co 2 8 2 Mikado Locomotives in the USA Steamlocomotive com Retrieved August 28 2022 Minarets amp Western Sugar Pine Lumber Co 2 8 2 Mikado Locomotives in the USA Steamlocomotive com Retrieved August 28 2022 Further reading editJohnston Hank 1997 The Whistles Blow No More Stauffer Publishing ISBN 0 87046 067 6 Fickewirth Alvin A 1992 California railroads an encyclopedia of cable car common carrier horsecar industrial interurban logging monorail motor road shortlines streetcar switching and terminal railroads in California 1851 1992 San Marino CA Golden West Books ISBN 0 87095 106 8 Robertson Donald B 1998 Encyclopedia of Western Railroad History Volume IV California Caldwell ID The Caxton Printers ISBN 0 87004 385 4 Walker Mike 1997 Steam Powered Video s Comprehensive Railroad Atlas of North America California and Nevada Post Merger ed Faversham Kent United Kingdom Steam Powered Publishing ISBN 1 874745 08 0 External links editRails To Trails Conservancy Fresno Clovis Rail Trail Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Minarets and Western Railway amp oldid 1176424209, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
