The North Pacific Coast Railroad (NPC) was a common carrier narrow-gauge steam railroad begun in 1874 and sold in 1902 to new owners who renamed it the North Shore Railroad (California) (NSR) and rebuilt the southern section into a standard-gauge electric railway.
The NPC operated in the northern California counties of Marin and Sonoma that carried redwood lumber, local dairy and agricultural products, express and passengers. The NPC operated almost of track that extended from a pier at Sausalito (which connected the line via ferry to San Francisco) and operated northwest to Duncans Mills and Cazadero (also known as Ingrams). The NPC became the North Shore Railroad (California) (NSR) on March 7, 1902. In 1907 the North Shore Railroad became part of the Northwestern Pacific Railroad (NWP). Southern portions of the line were standard gauged and electrified by the North Shore for suburban passenger service, though tracks north of Point Reyes Station remained narrow gauge until abandonment in the late 1930s.
Route
Mileposts conform to Southern Pacific Railroad convention of distance from San Francisco: San Francisco – Sausalito via Ferry Sausalito (milepost 6.5) San Rafael Junction (later known as San Anselmo) (milepost 16.5) Fairfax (milepost 18.3) Point Reyes Station (milepost 36.4) Marshall (milepost 45.4) Tomales (milepost 53.1) Valley Ford (milepost 59.5) Freestone (milepost 63.7) Occidental (milepost 67.6) Monte Rio (milepost 73.8) Duncans Mills (milepost 77.1) Cazadero (milepost 84.3)
Subsequent to abandonment, a segment around Samuel P. Taylor State Park was converted into a rail trail: the Cross Marin Trail. It includes a segment in Tocaloma as well as the bridge over Lagunitas Creek and Sir Francis Drake Boulevard.
Electrification
The NSR was operated by John Martin and Eugene de Sabla Jr., pioneers in the electric railroad business. The southern of line were modernized to allow operation of standard-gauge electric passenger cars in addition to narrow-gauge steam-powered freight trains. Electric cars sometimes shared dual-gauge tracks with the steam trains, while at other locations a separate track for the electric cars was constructed parallel to the narrow-gauge route. The line was ultimately double tracked from Sausalito to San Anselmo except for the Alto tunnel. A power house was built at Alto and power was also purchased at San Rafael. Direct current electrical power was transmitted to the trains at 600 volts by a third rail (which was actually a fourth rail on the dual-gauge segments.) Service started to Mill Valley on August 20, 1903, and to San Rafael on October 17, 1903. It was the first United States steam railroad electrified for operational efficiency rather than for smoke abatement. The railroad established practices later used in Grand Central Terminal and the interborough subways of New York City. The electric lines were expanded after 1907 as part of the Northwestern Pacific Railroad. Interurban services ceased on February 28, 1941.
Locomotives PhotographNumberNameBuilderTypeDateWorks numberNotes1SaucelitoBaldwin Locomotive Works18733495sold to White Lumber Company of Elk, California 18762San RafaelMason Machine Works1874537burned at Tomales 1905 & rebuilt became NWP #893TomalesBaldwin Locomotive Works18753722became NWP #834OlemaBaldwin Locomotive Works18743629wrecked 1894 & rebuilt became NWP #815BodegaBaldwin Locomotive Works18753703dismantled by 18976Valley FordBaldwin Locomotive Works18743664leased to Dollar Lumber Company in 18997TamalpaisBaldwin Locomotive Works187537218Bully BoyMason Machine Works1877584burned at Tomales 19059M. S. LathamBaldwin Locomotive Works18753749wrecked 14 January 1894 at Elim Grove trestle over Austin Creek10BloomfieldBaldwin Locomotive Works18763840sold 1895 Guatemala Western #111MarinBaldwin Locomotive Works18763842became NWP #82 12SonomaBaldwin Locomotive Works18763843sold 1879 Nevada Central #5 (preserved at California State Railroad Museum)13Baldwin Locomotive Works18836611became NWP #19514Brooks Locomotive Works18911885became NWP #9215Brooks Locomotive Works18911886became NWP #9016Brooks Locomotive Works18942421became NWP #9117Baldwin Locomotive Works18753749NPC 1894 rebuild of wreck-damaged #9 wrecked again in 190018Brooks Locomotive Works18993418reputedly the largest gauge locomotive in the world when built. Became NWP #145 then #9520NPC Sausalito shop19001became NWP #8421Thomas-StetsonNPC Sausalito shop19012cab-forward rebuild of #5 scrapped 1905Kyle K Wyatt: Cab Forward Locomotives, 30 November 2006.22Baldwin Locomotive Works18743664former #6 renumbered when returned from Dollar Lumber Company in 1901
Roster of electric cars NumberBuilderTypeDateCapacityNotes101-112St. Louis Car Co.Trailers190266 seatstwelve unpowered open platform wooden trailers; #102 built in North Shore shops201-202North Shore shopsMotors190432 seats & baggage/mail/express compartmenttwo vestibuled wooden motors converted from narrow-gauge Pullman coaches built in 1879203North Shore shopsMotor190450 seatsopen platform wooden motor converted from narrow-gauge Pullman coach built in 1879; renumbered 309301-308St. Louis Car Co.Motors190264 to 70 seatsopen platform wooden motors; #303-308 built in North Shore shops350-358St. Louis Car Co.Motors190236 seats & baggage/mail/express compartmentnine vestibuled wooden motors401-404North Shore shopsTrailers190466 seatsfour unpowered open platform wooden trailers converted from narrow-gauge Pullman coaches built in 1879
Ferries
Lagunitas, launched 31 January 1903 from the W. A. Boole & Son shipyard in Oakland
Remains All of the NPC trackage has been abandoned either by the NPC or the NWP. Some of the original right of way can be seen at the Samuel P. Taylor State Park near Fairfax, and along the shores of Tomales Bay and Keyes Estuary. Former stations remain in San Anselmo, Duncans Mills, and Point Reyes Station. The wooden water tank and a freight shed are maintained and in good condition at Freestone.
One NPC steam locomotive, No.12 the "Sonoma," remains as a restored static exhibit in its appearance at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento. The firm of Carter Brothers provided engineering and contract services, and also built many cars for the line. A flatcar NS 1725 and caboose NS 2002 (as NWP 6101) have been restored and are operated by the Society for the Preservation of Carter Railroad Resources at its Railroad Museum at Ardenwood in Fremont, CA. Several former railroad cars are located at Duncans Mills; one, a former passenger coach, was used as the Point Reyes Station library beginning in 1931.
References
Bibliography
External links
PacificNG.com: North Pacific Coast Railroad Society for the Preservation of Carter Railroad Resources: Flatcar NS 1725