Kyle Railways

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

Kyle Railways

A couple of days ago on the Trains Forum somebody asked about the Flying Goose in a circle logo that was on a railcar. Through a couple of replies it was brought out that this was Kyle Railways Logo. Then yesterday on Trainorders.com a similar thread was introduced, again with replies stating that this was the Kyle Railways logo. After following the Trains Forum thread for a day I decided to do a google search to try and find out just how many shortline-regional railroads Kyle either owned or operated over the years. This is the list that I’ve compiled so far.

Arizona Eastern Railway: owned Oct 11, 1988 - 1997 (AZ). Equip: 2 flat cars

Bellefonte Central: owned 1975 - 1983 ¶.

California Western Railroad: lease operator 1977 - 1987, then owned (Kyle subsidiary, Mendocino Coast Railway) 1987 - 1996 (CA).

Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad: designated operator 1982 - 1996 (CO).

Eastern Alabama Railroad: owned Nov 16, 1990 - ? (AL).

Kyle Railroad Company: designated operator Feb 1982 - 1997(KS - CO). Equip: 974 covered hoppers, 60 gondolas.

Lahaina Kaanapali & Pacific Railway: owned 1973 - 1997(HI).

Natchez Trace Railroad: owned Mar 1, 1982 - 1993 (MS). Equip: 70 pulpwood cars, 80 boxcars. Note: Sold to Pioneer Railcorp, renamed Mississippi Central March 1993.

Oregon, Pacific & Eastern: joint ownership Aug 1969 - 1994 (OR). Equip: 116 Box cars and 21 bulkhead flats; 11 - 40ft Box cars - Nos OPE 1031 thru OPE 1035 and OPE 1037 thru OPE 1046 (some numbers missing);5 50ft box cars - Nos OPE 2001 thru OPE 2006; 100 50ft box cars - Nos OPE 15101 thru OPE 15200; and 21 60ft Bulkhead Flat - Nos OPE 16001 thru OPE 16021. (ORER 1-81)

Pend Oreille Valley Railroad: designated operator Oct 1979 - Sept 1984 (WA). Equip: Box Cars and Wood Chip Cars

Port Railroads: Kyle subs

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Jim, SJVR started on January 1, 1992 (if I remember correctly), it was owned by Kyle until Kyle was bought out by States Rail. They only thing they owned other than locomotives back then was a former SP bay window caboose, SJVR 1. They now have a former SP H-100-2 hopper (SJVR 2). I suspect it must be for MOW.

SJVR started with the following
SJVR 1, ex-SP #### bay window caboose
SJVR 1751, ex-AZER 1751 GP9
SJVR 1754, ex-AZER 1754 GP9
SJVR 1755, ex-AZER 1755 GP9
SJVR 2038
KYLE 101 GP9
KYLE 103 GP9
KYLE 104 GP9
There was an article about SJVR in the November 1992 issue of Pacific Rail News.

According to “The Official 1998 Edition Locomotive Rosters & News”, DPA-LTA Enterprises, 1998 (0-919295-30-4) SJVR’s 1997 roster is as follows
SJVR 1, ex-SP #### bay window caboose
SJVR 1751, ex-AZER 1751 GP9
SJVR 1754, ex-AZER 1754 GP9
SJVR 1755, ex-AZER 1755 GP9
SJVR 1761, ex-KYLE 101 GP9
SJVR 1763, ex-KYLE 103 GP9
SJVR 1764, ex-KYLE 104 GP9
SJVR 1825 GP28
SJVR 1826 GP28
SJVR 2035, ex-KYLE 2035 GP20
SJVR 2037, ex-KYLE 2037 GP20
SJVR 2038 GP20
SJVR 2041 GP20
SJVR 2042 GP20
SJVR 2043 GP20
If I remember correctly all of the GP20s are former KYLE

Since then SJVR 2035 and 2041 derailed and burned. SJVR 1751, 1754, 1755, and 1761 have been sold. SJVR 107 (ex-CFNR 107, GP15-1), SJVR 110 (ex-CFNR 110, GP15-1) SJVR 1829 (ex-KYLE 1829, GP28), SJVR 2036 (ex-KYLE 2036, GP20), SJVR 3829 (ex-CORP 3829, GP38) have been bought(?). CORP 3817 (GP38) recently arrived, I do not know if it is leased or bought. CEFX 3029 (ex-DRGW 3029), CEFX 3034 (ex-DRGW 3034), and CEFX 3048 (ex-DRGW 3048) have been leased, all are GP38-3s (with A/C) rebuilt from GP35s .

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Thanks eric, I think I’ll’ just keep modifing the lead post in this thread as we get information.

Jim

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Here are two photos of the Kyle boxcars operated out of the Pend Oreille Valley along with a photo of a wood chip car.

All photos taken July 1984

Jim

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Some Kyle owned railroad must have had some of those huge, 5-bay woodchip hoppers. I will occasionally see one that now has RRLX reporting marks and is carrying what appears to be coke.

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Over the past 5 or so years on different lists and forums I think I’ve read that many former Itel (Brea?) cars ended up with RRLX reporting marks.

Here is a link to their web site:

http://www.rrlx.com/who.htm

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I pulled out my “American Shortline Railway Guide, 3rd Edition”, Kalmbach Books, 1986 (I have ordered the 5th edition). Here is what it says about Kyle Railways railroads.

Kyle Railroad: rail owned by local port authority, 3 GP9, 2 GP18, 13 GP40, 974 covered hoppers, 60 gondolas

Natchez Trace Railroad: rail owned by Lafayette, Marshal, & Benton Regional Authority; 3 GP7, 70 pulpwood cars, 80 boxcars

Oregon, Pacific, & Eastern Railway: owned, 1 110 ton GE, 1 S2, 1 SW8, 31 boxcars, 44 flatcars

San Francisco Belt Railroad: rail owner not listed, operated by Port Railroads, Inc. (Kyle subsidiary), 1 70 ton GE, 2 S2, no cars

South Central Tennessee Railroad: owned, 2 RS11, 1 SW9, 1 SW1200, 1 GP7, 91 woodchip hoppers (RRLX now?), 25 gondolas

Yreka Western Railroad: owned, 1 2-8-2, 2 SW8, 1 S4, 29 boxcars

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Cool, thanks for the help. I see we have a new entry in that South Central Tennessee Railroad. I’m going to hold off on the locomtives for right now, but as you find that material please forward it like the above. And again thanks

Jim

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Thanks Jim for having a thread about railroad companies. They are not to popular on the forum. I’ll see what I can dig up over the weekend.

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eric,

I have not found the tie between South Central Tennessee Railroad and Kyle Railways. I found that Rail America purchased it in 1994, but not from whom.
So the “American Shortline Railway Guide, 3rd Edition”, Kalmbach Books, 1986 says its a Kyle Railways railroad I take.

I also discovered that they sold it to South Central Rail Group in 2001 for 4 million bucks.

Jim

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Anything you can add would be great! Once we get the bulk of this done, I think then we’ll move onto the loco roster, that maybe tuff because I think Kyle moved lots of stuff between railroads.

And again eric, thanks for all the help!

Jim

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The October 1988 Trains magazine article on the Kyle Railroad mentions the Idaho Western Railway. A web search revealed they were fighting to be non union and I don’t think they ever operated, with the trackage being (becoming?) the St. Maries.

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That is what it says.

I forgot to list the years Kyle Railways started operating these.
Kyle Railroad: February 1982
Natchez Trace Railroad: March 1, 1982
Oregon, Pacific, & Eastern: not listed
San Francisco Belt Railroad: 1969
South Central Tennessee Railroad: July 1, 1978
Yreka Western: not listed

Coincidentally, the 5th edition arrived today, here is the information from it.

Arizona Eastern Railway: October 11, 1988, owned, 1 SW9, 2 SW1200, 1 SW13, 4 GP20, 3 GP35, 2 Flatcars

Bellefonte Central: Not listed

California Western Railroad: June 1987, owned by Mendocino Coast Railway (Kyle Subsidiary), 1 2-8-2, 1 RS-11, 1 GP9

Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad: Not listed

Eastern Alabama Railroad: November 16, 1990, Owned, 4 GP7

Kyle Railroad Company: Tracks owned by local port authority and leased from UP, February 1982, 3 GP28, 2 GP20, 4 GP30, 1 GP35, 12 U30C, 4 U30B, 439 covered hopper cars

Lahaina Kaanapali & Pacific Railway: not listed

Natchez Trace Railroad: sold to Pioneer Railcorp, renamed Mississippi Central in March 1993

Oregon, Pacific & Eastern: abandoned October 1994

Pend Oreille Valley Railroad: 10/01/1979-1984

Port Railroads: March 13, 1994, owned, ex-SP West Side Line from Fresno to Oxalis, Riverdale Branch & Buttonwillow Branch, operated by SJVR

San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway, owned by San

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Goood rr research

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Did your goody bag arrive? [:o)][:p][:)]

[quote]
Originally posted by SP9033
[

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Yes it did it arrived yesterday in the mail. Thanks, really enjoyed the SP/SSW note pad and cover! I think I’ll take a one of my better photos along with the match book cover and have them matted and framed, I think it would then make an interesting piece for the wall. Thanks!

Jim

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Your welcome! Enjoy! Actually I thought I had more matchbook covers then just one. As I am planning a move to Portland next spring more more may turn up & on my way there I will hand deliver them to you. I have more SPRR scratch pads but you got the only accessory leather holder for the scratch pads I had! Thankful the USPS does deliever here of there!

[quote]
Originally posted by SP9033

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I have the Offical RR guide from 79. The Kyle RR it that book itself which probably means it was not in existence at the time of printing. The Bellefonte shows as going from Bellefonte PA to Chemical PA (5 miles) & it’s manager was a J.E. Miller

The only other one in the 79 book is California Western which offered “skunk” rides From/to Ft. Bragg to from/to Willets or Northspur [:o)][:p][:)]

[quote]
Originally posted by SP9033

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eric,

Great job, thanks alot. I’m going to go through this a couple of lines at a time. There are some conflicting dates from what I found. So, what I use I’ll explain.

[qoute]
I forgot to list the years Kyle Railways started operating these.
Kyle Railroad: February 1982
Natchez Trace Railroad: March 1, 1982
Oregon, Pacific, & Eastern: not listed
San Francisco Belt Railroad: 1969
South Central Tennessee Railroad: July 1, 1978
Yreka Western: not listed
[/quote]

After visting a number of local Kansas and Colorado web sites I came away with two dates for start-up, 1982 and 1984 - will go with your Feb. 1982 date which confirms some of the dates stated on local web sites.

Natchez Trace Railroad, both your start dates and end dates will help when I get to the ORER (Offical Railroad Equipment Register). In the collection of material that I donated to the Nevada State Historical Society there is one from 1981, also will check with the Nevada State Railroad Museum, they must have some. If not, I know the California State Railroad Museum Library has a large collection of ORERs, which I hope continues on into the 1990s.

Oregon, Pacific & Eastern, I’ve got the start date and will use your end date.

San Francisco Belt, got those dates from the Golden Gate Railroad Museum site plus support from other sites they state 1973 - 1993. But will keep the 1973 date open in my mind incase we find that Kyle operated it from 1969 through 1973 too.

South Central Tennessee Railroad, good start date will use it, end date conflicts with Rail Amerca date and Railroad Retirement Board date.

Got dates of Yerka Western from thier website along with an article by Kent Stephens.

With this information will update the lead post. Then glean the rest of the great information that you have sent.

Thanks so much for the effort that you put into this, when I start pulling

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Nanaimo73,

Thanks, I think I’m going to pull the St Maries listing until I find more information on this, I only listed it because when I visited the railroad in 1984 I was told that Kyle was either the operator than or would take over operations. Its been over 20 years and I can’t find my notes from the visit. When I get around to it, I’ll check the rail news pubs for more infor on the Idaho Western Railway, which I think my have to do with Southern Idaho.

Again thanks!

Jim