McCloud River Railway

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

My friend Jeff Moore posted this on TO this morning. I repost it here as news:

Received a post card today from a McCloud Railway employee. He reports the following:

1. Shasta Sunset Dinner Train and the McCloud-Mt. Shasta City trackage have been sold. Buyer is connected in some way with Yahoo. New ownership to take over in May. New owner likely to get the shops and equipment.

2. All remaining McCloud Railway employees have received pink slips indicating that they will be cut off in October. Employees are being told that all freight operations will be suspended and the entire line east of McCloud abandoned on or around October unless a buyer is found for the freight operations before then.

This kind of news has been floating around for a year or two now…will be interesting to see what comes of it.

Jim - Lawton, NV MP 236

2

It is sad to read that the whole railroad may be abandoned.I rode almost the whole railroad on a Trains Unlimited trip in 1996.

3

Sorry to hear that, I’m sure if there is any money to be made at all then someone will buy up the ROW and keep it going.

4

I know the owner of the railroad. I have worked with him since the 1970’s until he resigned after having purchased the McCloud in the 1980’s. His father was my supervisor for a good many years.

Believe me, if he could make even one thin well worn dime in black ink, he would not be doing this. Not only is he a REAL railroader, he is also a foamer. The McCloud is a very expensive operation to run, and the timber harvests simply are not there at the moment and the dinner train can’t make the costs of the whole railroad.