Angels Branch-Sierra Railroad by Zina Abbott

 

This is my third post on the Sierra Railway, which connected Oakdale in the San Joaquin Valley to the gold fields and lumberyards of the Sierra Nevada Motherlode region. You may find my other two posts by clicking HERE and HERE

Jamestown after Hotel Nevills burned in 1915.  Mainline passenger train 2 on left with 4-4-0 No.6. Angels mixed 22, (without any freight cars), on right with Shay No.11.

The Angels Camp branch of the Sierra Railway brought freight and passenger service to the bustling gold mines in Calaveras County. Construction began in 1897, the year the tracks reached Jamestown. Unlike the eight months needed to construct the 40 miles of track between Oakdale and Jamestown, construction of the 19.3 miles of the Angels Branch took four years to complete. This was due to the elevation changes and resulting steep grades.

A system of four switch back spur tracks were designed to bring the Sierra Railway nineteen tortuous miles over trestles and bridges from Jamestown to Angels Camp.  The Angel’s branch was completed September 15, 1902 and operated until 1935.

 

No. 10 at Melones water tower 1903

The route was designed by a young and ambitious civil engineer named William Hamilton Newell.  the Angels Branch developed Passing through areas with such colorful names as Table Mountain, Tuttletown, Jackass Hill and Gee Whiz Point.

Gee Whiz Point in 1916

Gee Whiz Point refers to the exposed precipice at the end of pair of switchbacks reached after the train worked its way up Indian Gulch after crossing the Stanislaus River to Calaveras County north of Tuolumne County. From here, a thousand feet above the river rapids, the entire expanse of the canyon came into view. Trains would often stop here to let passengers drink in the awe-inspiring vista that gave this location its name.

 

No. 9 with mixed cars on Tuttletown trestle

Because of right of way acquisition problems with the gold mines and the engineering challenges of the Stanislaus River canyon, track laying stopped at Tuttletown till March 1901.

McArdle switch 2. Right side is the reverse track.

To get through the canyon two switchbacks were constructed. The McArdle switchback on the south side and the Pendola switchback on the north side. To find a hand-drawn map of the switchbacks on the Angels Branch, please the check out the blog post on “Angels Branch-Sierra Railway of California 1912 by CLICKING HERE

 

Combine 5 built 1902 by Holman and Co. in San Francisco

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This 19-mile long branch line of the Sierra Railway ran from the Sierra's main yard at Jamestown to the mining community of Angels Camp. In addition to commercial uses, this train was used as a commuter train for workers and school students, who traveled from other parts of the county to Sonora.

Completed in September of 1902, the line here utilized many unconventional elements in its design including multiple switchbacks, curves of nearly 30 degrees, and gradients that hit 4.26 percent in some locations.

 No.10 pulls first excursion September 15, 1902.

With a reputation for daring construction and rugged beauty, this route became a favorite for sightseeing and excursion trains as well as the normal passenger and freight traffic for which the line was built.

 No.30 pulling train Mixed 22 with combine 5

Near the town of Melones, the Sierra encountered the Stanislaus River Canyon, which necessitated the use of four switchbacks to keep grades at a minimum. This required the use of a shorter locomotive than used on other lines, which led to the purchase of the 2-6-2 Baldwin No. 30, which was specifically built for the steep and crooked Angels Branch. Until the No. 30’s arrival, the line had operated solely using geared locomotives.

Baldwin Locomotive Works completed locomotive number 30 in May, 1922 for the Sierra Railway Company of California. She is slightly smaller than the common Baldwin-built logging 2-6-2. The locomotive was built for service on the railroad’s branch line to Angels Camp in Calaveras County, which opened for service in September, 1902.

Angels Camp Depot 1905

It was difficult to find a single straight section of track on the entire 19.3 miles from Jamestown to Angels Camp. In some places, curves reached a maximum of 29 degrees, while grades topped out at 4.26 percent. Major stops were Jamestown Yard, Omega, Tuttletown, El Rico, McArdles, Melones, Carson Hill, and Angels Camp.

Bridge over Stanislaus River-now under water due to New Melones Dam

Part of the route included crossing the Stanislaus River. A 300 foot trestle and bridge crossed fifty feet above the river. Due to the construction of the New Melones Dam in 1976, the old bridge and town of Melones is now covered by water.

Carson Hill Crossing

Unfortunately, completion of the line coincided with the decline of California’s Gold Rush, including the “second gold rush,” which began in the late 1880s. As the mining industry slowly collapsed, the need for the railroad faded. Declining profits coupled with the development of paved roads and automobiles led to the Angels Branch line being abandoned in March 1935. Within two years the rails were gone, and a year after that the entire company filed for bankruptcy and entered receivership, eventually re-organizing itself as the Sierra Railroad.

Many sections of the Angels Branch route remain visible today. Grab a snack and something to drink, then settle in to watch this You-Tube which will take you on the remnants of the Angels Branch of the Sierra Railway. Please CLICK HERE

 

My latest release is my Christmas Quilt Brides romance, Beulah. To find the book description and purchase options, please CLICK HERE

 

 

 

My other Christmas romance this year is Vinegar Pie by Varinia from the Old Timey Holiday Kitchen series. To find the book description and purchase options, please CLICK HERE

 

 

 

My most recent romance set in Tuolumne County, the home of the Sierra Railway, is A Watchman for Willow. To find the book description and purchase options, please CLICK HERE 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sources:

Tuolumne County Historical Museum

https://angelsbranch.com/

https://angelsbranch1912.blogspot.com/2018/08/welcome-to-my-railway.html

https://angelsbranch1912.blogspot.com/2018/08/short-history-and-rolling-stock.html

https://www.abandonedrails.com/angels-branch

https://www.ncry.org/about/collection/steam/sierra-railway-30/

https://tchistory.org/railroad-transportation/

https://angelsbranch1912.blogspot.com/2018/08/hereis-program-im-using-for-train.html