Back when the NWP was first built there was some talk of building an electrified connection to the SP at Red Bluff which would have roughly paralelled Highway 36 and involved several tunnels. It's concept was similar to the new Milwaukee line through the Casacades. The easy construction along the Eel and the joint partnership with Santa Fe probably nixed this beyond the talk stage, let alone the expense. It would have channeled all the traffic initially to SP. The Eel River and Eureka Railroad ran trains from Eureka to the stage connection at Carlotta in the 1880's and 1890's. From there it was a two day stage ride to the railhead in Ukiah, even as late as 1914. In the winter you just didn't do it! From Carlotta The Pacific Lumber and Carson interests built (logging railroads) up the Van Duzen River to the inland extent of their redwood holdings which would have become part of this line if it had been built. About ten years ago the North Coast Journal did a feature article on this proposed line and went into more speculation than probably ever existed.

The only thing SP that ever went into Crescent City was the much touted "Redwood Detour" on its (pre-Greyhound) Pacific Motor Transport (PMT) bus. During the 1920's and 30's until Greyhound (and the depression) took over SP encouraged Portland- San Francisco passengers to get off the train in Grants Pass and take the bus to Eureka and see the redwoods. A night in the new Eureka Inn would put passengers on the day train down the Eel River Cannyon to San Francisco. The trip could be reversed in daylight hours. I believe it was only pushed during the dry months.

One really interesting part of this story is the fact that SP did a survey and actually acquired portions of right-of-way between Trinidad and Klamath, mainly in the Orick and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park area, that were sold to the Division of Highways after 1933 when all plans for a coastal route were dropped. Next time you are in Orick check out the back of the Palm Cafe and the fence lines across the valley the the National Park Visitor Center. You will see the railroad that was never built. Much of it is 101 Freeway north of Trinidad and Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway.

Roy Richey
Virginia City