Not much going on at McCloud. They did bring in a number of gondolas last fall, into which the new owner loaded a lot of the scrap lying around the property. All equipment except for the SD38's is for sale, though only one piece (a fire car) has been sold. Definate possibility that the new owner may/will start cutting things up this spring...so, operations wise, the only thing moving should be sporadic runs to Mt. Shasta City to pick up or deliver gondolas.

Before the sale closed, there were rumors to the effect the new owner may use the property for car storage and repair, together with possible excursions...however, the last possibility seems more and more remote, and time will tell if the first statements come to pass.

Several local organizations are actively trying to turn the grade east of McCloud into a trail under the railbanking program. They signed a purchase agreement with McCloud Railway for the right-of-way about two weeks ago. The old BNSF line east from Hambone is driveable to a little past White Horse, at least last I knew.

To add a little to Tom's response...Long Bell actually crossed the GN at grade. McCloud River Lumber Company also had a couple spurs east of the GN as well, but instead of paying for a diamond McCloud built their track underneath the GN bridge over Taylor Creek just north of Lookout Junction. The two logging operations butted up against each other a good distance northwest of Lookout Junction, and Long Bell actually reused a few McCloud River Lumber Company grades when they did their harvesting.

Jeff Moore
Elko, NV