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The Sierra Railway Company was founded in 1897 to carry freight from California's central valley to the Gold Country in the Sierra Nevada foothills area of Tuolumne County. It is now part of Sierra Railroad Corporation, a privately owned common carrier, and the 21st Century railroad operates under the name of Sierra Railroad. The former headquarters of Sierra Railway Company and engine maintenance complex of the railroad, located in Jamestown, CA, is now a California State Park, and is one of the few steam-era roundhouse/shop complexes in the country. It's a paradise for railfans, history buffs and anyone interested in a full-preserved, 1897 vintage railroad maintenance facility.
Photo: It's just before 09:30 in the morning, Saturday, July 11, 2026 and the engine crew at Railtown 1897 have #1265 on the enginehouse turntable and are getting her ready for today's 10:30 a.m. Excursion Train Ride. On the other side of the turntable, on a service track, #613 sits. Note both units are lettered Sierra Ry, as they are both part of Railtown 1897 and are owned by the State of California and operated and maintained by friendly, highly skilled volunteers. Today, #1265 is doing the honors, but next weekend, it will be the famous steam engine, #3, often called the "Movie Star locomotive." #1265 is a Baldwin-Whitcomb RS4TC-1, and #613 is a ALCO MRS-1, and both locomotives are Army veterans, and graduates of the Class of 1953.
Photo: Here we go, as #1265 gets underway, off the turntable, and heads towards the iconic water tower, sand house and historic gravity-fed oil column at the Railtown 1897 engine service complex. All of this railroad history is located in Jamestown, CA, and it's a very unique operation.
Photo: The brakeman throws the manual switch which will put #1265 on the right track to couple to today's Motherlode Cannonball excursion train. The train ride is a 45-minute, 6-mile round trip.
Photo: The engine is coupled to the train, the red flags are on the rear of the train, and the riders are eager to board for the first train of the day, which will leave the Jamestown Station at exactly 10:30. The brakeman is leaning against the platform, in the shade, as the temperature is already about 90 degrees, and it will be getting much warmer later in the day. Note the speeder who will be moving off the main line so the train can pass. The speeder and it's crew will be following the train, about a mile behind, on the lookout for locomotive-caused fires, as the Tuolumne County countryside is very dry.
Photo: The 10:30 a.m. Motherlode Cannonball heads west at the Jamestown yard limit, past the historic water tower, oil column and sandhouse, with the fire-watch speeder in the background, which will follow the train by about a mile, keeping an eye out for fires started by the train. The water tower has been featured in many movies, television shows and commercials, and is most famous for it's role in the 1960's sitcom "Petticoat Junction." Today's train will head west about three miles to Rock Spur, turn around and head back to Jamestown. The round trip is about six miles and the ride lasts an hour.
Photo: An hour later, at about 11:25, the train enters the Jamestown yard limits at M.P. 41.1, framed by the famous oil plug and water tower. I confess that I was disappointed that #3 wasn't running today, but it was nice to have the yard limits all to myself, as if today would have been a "steam day," I would have had lots of company.
Photo: The conductor pulls out a step and helps the passengers leave the train.
Photo: As the passengers de-train, #1265 runs around the passenger cars, and by throwing a couple of "old school" manual switches, guides the engine around so it's at the head end for the next train, which will leave Jamestown at noon.
Photo: It's almost 1:00 in the afternoon, and the noon Motherlode Cannonball is eastbound, ready to cross Seco St., just outside the Jamestown yard limits. Note the uneven track and the heat ray distortion, thanks to the hot day and the telephoto lens.
Photo: End of the train, as the noon train rolls past the yard limit, ready to pull into the station. Note there is nothing to date this photo as July, 2026, as it could easily pass for July, 1956, thanks to the premiere location, unspoiled by urbanization.
Photo: A few minutes after the train is tied up at the station, the very relaxed crew of the "fire patrol," pass the yard limits, ready to begin one more trip. SRYC #114 is a vintage Fairmont A-5 speeder, acquired from the former Western Pacific Railroad.
Photo: The crew of the "fire patrol" wait at the yard limit, as the engine crew switches #1265, to prepare for the last run of the day.
Photo: It's mid Thursday morning, June 19, 2026, and on the way to a camping trip, I hung around Chinese Station, M.P. 35.1, in hopes of taking a photo of the Sierra Northern "Hill Job." I knew I'd have to get lucky, as that train normally leaves Oakdale in the early afternoon and doesn't make it to Chinese until late afternoon. I didn't have any luck today, but I enjoyed the beautiful late spring morning, and the stunning Sierra Nevada foothill scenery. The primary industry at Chinese Station is the sprawling, 31-acre Sierra Pacific Industries lumber mill, which is the railroads single largest customer. There is a 1960's-vintage metal building that serves as a station and a small warehouse. Note the grain cars, as there is a spur track off the main line, along with facilities to transfer grain from the railroad cars to trucks. The Peterbilt semi truck in the photo is being guided in to position itself under the spout, in order to receive a load of grain. All of this action is happening near the small, historic gold rush town of Chinese Camp, CA.
Photo: Friday morning, June 20, 2026, and two new grain cars are at Chinese Station ready to be unloaded. I love the sunflowers which grow everywhere in the foothills.
Photo: Here's a closer look at the grain unloading facility at Chinese Station.
Photo: The Sierra Northern mainline looking east from Chinese Station, showing the sidings, and loaded cars waiting for the next "Hill Job" to pick them up, and take them west to Oakdale and beyond. That's the Sierra Pacific Industries lumber mill, the most important shipper on the line. Closer to home, we have a Sierra Pacific Industries mill located in Lincoln, CA, which is served by Union Pacific's local job, the "Rocklin Rocket." I've taken a few photos of this job... click on the link to enjoy! Once again, my timing was off to catch the "Hill Job," as it was mid morning, so I decided to pay a visit to historic Railtown 1897, located in nearby Jamestown, CA and take a tour of the vintage Sierra Railway engine maintenance facilities, including the historic engine house.
Photo: As I toured the facility, I heard a lot of action near the turntable, so I walked over to see what was happening. It was truly a "David vs. Goliath" scene, as the little yard goat was pulling the sleeping giant, #28, out of the engine house.
Photo: Meet Sierra Railroad Plymouth No. 5, a classic Plymouth 8-ton switcher, as she easily pulls #28 out of the engine house. As I snapped this photo, I had no idea what was going on, but I was enjoying the action.
Photo: #28 was dragged most of the way out of the engine house, and a crew began to remove the cover from her steam dome. My apology for the blurry photo, but I left the camera I normally use in my truck, and I had to resort to the camera in my iPhone to photograph the unfolding action. You and I both know the limitations of a digital zoom...
Photo: How do you lift a heavy steam dome cover off the dome without a shop crane? It's simple, as you call in a friendly tractor, attach a chain to the dome cover, and gingerly lift it off the dome. At Railtown 1897 on a late Friday morning in June 2026, anything is possible!
Photo: Here we go... it's up... up... and away! With the dome cover removed, the Plymouth shoved #28 back into the engine house so the shop crew could work on the steam dome. Later in the day I asked what they were doing and they said it was simply routine maintenance. Railtown 1897, along with the modern Sierra Railroad is a railfan's dream, as you can railfan the modern railroad operation, tour the 1897-vintage roundhouse and shop complex, AND enjoy train rides, and vintage steam and diesel locomotives. I'll be seeing you soon along the right of way of the Sierra Railroad and on a train ride at Railtown 1897. Railtown 1897 Copyright(c) 2026 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. We've been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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