Begun in 1874, the NPC line ran north from Sausalito, a ferry ride across the bay from San Francisco. It crossed through then rural Marin County and skirted the eastern shore of Tomales Bay, turning inland across the verdant farms of Sonoma County. Passing through small communities such as Tomales, Freestone, Fallon, Valley Ford and Occidental, the line entered the redwood country bordering the Russian River.
In its 60 year life the NPC hauled millions of board feet of prime redwood lumber to market, fed San Francisco with farm and dairy products and provided the lifeline for the growing urban population to escape the city for a weekend.
The proud narrow gauge lasted through several changes of structure and ownership and carried several names (North Pacific Coast, North Shore, and finally a division of the Northwestern Pacific), but finally gave over to the internal combustion engine in 1930.
The North Pacific Coast Railroad section is undergoing fundamental and active research on all its aspects: equipment, structures, history, economics, and people.
Comments