A Steam-Powered Narrow-Gauge Journey into Sierra Logging History

The Madera-Sugar Pine Company became a casualty of the great depression and closed out the 57-year-old logging operation that was largely responsible for the founding of the city and county of Madera

Rudy Stauffer arrived in the Sierra in 1954. He bought property from Dr. Wells near the former Sugar Pine mill, opened a small motel called the Swiss Melody Inn in 1957.

In October, 1965, Stauffer purchased a Shay locomotive similar to the one used by the Madera Sugar Pine company from the West Side Lumber Company. He also bought 14 cars, two old speeders and 20 tons of spare parts.

Loading Shay No.10 on a flatbed for transport to YMSP 1966

On Labor Day, 1967, the Yosemite Mountain and Sugar Pine made its first run barely over 800 feet of track. A map below shows the present day track route of the YM&SP RR with the Madera-Sugarpine Co. routes of long ago.

HISTORY of the AREA LUMBERING

1874-1878 The California Lumber Co.

1878-1898 The Madera Flume & Trading Co.

1899-1933 The Madera Sugar Pine Co.

1965-         The Yosemite Mountain-Sugarpine RR

YMSP Shay No.10

No. 10 Shay leaving on a trip through the woods 1971

A log passenger excursion car

Rudy Stauffer & son Max

No.10 Shay working on the Westside Lumber Co.

Virtual Sugar Pine Centennial

 I attended the virtual Sugar Pine Centennial conference on April 24th. The clinic was hosted by Jeff Johnston, the premiere authority on research of the Madera - Sugar Pine Railroad. He gave a virtual ZOOM presentation which included a field trip of the old logging operation near “Central Camp” east of Bass Lake & Oakhurst, California.

(map by Donald C. DeVere)

“Rails to the Minarets” by Hank Johnston cir. 1980

The SPLC operated mainly in the 1920’s and was bankrupt by 1931. It harvested the timber near the Bass Lake area. The lumber was transported to a mill in Pinedale north of Fresno for processing.

(map by Donald C. DeVere)

“Rails to the Minarets” by Hank Johnston cir. 1980

This operation mainly used ALCO 2-8-2T’s (4 purchased between 1923 and 1925), used above Bass Lake and in the woods. A 2-10-2T “Minarets” No.5 (1927) Saddle Tank locomotive was used on the main-line from Bass Lake to Central Camp. The SPL also acquired one 2-truck Lima Shay, SPL No. 10.

SPL No. 10 Lima Shay

SPL - ALCO “Minarets” 2-10-2T No.5

N Scale Micro-Trains MTL 113520 - 30' Skeleton Log Car w/ Log Load

 

N Scale - Micro-Trains - 114 00 160 - Skeleton Log Car

Purchased 6 skeleton log cars for my layout. These are the Micro-Trains cars from 2007. I hope to also purchased some single skeleton dis-connect log cars. Theses cars have very fine detail for an N scale prototype layout.

MICRO-TRAINS N SCALE MTL 11350719 DISCONNECT LOG CAR W/ VARIABLE LOG LOAD

N Scale figures to add to the layout

 Model Tech Studios Figures

I bought these lumberjack figures to add to my planned layout for the mountain spike logging camp in the woods. These should add some realism to the scene along with planned mp3 sounds of lumber operations and nature sounds to bring the forest to life.

Logging Camp details to add to my layout

 

KMP Models - N Scale Logging Camp

JV Models - Boyd N Scale Logging Camp

Lumber Mill details to add to my layout

 

KMP Models - N Scale Lumber Mill

Spar Tree details to add to my layout

 

KMP Models - N Scale Tree Spar scene