Northwestern Pacific Railroad

Northwestern Pacific Railroad

The Northwestern Pacific Railroad the Redwood Empire Route once stretched its shining track from Humboldt Bay to San Francisco Bay. Created by the amalgamation of 42 different companies, the North Coast railroad network ranged from the Sonoma Prismoidal, an early wooden monorail, to broad-gauge logging lines built to be hauled by horses. In between were the two-foot Sonoma Magnesite Railroad, the narrow-gauge North Pacific Coast, and standard-gauge lines. Determining the route of major highways, this versatile transportation system also incorporated electric interurbans, ferry steamboats, sternwheel riverboats, tugs, car f loats, and unusual connectors like funiculars and scenic tourist railways. From the time of its formation in 1907 until the 1970s, Northwestern Pacific trains and boats were loaded with passengers and freight.

Coauthors Fred Codoni and Paul C. Trimble have selected the finest of the 13,000 images cared for by the Northwestern Pacific Railroad Historical Society. They tell the NWP’s story, from its inception to today's still mostly intact and publicly owned railroad. These amazing images illustrate how a 570 mile backbone of steel helped create and shape the Northern California coastal counties of today.