California Archives - Southern Pacific Railroad History Center

Nevada Northern Railway Bassett W-16

Chip Savoye — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 20:39:24 +0000

The Nevada Northern Railway is the sole survivor from a grand era when railroads served mines throughout the state. Built in 1905-1906 to develop the incredible copper deposits of the Nevada Consolidated Copper Company in White Pine County, it was–and still is–a workaday railroad. Although its primary purpose was to haul ore, it eventually served the community with a daily passenger train between East Ely and Cobre until 1941. Over 4.5 million people rode the trains, and a mountain of copper ore was moved. In 1983, the Nevada Northern Railway ceased operating, and two years later the entire ore line, including the railroad’s yard and shop facilities in East Ely, was donated to the White Pine Historical Railroad Foundation that now operates the railway as a museum. Instead of relics in glass cases or repainted old equipment on static display, the museum preserves a working steam railroad, delighting train enthusiasts year-round with passenger service and special seasonal excursions.

Used Very good condition W16

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Narrow Guage Portrait – South Pacific Coast MacGregor W-16

Chip Savoye — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 01:42:42 +0000

Detailed history of the South Pacific Coast Railroad. The South Pacific Coast Railroad (SPC) was a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge steam railroad running between Santa Cruz, California and Alameda, with a ferry connection in Alameda to San Francisco. The railroad was created as the Santa Clara Valley Railroad, founded by local strawberry growers as a way to get their crops to market in San Francisco and provide an alternative to the Southern Pacific Railroad. In 1876, James Graham Fair, a Comstock Lode silver baron, bought the line and extended it into the Santa Cruz Mountains to capture the significant lumber traffic coming out of the redwood forests. The line was later acquired by the Southern Pacific and converted to standard gauge.

Good Condition

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South Pacific Coast – MacGregor W-16

Chip Savoye — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 01:35:16 +0000

Fascinating history of the South Pacific Coast Railroad, a narrow gauge steam railroad running between Santa Cruz and Alameda, California with a ferry connection in Alameda to San Francisco. Built by James G. Fair who made his fortune on the Comstock Lode, the railroad was a gamble that paid off well. This book describes the origins, construction and operation of the railroad, its clashes with the Central Pacific and the Southern Pacific, its positive economic impact on the previously isolated areas around San Jose and Santa Cruz that it served, and the railroad’s demise in 1908. Illustrated throughout with black and white photos. With schematic diagrams and several maps. End papers show vintage ads for the railroad. 280 pages with index

Very good Conditi0n

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Southern Pacific Bay Area Steam Harre W. Demoro

Chip Savoye — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 19:23:37 +0000

A noted rail historian, Mr Demoro has collected rare vintage photos of Southern Pacific’s steam locomotives covering all eras, from t wood-burning engines to the giant cab forwards and colorful Daylight engines. Included are many never before published photos not only of the Daylight but also the Pacific Limited, Santa Cruz locals, San Francisco Peninsular commuter trains and the steam powered suburban trains in the Oakland and Berkeley area. There are also sections on the Northwestern Pacific , and photos of the steam ferries and electric suburban trains and terminals that connected to the SP, so that the reader sees a balanced portrait of the area in steam’s heyday, including the West Oakland roundhouse, Bayshore Yard, and the Oakland Pier train shed. 143 pages.

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Southern Pacific’s Scenic Coast Line A Color Pictorial by Tom Dill W-3A

Chip Savoye — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 19:12:25 +0000

“128 pages, over 260 color photographs. Southern Pacific author and historian, Tom Dill continues his coverage of the vast system – all in vivid color! Not only are the Coast and Los Angeles Divisions covered, but also the Western Division – the major feeder to the Coast Line. There are loads of steam and first generation diesels with a touch of second generation diesels as well. See Santa Fe freights detouring on the SP due to the 1952 Tehachapi earthquake, demonstrator diesels working the Coast Line, and much more. A must have for steam, diesel, or Southern Pacific fans.” -Amazon

Excellent Condition

W3A

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Red Trains Remembered by Robert S. Ford (W-26A)

Gene Harmon — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 02:40:39 +0000

This 114 page hard cover book was published in 1980 (First Printing) describes all aspects of Southern Pacific’s Transbay interurban system including ferries. It has maps, timetables, and well captioned images. Published by Interurbans, this book is in like-new condition with a dust jacket. (W-26A)

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Lines of Pacific Electric Northern and Eastern Districts edited by Jim Walker (W-26A, 3A)

Gene Harmon — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 00:35:36 +0000

This 113 page softbound book was published by Interurban Press in 1976. It documents the PE Northern and Eastern Districts with B&W illustrations with innumerable maps and excellent captions. The book is in fine used condition with no marks or tears.

W-26A, 3A

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Lines of Pacific Electric Southern & Western Districts edited by Jim Walker (W-26A)

Gene Harmon — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 00:34:42 +0000

This 209 page softbound book was published by Interurban Press in 1975. It documents the PE Southern and Western Districts with B&W illustrations with inumerable maps and excellent captions. The book is in fine used condition with no marks or tears.

W-26A

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Ride the Big Red Cars by Spencer Crump (W 26)

Gene Harmon — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 00:08:52 +0000

This is the history of how Pacific Electric built Southern California. The 75,000 word text with more than 200 illustrations, maps, rosters and an index. This book was published by Trans-Anglo Books in 1962 (3rd edition -revised) and is in like-new condition with a paper jacket.

Locator box 26

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Railroading West by Jeffrey Brouws and Ronald Hill (W 18)

Gene Harmon — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 17:34:21 +0000

Between the 1960s and 1970s the authors captured western railroading in this 80 page index B&W paperbound volume with turbines, mountains, F units, E units, electric motors and lots more. Published in 1975 by Darwin Publications, this book is in very good used condition.

Locator box 18

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