Arcata & Mad River / Union Plank Walk and Wharf

[narig01]

The quiz forum thread popped up a question about the Arcata & Mad River.

From what I could fathom out of the web various dates are ascribed to this operation.  The earliest date I saw was 1851.  There is an entry about this operation in the PUC archives dated 1855. 

      My curiosity is such that I would ask if anyone else can add information about this operation.

1. The gauge is shown as 3' 9"  or 3'9 1/2 "

2. It  is also shown as a plank road and also as having wooden rails.  Then wooden rails with iron straps.

Thx IGN

[wanswheel]

It seems Arcata & Mad River's predecessor opened its two-mile one-horse plank road several months before the Sacramento Valley Railroad opened.

Excerpt from Biennial Report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners of the State of California

Date When The Road Was Opened For Public Use.

From Arcata to Arcata Wharf, September 1855

http://books.google.com/books?id=KFotAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA176

Excerpt from The Story of the Central Pacific by W. F. Bailey in The Pacific Monthly

The only line in operation was the Sacramento Valley Railroad, from Sacramento to Folsom, twenty-two and one-half miles due east along the American River. This had been commenced in February, 1855, Robison Seymour & Co., the contractors, starting their grading at Sacramento at that time. The first ship load of iron arrived in June and track-laying was commenced the August following. It was opened to Folsom February 22, 1856.

http://books.google.com/books?id=kbgUAAAAYAAJ&&pg=PA17

[narig01]

One thing from poking around I see various dates ascribed to the plank road.  Also initially this operation started on wooden rails.        I've heard of logging railroads being run on basically tree trunks that were reasonably straight(I do not remember where) and the wheels on equipment were double flanged(?)  to ride on the logs.    People will make do frequently with what is available to get something working.

       In 1850's California their was a real shortage of available labor  all over the state, as everyone wanted to work the gold fields and strike it rich.  This is how the Big Four initially made their money. Not in the gold fields themselves but providing the things the miners needed like food(Eggs $10 @ dozen) (Bread $5.00 @ loaf)   Shovels, etc. 

      And as usual transportation needed to be as efficient as possible, hence A plank road would have rails of some kind to increase the capacity of each trip.

Rgds IGN