Does anybody have any info on the Arcata and Mad River RR...

[EL PARRo]

...and any other RR's that operated in and around Humboldt county?

I've been on vacation in Eureka a few times, and that's how I discovered this little known railroad. I thought it might make the perfect subjuct for a model railroad, and I just wanted to know if anybody knew anything about this RR and others in the same area. I've Googled it a couple times and found a little bit of information, like a brief history of the RR, some partial locomotive rosters, and one or two dozen photos. Does anybody have more detailed information? Perhaps more detailed equipment rosters and history of the railroad, more pictures, and maybe even a map of the RR.

any help is appreciated
thanks in advance

[ericsp]

Kalmbach's American Shortline Railway Guide, 3rd Edition (1986) lists it as being abandoned on May 24, 1985. It connected to the Northwestern Pacific (wholly owned subsidiary of SP) until 1984. SP sold the line from Willits to the end of the line to Eureka Southern in that year. Now the line from Schellville to Eureka is owned by the North Coast Railroad Authority (comprised of some counties up there). It is operated under contract by Northwestern Pacific Railroad (no relation to SP or UP). Currently, most of NWP is out of service. I think that the line up to Willits might be close to reopening. However, it does not look good for the line from Willits to Eureka. I think A&MR was owned by a timber company.

http://www.northcoastrailroad.org/

If you are interested, Microscale makes decals for the boxcars in HO scale (MC4295).

[MP57313]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ericsp
I think that the line up to Willits might be close to reopening.

Last I heard the former NWP was trying to get some money from the state, but with California's large deficits this wasn't going to happen anytime soon. As for other railroads, the California Western (Skunk train) is further south, running between Willits and Ft Bragg.