Touring the Tuolumne Forks Railroad

Workshop is the headquarters of the Lake Tahoe railway and navigation company. This ex Denver and Rio Grande Western 280 number fifteen, heads a small passenger consist. There's an interchange here with a standard gauge line that brings in tourists and supplies for the Tuolumne Forks area. Just outside workshop is a thriving community of Chinatown. The signs are no accident. They were made by Charlie gets his wife Margaret, who is Chinese. This garage was never rebuilt following one of California's frequent earthquakes. The 28O passes the Tuolumne forks lumber companies twin sawmills. Here's another view of the massive sawmill complex as we approach Tuolumne Town. The lines work, train weights in the background for us to clear the main. Tuolumne is a Sierra mountain town with businesses that cater to the loggers and miners. Way in the back, is the cousin Jack mill. The 280, wheels through an undeveloped area. The Lake Tahoe resort is the main destination for all of the line passenger travel. Today our train has permission to continue into the mining country. We catch the 280, passing the Tahoe Inn on the way to Lakeside. The Boat works support much of the nautical activity in Lake Tahoe. This is the town of Lakeside. Number 15 roars by the Grand Central Goldmine then returns to workshop via hidden track. Meanwhile, above the return loop is the logging branch. A 13 ton two truck Shea is bringing a string of log bunk cars into the lodge loading. A Tuolumne Forks Class B climax leaves workshop with mostly home-built equipment. Here the Tuolumne Forks and the Lake Tahoe railways share trackage. Number 7 has some work to do here at the cross log camp. We'll pick up a log skeleton cab. The climax will set out a tank car full of pine tar at the boat works.