Tuolumne County
Jamestown, California
Jamestown, California
|
|
Tuolumne County Jamestown, California |
Railtown 1897 |
 |
Tucked away in the tiny hamlet of Jamestown in the Sierra Nevada Foothills is this small historic site. If you had just ridden into Jamestown, it's doubtful you'd even know this park existed. Yet its location lends itself to convenience for riders traversing the foothills or headed over to Yosemite. Located just minutes south of Sonora along Highway 108, Jamestown is just off the main highway. There is the requisite gold rush style downtown area lending itself to small shops and old world charms. |
|
It's an interesting look back into another era, even if you aren't a railroad buff. One of the first things you'll notice- this is not really a museum in the classical sense like the well-known Railroad Museum in downtown Sacramento, but a preserved workshop and train station. You've probably actually seen the locomotives here on film, as the Back to the Future train scenes were shot here. A century ago, this was a locomotive service station, and today it still is. It would seem that the majority of the locomotives here are actually still being worked on, dutifully restored by a small army of volunteers |
 |
| If you time your arrival during business hours in summer, docent guides are
ready and able to show you around. The small train station has a few
videos to watch and plenty of photos to take a look at. The nearby
roundhouse houses all the locomotives being worked on. Spare parts do
litter portions of the grounds behind the workshop so watch your step if you
like to explore.
During peak summer hours, train rides are offered. On special occasions, Dads and Moms ride free on Fathers Day and Mothers Day respectively. |
|
|
|
The brochure reads: Railtown 1897 - Historic Sierra Railroad Shops - preserves the headquarters and general shops of the Sierra Railway and its successor, the Sierra Railroad. The Sierra Railway was incorporated in February, 1897, and a 41-mile right-of-way was completed between Oakdale and Jamestown in November, 1897. The line was extended four miles to Sonora in 1899 and another 12 miles to Tuolumne City in 1900. A 19-mile branch to Angels Camp was completed in 1902 and served neighboring Calaveras County until 1935. Other temporary branches were built to haul construction materials for dams on the Stanislaus and Tuolumne rivers. |
| Upon its arrival in James9*own, the Sierra established its headquarters and maintenance shops which today comprise Railtown 1897 - Historic Sierra Railroad Shops. -+Most of the structures here were built between 1897 and 1922 when the last major additions and improvement were made. When the Sierra converted to diesel locomotives in 1955, a modern shop was built in Oakdale. |
|
|
|
However, the Jamestown shops remained intact serving the growing needs of the motion picture and television industries. In 1982, the 26-acre site collection of historic rolling stock was purchased by the State of California for inclusion in the State Park System, thus preserving one of North America's last operating steam era railroad facilities. The park is small, but well-worth the visit. Somehow, these massive machines never fail to fascinate and intrigue one as you stand beside it and marvel at a by-gone era. |
| Nearby Motorcycle Roads:
Continue eastward on Highway 108-Sonora Pass- to a multitude of roads such as Big Hill Road, or on to Tuolumne's Cottonwood Road. North of here is Highway 4- Ebbets Pass - along with one of my favorites- Pool Station Road. A shortcut north out of Jamestown to avoid Sonora is Rawhide road over to Highway 49. A short distance away is the well-preserved Columbia Gold Rush Town. Southward on Highway 49 will take you into Yosemite National Park along Highway 120 - Tioga Pass. Along the way, you'll ride past Cherry Lake Road which connects with Cottonwood Road back to Tuolumne. Great loop! |
|
Related Links: |
 |
|
|
| Pashnit Interactive Map Click Map to explore more California Motorcycle Roads! - Full Screen |
