Recently on Facebook, we found a set of photos taken in 1984 by Mr. Jim Maurer of a visit to the Pacific Locomotive Association’s Castro Point Railway. Before the PLA came to Niles Canyon to start rebuilding a portion of the original Transcontinental Railroad in 1987 and formed the Niles Canyon Railway, the PLA operated a piece of railroad on US Navy property in Richmond, CA, and it was called the Castro Point Railway. Ultimately, that piece of railroad in Richmond was no longer available for the PLA to operate on, and all of the equipment was moved to storage and then to what is now our Niles Canyon Railway.
We hope you enjoy these photos from our past, and we thank Mr. Maurer for granting us permission to post his photos here on our blog.
Clover Valley Lumber Co. #4 under steam in 1984 on the PLA’s Castro Point Railway. 
Clover Valley Lumber Co. #4 under steam in 1984 on the PLA’s Castro Point Railway. 
Clover Valley Lumber Co. #4 under steam in 1984 on the PLA’s Castro Point Railway. 
Clover Valley Lumber Co. #4 under steam in 1984 on the PLA’s Castro Point Railway. 
Clover Valley Lumber Co. #4 under steam in 1984 on the PLA’s Castro Point Railway. 
#4 meets Pickering Lumber Co. Shay #12 on the Castro Point Railway. 
Pickering Lumber Co. #12 Shay type geared steam locomotive under steam on the PLA;s Castro Point Railway. 
Pickering Lumber Co. #12 Shay type geared steam locomotive under steam on the PLA;s Castro Point Railway. 
Pickering Lumber Co. #12 Shay type geared steam locomotive under steam on the PLA;s Castro Point Railway. 
Pickering Lumber Co. #12 Shay type geared steam locomotive under steam on the PLA;s Castro Point Railway. 
The #12 is currently stored inoperable in our NCRy Brightside yard. 
AT&SF GE 44 tonner works the Castro Point Railway. 
The PLA Santa Fe 44 tonner loads passengers on the Castro Point Railway. 
Our preserved California Western motor car M200 was also used at Castro Point. 
Our preserved California Western motor car M200 was also used at Castro Point. 
Our preserved California Western motor car M200 was also used at Castro Point. 
Pickering Heisler locomotive #5 on the Castro Point Railway. 
Quincy Railroad Co. #2 on the Castro Point Railway.
