Historic Arcata & Mad River Railroad 44 Ton Diesel

We Need Your HELP Now!

In August 2003 Marcus Brown, President of the Timber Heritage Association (THA), formerly known as the NCLIA Timber Heritage Museum, called Mead-Westvaco, concerning a GE 44 Ton Diesel that they owned. The Arcata & Mad River Railroad once owned this locomotive numbered #101, until sold to Mead-Westvaco in De Ridder, Louisiana, in the early 1980’s.

After some conversations and research by Butch Brown of Mead-Westvaco the GE 44 Ton Diesel was offered as a donation to THA along with an old flatcar, and two 25 ton diesels. A condition of the donation was that all of the equipment had to removed from the Mead-Westvaco site.   The non-profit THA accepted the generous offer and began trying to sell the flatcar and two 25 ton diesels.

Marcus Brown made contact with a representative of Levin Terminal in Richmond, CA.  They agreed to receive, unload, and temporarily store the GE 44 Ton Diesel if shipped by rail to their site.  They would store it until arrangements were made for moving it by barge or truck to Eureka. 

Finally, after months of negotiations, coordination, and communications by THA vice-president, Gerry Tomczak; SRT ordered a heavy equipment RR flatcar and a heavy equipment crane (to lift the GE 44 To,n Diesel on to the flatcar).   Expert railroad-approved riggers would do the tie-down satisfying RR shipping requirements.  All parties arranged their schedules load out their purchases on September 8, 2004 –over one year since the phone Marcus Brown made call securing the donation.  He stated, “We are fortunate to be able to save this historic circa 1950’sArcata & Mad River RR (AMRRR) diesel locomotive.  It could have been scrapped and never be seen again.   We are very grateful to Mead-Westvaco for giving us the opportunity to save a little piece of our local history.  We hope to use it on our tourist and excursion railroad along with the historic steam locomotive #35 from Palo, which we are working to restore.  The AMRRR diesel was operating until about 2000 and should be operational with just a little work.”

After deducting the sale of the old flatcar and two 25 Ton Diesels, the cost to THA of Moving the 44 Ton Diesel to Richmond, CA from De Ridder, LA will be about $11,000.  Brown said that such a historically significant piece of railroad equipment in operating condition is virtually priceless in value.  The AMRRR 44 ton Diesel began its journey back on Friday, September 10, 2004.  THA promised to update anyone interested in its progress and eventual arrival in Richmond, CA—the first leg of its return.

The arrangements for the final leg of the return was managed by a THA volunteer, Bob Felter.  Trucker John Pittman used his heavy-duty equipment trailer to haul the historic AMRR #101 from Levin Terminal in Richmond, CA to Humboldt County on May 26, 2005.  Personnel at Levin Terminal rigged and loaded the locomotive on the truck.  The unloading took place as On May 27, 2006 with a crane from Daniel Steel and Machine of Ukiah.

Since that time volunteers have worked on restoring things such as electrical system and engines to operational condition.  Even such items as replacements for the 60 plus year old headlight bulbs were a challenge.  However, Mead-Westvaco replaced the older twin engines with newer Caterpillar 3406B Generator Set engines in 1998-1999.  These had about 2000 hours on them making them practically brand new.  The Arcata & Mad River #101 is an excellent locomotive for the short-run tourist and excursion run planned soon to run from Arcata to Samoa.