Humboldt Bay Scenic Railroad and Timber
Heritage Museum Proposal
Help us rebuild a piece of our past
to pull us into the future.
The mission of the Timber Heritage Association - to create
a logging and timber technology museum and an operating steam-powered
tourist railroad on California's Redwood Coast, which will celebrate
the tremendous role the timber industry has played in the settlement
and development of California and the west - has the potential
to be realized in an exciting current effort.
The following is a vision statement
for the museum and railroad. This is a dream members of the Timber Heritage Association
have shared with others in the community for the 27 years of
this organization's existence. An extraordinary set of circumstances
is now moving us to make the dream a reality. A once in a lifetime
opportunity exists that if not acted upon will be lost forever.
 The
vision is a steam-powered tourist railroad operating from South
Fork to Samoa. At Samoa, or another suitable site, would be a
working, living history museum of timber and logging that pays
homage to the timber industry on the northcoast as a "way
of life." It will honor the men and women who pioneered
the timber industry, and those who worked in the woods then and
now. It's a story that is engaging. Told well it is inspiring.
A living history museum will further reveal our past and enrich
our appreciation of the present, the common thread being the
woods, machines and people.
Displays would be both static and alive
with action. Repairs and restoration of locomotives and other
equipment would be ongoing and visible to public view. An interpretive
center would house a theater for historical film and oral history
presentations. Employees, docents, etc. would dress in period
clothing, and relate and communicate with the public as if it
was the early 20th century. The desire is to execute in the same
caliber as the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento,
the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, and the Smithsonian
in Washington, D.C.
The museum complex, including the timber
technology museum, possibly a historic roundhouse with machine
shops and a steam-powered train bringing people to them from
the rest of the greater Humboldt Bay region would give Humboldt
County the kind of quality and historically appropriate destination
tourist attraction anticipated by so many for so long. The railroad
and museum would be the perfect adjunct and counterpoint to the
state parks to the south and Redwood National Park to the north.
The full story of the redwoods and the people of Humboldt could
be told as living history, completing the historical circle.
 The Train
The tourist train has been sought for
many years by many people. The Eureka/Humboldt County Visitors
and Convention Bureau is highly enthusiastic. This is the highest
priority item to many in the community, and so is a primary goal
for us. The main excursion could run from Eureka around Humboldt
Bay. An option of a harbor cruise in one direction by the Maritime
Museum could be boarded at Eureka or Samoa. This could be the
return option for a combination train/boat trip.
Another rail trip could be going south
from Arcata to Eureka, Loleta, stop at Fernbridge to pick up
Ferndale patrons, Fortuna, Scotia and end at South Fork for a
tour of the Founder's Grove at Humboldt Redwoods State Park.
The tracks come within 500 feet of the grove. This is a prime
route to attract tour buses. A mill tour at the Pacific Lumber
Company in Scotia would also be a possibility.
The Timber Heritage Association has several steam locomotives appropriate for pulling
an excursion train. Former Pacific
Lumber Co. No. 37 (above) is probably the best candidate
to pull the train. It has been used for that purpose on the east
coast, it is ready for the Federal Railroad Administration required
extensive boiler tests and it will probably be the least expensive
to rebuild. This historic 2-8-2 built by the American Locomotive
Company in 1924 along with the 1910 Pullman coach donated by
the City of Eureka, along with other period cars, will provide
an attractive vintage train for tourists and local residents
alike. It may also draw movie and TV production companies to
make even greater use of our beautiful are for location filming.
This goal will take effort to generate funding from the community
and outside grants.
 Our
efforts at promoting the tourist train have gotten the attention
of the community and the railroad. A group of community based
organizations have banded together to create the Northwestern
Pacific RR Support Coalition (NWPSC). Their purpose is to support
the return of rail service all along the NWP corridor. The railroad
is now committed to restoring rail service from Samoa to South
Fork as soon as possible. Our section, named the "Humboldt
short rail," is thought to be profitable on its own with
limited local freight and tourist trains.
Potential Sites for the Museum
Currently there are no sites available.
Our planning committee has explored possible sites including
an old lumber company rail yard site, roundhouse and shop buildings.
The historic structures have survived over 100 years and would
be convenient to many local attractions.
The equipment for a logging museum has
been collected by THA and is stored in our equipment yard near
Blue Lake. This hardware desperately needs a home for critical
restoration and operation, in a manner that is safe and available
for the public to enjoy.
There are steam donkeys, diesel yarders
and a steam-powered sawmill. (There is a grant available
to put the sawmill together). We have many of the machine tools
that came out of the Hammond rail shops and other similar shops
in the area. We have six steam locomotives that came from local
timber companies.
Moving the Project Forward
 We have
recruited prominent community leaders for our planning committee.
This core group will lay a solid foundation for the proposal.
We have also recruited a large number of respected and prominent
people for an advisory council.
A high caliber group of museum and tourist train consultants has been assembled. Work has been completed for feasability studies and business plans for both the excursion train and the museum. With these we can prove that our vision is practical and doable. We are moving forward with fundraising and implementing our plans.
In Conclusion
The opportunity is ours to seize. The
pieces already exist. What is needed are the people with the
commitment to see the pieces assembled into a cohesive whole.
The end result will be a show place for Humboldt County. With
Humboldt's growing reputation as a center for the arts, it's
historic districts, and abundance of natural beauty, the steam
train and museum can only add a rich and varied cultural experience
for the out-of-town visitor and resident alike.
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