| Yosemite Short Line | Empire City | Sloat Lumber | Molino Timber | Johnson & Pollock |
| Index page | Locomotives | References | Links | Author | On30" modeling |
| Yosemite Short Line | Empire City | Sloat Lumber | Molino Timber | Johnson & Pollock |
| Index page | Locomotives | References | Links | Author | On30" modeling |
 Ex. Yosemite Short Line 12 ton Porter #2 hauling logs on the Empire City Railway Ted Wurm collection. Click on picture to see a larger version! The Empire City Ry.When the Yosemite Short Line project was abandoned in 1906, a team of Japanese workmen were still under contract. The owners decided to move both the workforce and the 30" gauge equipment further north, to construct a 30" gauge railroad which would transport rough cut lumber from the Standard Lumber Co's Empire City and Cold Springs mills to a connection with the standard gauge Sugar Pine Railway at Lyons. From here the lumber would continue on the Sugar Pine Ry. and the Sierra Ry. to finishing plants at Sonora. These included not only a planing mill but also a box factory and a sash & door works.The Empire City Railway was constructed along the mountain ridge between the Stanislaus and Tuolumne rivers. An incline at Lyons let loaded cars down to a simple reload facility where bundles of rough-cut lumber were transferred to the Sugar Pine Ry. A second incline was dropped from Stoddard Springs to Brownes Meadow, where the Empire City Mill was located. From here the line continued to the Cold Springs Mill. In addition to carrying rough-cut lumber to Lyons, logs were transported from several loading spurs to the Empire City Mill. The Cold Springs Mill recieved its logs over skid roads. In 1913 the Empire City mill and a large amount of timber were lost in a fire. Eventually all the mountain mills were closed, along with the Sonora finishing plants, when all milling and finishing was concentrated to a new mill at Standard, California. The Empire City Ry was closed. Motive power consisted of the original two Yosemite Short Line 12-ton Porters, c/n 3329 and 3330 , two larger 18-ton side tank Porters, c/n 3467 and 4350 and two Shays, c/n 1786 and 2017, from the Union Construction Co. These had been regauged from 3' gauge. Shay #2017 along with Porter #4350 and a number of Russell log cars, were sold to the Sloat Lumber Co.. Shay #1786 went to the Loma Prieta Lumber Co., a logging outfit in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Porter #3367 was sold to the Southern Oregon Lumber Co. I have found no information about the disposition of the two 12 ton Porters.
 Ex. Yosemite Short Line 12 ton Porter #1 at Empire City Ted Wurm collection. Click on picture to see a larger version!
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