California Central Coast Railways

Rick Hamman illuminates the he arrival of the railroad into Santa Cruz: the roar of steam engines as hardworking locomotives transport rolling stock through the redwoods and along the Pacific coast. As westward expansion and the booming of nearby San Francisco in the last half of the 19th century created huge demand for mineral, timber, and agricultural resources, railroads entered the Santa Cruz area to retrieve them. Mainlines were built at the same time that smaller, often local branches reached into almost every creek valley and forested canyon to get closer to those resources and the adventurers extracting them, and towns arose at every train stop. As access became easier, tourists began to ride the excursion 'specials' to experience the white, sandy beaches of the Pacific Ocean and the Monterey Bay, the lush conifer forests, and the vast mountain vistas. this extensive history is lavishly illustrated with maps and over 370 photos. The new edition is revised to update the story into the 21st Century. CONTENTS: 1) Expanding the Dream: Rails to Santa Cruz 2) The Aptos Creek and the Loma Prieta Railroads 3) The San Lorenzo River Basin Railroads 4) The North Coast 5) The Transition: The Contracting Reality 6) Lingering Ghosts of Another Time 7) The Santa Cruz Branch Recently * Appendix: Locomotive Roster for Santa Cruz County Railroads