The Real Story of the Swarthout & Cajon Valley Railroad

[The_Mtneer]

[The_Mtneer]

[WWMtnGal]

Great story!!  Thank you for sharing the details with us, it is awesome to hear stories about our community!!

 

[The_Mtneer]

Thank you.....

[angiepoo]

That is a great story.  Glad you set the record straight.  Karma to you.

[Wrightwood]

The_Mtneer,
I know you spent a lot of time rewriting the story after losing it the first time - while trying to post it.

Thanks for the 2nd effort as it's worth it!

[kew]

[Chesslike]

There used to be a real caboose on a section of track on Mockingbird Street in Wrightwood. It was owned by an accountant up here who had it moved when he sold the property it was on. It was not related to the Mountaineer Progress.

[Nolena]

Yup. That guy who owned the caboose was really friendly. He showed Mr. Nolena and me the inside of the caboose once when we were walking by on a "wine tour" (walk around with a glass of wine while looking at yards).
We got up early the morning it was moved to watch.

[GRAHAM_RANCH]

IT'S REAL INTERESTING TO READ ALL THESE STATEMENTS ABOUT THE R/R IN WRIGHTWOOD. IT WASN'T A R/R/, BUT A TRACKLESS TROLLEY. IT STARTED IN MARCH OF 1912 BY THE LONE PINE UTILITIES COMPANY, WHICH SUMNER WRIGHT HAD PART OWNERSHIP WITH. IT'S ROUTE WAS FROM THE SANTA TRACKS IN CAJON, (CAL TRANS WEIGHT STATION AREA), AND N/W UP TO SWARTHOUT SUMMIT(LONE PINE CYN) FOR 12 MILES. THERE WRE NO RAILS (IT WAS A TRACKLESS TROLLEY), BUT A 50FT WIDE STRIP OF LAND WERE SET ASIDE ALONG THE NORTH SIDE OF PRESENT LONE PINE CYN ROAD FOR COPPER WIRING, ELECTRIC POLES AND PAVEMENT TO PUSH THE TROLLEY UP. REASON FOR THE TROLLEY WERE TWO-FOLD, PASSENGERS AND HAULING LIMESTONE MINED FROM UPPER SWARTHOUT. WHEN THE LIMESTONE RAN OUT, SO DID THE FINANCES FOR THE PROJECT, AND THE INTEREST TO CONTINUE IT. THE POWER PLANT TO BE USED WAS EDISON ELECTRIC IN LYTLE CREEK. THE ENDING POINT OF THE TROLLEY WAS TO BE AT THE PRESENT DAY SANDWICH/ITALIAN CAFE NEAR LARRY LANGE'S WOOD YARD.

[Nick]

Hey Graham...

Where can I get that info. The story is interesting and I would like to know more.

[GRAHAM_RANCH]

I GOT THE INFORMATION FROM THE SAN BERNARDINO HISTORICAL LIBRARY, WHICH WAS SUPPORTED BY AUTHOR JOHN W. SWISHER, WHO WROTE A GREAT BOOK ON THE AREA CALLED "MOJAVE RENDEZVOUS", AND TALKING WITH OTHERS ON A CAJON PASS FORUM.
 
THE TRACKLESS TROLLEY PROJECT WAS TO BE STARTED AT GRAVA... WHERE RECENTLY, WORK CREWS TORE OUT THE STATION'S CEMENT FOUNDATION... AND N/W TO THE PROPERTY OF SHEEP HEAD LIME AND LONE PINE MILL AND LUMBER CO., WHICH WAS THE CURRENT WRIGHTWOOD AREA. ELECTRICAL POLES FOR THE LINES WERE PUT UP UNTIL THEY REACHED THE SWARTHOUT SUMMIT, (SUMMIT ON TOP OF LONE PINE, JUST EAST OF EAST CANYON RD.) THE POLES WERE REMOVED IN THE LATE 50'S.
 
FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE TROLLEY'S END WAS AT THE LUKER'S GAS STATION, WHERE THE CURRENT DELI IS LOCATED. IT'S ODD SHAPE IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT PART OF THE FRONT HAD TO BE CUT AWAY TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE RIGHT-OF-WAY FOR THE TRACKLESS TROLLEY THAT WAS NEVER BUILT.
 
RESPECTFULLY, TERRY G. OF GRAHAM_RANCH

[bigpines]

Oh my goodness,  I was just talking to the guys at Baboos today about the shape of their building.  I've heard about the train in relation to the shape of their building before but I couldn't remember where I heard it.  It must of been through John Swisher (now deceased) whom I had the pleasure of going on several history tours with him.