San Joaquin Valley Railroad

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San Joaquin Valley Railroad
San Joaquin Valley Railroad logo.png
Overview
HeadquartersExeter, California
Reporting markSJVR
LocaleFresno, California and Bakersfield, California area
Dates of operationJanuary 2, 1992–present
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Length297 miles (478 km)[1]
Other
Websitewww.gwrr.com

The San Joaquin Valley Railroad (reporting mark SJVR) is one of several short line railroad companies and is part of the Pacific Region Division of Genesee & Wyoming Inc. It operates about 297 miles (478 km)[1] of track primarily on several lines in California's Central Valley/San Joaquin Valley outside Fresno, California and Bakersfield, California. The SJVR has trackage rights over Union Pacific (formerly Southern Pacific) from Fresno - Goshen Jct - Famoso - Bakersfield - Algoso. The SJVR also operated for the Tulare Valley Railroad (TVRR) from Calwa to Corcoran and Famoso.

There were two former San Joaquin Valley Railroads. One was incorporated by Leland Stanford and Associates in 1868 to build an 11.3-mile (18.2 km) line from Lathrop, California to the Stanislaus River and was consolidated in 1870 into the Central Pacific Railroad. The second San Joaquin Valley Railroad operated from 1892 to 1893 between Fresno and Friant over 24.1 miles (38.8 km) of track and was sold at foreclosure to the Southern Pacific.

In 1991, the SJVR operated the entire former SP line from Fresno to Famoso, but a portion north of Famoso was later abandoned.

SJVR interchanges with the BNSF Railway at Fresno and Bakersfield and with the Union Pacific at Fresno and Goshen Junction.

SJVR was originally owned by Kyle Railways. In 1992, the SJVR was created[1] to obtain and operate several branch lines from the Southern Pacific. From 1992 to 1997, the SJVR was owned by Kyle Railways. In 1997, SJVR's parent, Kyle Railways, was sold to States Rail. In 2002 SJVR's new parent, States Rail, was purchased by RailAmerica.[1] Genesee & Wyoming Inc. controlled RailAmerica in December 2012. Today the SJVR remains a shortline within the Genesee & Wyoming family of railroads.

Lines operated by SJVR[]

San Joaquin Valley Railroad
Legend
Exeter
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Fresno
Locans
Sanger
Lacjac
Reedley
Ivory
Dibuna
Monson
Taurusa
Ivanhoe
Lort
Goshen Subdivision
Porterville Subdivision
Exeter
Burr
Lindsay
Strathmore
Goshen
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Goshen
Visalia
Loma Industrial Lead
Rector
Farmersville
Exeter Subdivision
Porterville
Exeter Subdivision
List
Lucca
Lindsay
Hanford
Strathmore
Huron
Vanguard
Rossi
Cimarron
Lemoore
Armona
BNSF enlarge…
Hanford
Shell
Remnoy
Goshen
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West Side
Oxalis
Firebaugh
Mendota
Riverside Subdivision
Ingle
Kerman
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Riverside
West Side Subdivision
Tranquility
San Joaquin
Helm
Burel
to Armona
Clovis
Tarpey
Cameo
Cincotta
Hammond
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North Joint
Hollis
Calico
Famoso
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Oil City
Maltha
Seguro
Oil Junction
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Landco
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Landco
BNSF
Buttonwillow
Buttonwillow
Bowerbank
Stevens
Sunset Subdivision
Gosford
Venola
Wible Orchard
Kyandee
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Sunset
Buttonwillow Subdivision
Gosford
Conner
Gulf
Millux
Arvin
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Algoso
Lonsmith
Lamont
Ribier
Di Giorgio
Arvin
Line names taken from CPUC data.[2]
  • Fresno – Exeter – Strathmore (Exeter Subdivision; former SP)
  • Exeter – Goshen Jct. (Goshen Subdivision; former SP)
  • Goshen Jct. – Hanford – Huron (Hanford Subdivision; former SP)
  • Burrel – Helm – Tranquility – Ingle (Riverdale Branch; former SP)
  • Oxalis – Mendota – Ingle – Kerman – Fresno (West Side Subdivision; former SP)
  • Fresno – Clovis (Clovis Subdivision; former AT&SF and SP)
  • Famoso – Hollis (North Joint Subdivision; former SP)
  • Maltha – Oil Jct. (Oil City Subdivision; former AT&SF/SP)
  • Oil Jct. – Landco (Landco Subdivision; former AT&SF)
  • Bakersfield – Gosford – Buttonwillow (Buttonwillow Subdivision; former SP)
  • Gosford – Millux (Sunset Subdivision; former )
  • Algoso – Arvin (Arvin Subdivision; former AT&SF/SP)
  • Trackage rights over UP from Fresno – Algoso (near Bakersfield) via Goshen Jct. (former SP)

History[]

West Side Line[]

This mainline route was formerly known as Southern Pacific's "West Side Line" and at one time extended from Tracy, California and then south through the West side of the San Joaquin Valley (I-5 corridor) via Patterson, Gustine, Newman, Los Banos, Oxalis and then east to Fresno via Ingle and Kerman. California Northern Railroad now operates the northern section of the line from Tracy - Los Banos. SJVR operates the southern section of the line from Oxalis to Fresno and was at one time owned by Port Railroads, Inc. (PRI; also a Kyle subsidiary) and operated by the SJVR. On April 24, 1996, the PRI was merged into the SJVR. Both the PRI and SJVR were already Kyle Railway subsidiaries. The section of track between Los Banos and Oxalis was abandoned by Southern Pacific in 1993 and the tracks were removed soon after.

The Southern Pacific constructed the track from Tracy to Newman (37 miles) and from Los Banos to Armona (near Fresno) in 1891. Southern Pacific's overnight passenger train (#57/58) operated over this line between San Francisco and Los Angeles into 1965.

Exeter Subdivision[]

In 2008, the Surface Transportation Board approved the abandonment of the section of track between Strathmore and Jovista. This left the communities of Strathmore, Porterville, Terra Bella, Ducor, and Richgrove without any rail service. Tulare County has recently broken off negotiations with the SJVR to purchase this section of track to preserve it for future use and possible reactivation. However, beginning in September 2010, the tracks were being removed by the SJVR and the job was completed with the entire line having been pulled up in mid November. The future of this line is very much in doubt and with the rails having now been removed, it's extremely unlikely that trains will ever traverse that corridor again. As of March 2015, the SJVR has embargoed the line with the rails spiked at the south end of Exeter with some crossing signals south already having been partially dismantled. This section of track, which runs approximately 8 miles to Lindsay is now pending formal abandonment whereupon the rails are expected to be immediately pulled up upon STB approval. The sections from Exeter to Dinuba along with former ATSF track between Lindsay and Exeter were expected to follow given their poor condition and lack of use.

Traffic[]

The railroad's main traffic sources are petroleum gas and agricultural products. In 2008, the SJVR hauled around 39,000 carloads.[1]

Rolling stock[]

The railroad operates GP15-1's, GP40-2's, GP28's, GP20's, GP38's, GP38-2's, BL20-2's, and SE24B's.[3]

See also[]

  • List of United States railroads
  • List of California railroads
  • RailAmerica

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e "RailAmerica's Empire". Trains Magazine. Kalmbach Publishing. June 2010.
  2. ^ "Rail Crossing Inventory Data". California Public Utilities Commission. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  3. ^ "SJVR - San Joaquin Valley RR Locomotive Roster - Railroad Picture Archives.NET".
  • Edward A. Lewis, American Shortline Railway Guide 5th ed. (Kalmbach Publishing, 1996)
  • Mike Walker, SPV's Comprehensive Railroad Atlas of North America - California/Nevada Post Merger Edition, (Steam Powered Publishing & SPV, 1997) Ownership and detail of rail lines.

External links[]

Preceded by Short Line Railroad of the Year
2003
Succeeded by
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