Excursion Car 5
Item
Dublin Core
Title
Excursion Car 5
Subject
Excursion Car 5
Format
Railcar
Railcar Item Type Metadata
Location
SPCRR Carbarn
Objectives
Non-historic excursion car for heavy passenger service
Builder / Manufacturer
Hammond Car Co. (new)
Build Date
1919?
Ownership / Custodial History
Built as WSLCo 46
1904(?)
Sold to Antelope & Wedstern RR
1961
Sold to Camino Cable & Northern RR
19XX*
Sold to Ron Pape
1974
Sold to xxx*, stored at Ken Yeo property in Auburn, CA
19xx8 -198x8
Leased to SPCRR
2017 - 2025
Purchased by SPCRR
February 2025
1904(?)
Sold to Antelope & Wedstern RR
1961
Sold to Camino Cable & Northern RR
19XX*
Sold to Ron Pape
1974
Sold to xxx*, stored at Ken Yeo property in Auburn, CA
19xx8 -198x8
Leased to SPCRR
2017 - 2025
Purchased by SPCRR
February 2025
Road Number
SPCRR 5
Historical Road Numbers
WSLCo 46
(1904)
WSLCo 5
(1919)
WSLCo 5
(2017)
(1904)
WSLCo 5
(1919)
WSLCo 5
(2017)
Car Type
Excursion Car
Capacity
~30 passengers
Restoration History
Non-historic
Date Acquired
Leased 2017
Acquired 2025
Acquired 2025
Restoration / Conservation Notes
Non-historic, flatcar converted to Caboose in 1919
Converted to excursion car in 19XX
Converted to excursion car in 19XX
Status
Operable
Online Description
This 36-inch gauge car began its working life circa 1904 as West Side Lumber Company log flatcar #46, serving the extensive logging operations in Tuolumne, California. In 1919, it was substantially rebuilt in the WSLCo shops as caboose #5.
The car's post-WSLCo history reflects the complex secondary market for narrow gauge equipment. In 1961, it transferred to the Antelope & Western Railroad, a private railroad in Antelope, California. It subsequently moved to the Camino Cable & Northern Railroad, a tourist operation in Camino, California. In 1974, the car passed to a private owner in Santa Rosa, California, and was later stored on a property in Auburn, California from 19*X* to 198*X*.
A significant transformation occurred when the car was acquired by the Northern Queen Motel in Nevada City, California. Using the original car frame and trucks, it was completely rebuilt as an excursion car for tourist service, preserving the authentic mechanical components while creating a red-and-white clad passenger-carrying configuration. In 2017, the car was acquired by a private owner and subsequently leased to SPCRR from 2017 through 2025.
SPCRR purchased the car outright in February 2025. The car retains the number 5 in commemoration of its service as West Side Lumber Company caboose #5, honoring its authentic logging railroad heritage while serving in its current excursion car configuration.
* Unknown date information, closest confident date range used.
[] Needs further research or citation
The car's post-WSLCo history reflects the complex secondary market for narrow gauge equipment. In 1961, it transferred to the Antelope & Western Railroad, a private railroad in Antelope, California. It subsequently moved to the Camino Cable & Northern Railroad, a tourist operation in Camino, California. In 1974, the car passed to a private owner in Santa Rosa, California, and was later stored on a property in Auburn, California from 19*X* to 198*X*.
A significant transformation occurred when the car was acquired by the Northern Queen Motel in Nevada City, California. Using the original car frame and trucks, it was completely rebuilt as an excursion car for tourist service, preserving the authentic mechanical components while creating a red-and-white clad passenger-carrying configuration. In 2017, the car was acquired by a private owner and subsequently leased to SPCRR from 2017 through 2025.
SPCRR purchased the car outright in February 2025. The car retains the number 5 in commemoration of its service as West Side Lumber Company caboose #5, honoring its authentic logging railroad heritage while serving in its current excursion car configuration.
* Unknown date information, closest confident date range used.
[] Needs further research or citation
Class
Operation
Carter Brothers?
No
Collection
Citation
Hammond Car Co. (new), Westside Lumber Company (rebuild)
, “Excursion Car 5,” The Railroad Museum at Ardenwood, accessed October 1, 2026, http://museum.spcrr.org/items/show/31.
