Westside Lumber Company 222
Item
Dublin Core
Title
Westside Lumber Company 222
Subject
Westside Lumber Company 222
Format
Railcar
Railcar Item Type Metadata
Location
SPCRR Carbarn
Objectives
Add gondola top and use for passenger service
Physical Dimensions
24' Length
Builder / Manufacturer
WSLCo
Build Date
192X
Ownership / Custodial History
Westside Lumber Company
192X
Westside & Cherry Valley
1968
Entire WS&CV sold to Henley Management
1982
Sold to Earl Failla; moved to Chicago Park, CA
Observed in March 1987
Sold to SPCRR
June 2002
192X
Westside & Cherry Valley
1968
Entire WS&CV sold to Henley Management
1982
Sold to Earl Failla; moved to Chicago Park, CA
Observed in March 1987
Sold to SPCRR
June 2002
Road Number
Westside Lumber Company 222
Historical Road Numbers
WSLCo 222
Car Type
Flatcar converted to gondola
Weight
15 ton
Dimensions
24'
Restoration History
Restored in 2002 with benches for passengers. Restored again in 2022-2023 by SPCRR volunteers for passengers and with ADA capability as a gondola with center doors on both sides.
Date Acquired
2002
Status
Operable
Online Description
This 24-foot, 15-ton, 36-inch gauge car was constructed in the West Side Lumber Company shop in Tuolumne, California circa 192*X* as log flatcar #222. It was completely rebuilt on June 30, 1928 with a new body and equipped with WSLCo's standard four-spring trucks and two iron log bunks for hauling Sierra Nevada timber.
After 1940, the car was rebuilt with log bunks removed, converting it to flatcar configuration for company service use supporting maintenance and general freight operations. Significantly, the car began another rebuild in the WSLCo shop in 1960 and was still in the shop on October 28, 1960, the last day of West Side Lumber Company's railroad logging operations.
The car's post-WSLCo history reflects the uncertain fate of many narrow gauge assets: It passed to the now-tourist oriented West Side & Cherry Valley Railway from 1968 to 1973 (apparently unused), then to another owner from 197*X* to 198*X* (also unused). The entire WS&CV was sold to Henley Management in 1982, later becoming Quality Resorts of America (Westside Resort) in 19*X* (car still unused).
The car was then sold to a private party and moved to Chicago Park, California (documented there in March 1987), then moved to Merlin, Oregon in 199*X*. SPCRR purchased the car on June 2002 for $3,500.00, and it arrived at Ardenwood on June 16, 2002.
The car underwent two distinct restoration phases by SPCRR volunteers: First, it was restored in 2*0*X* with benches for horse-drawn passenger service. A second, comprehensive restoration occurred during 2022-2023, transforming it into an ADA-accessible gondola with center doors on both sides. The car entered service on SPCRR's passenger train in 2023 and continues in operation.
* Unknown date information, closest confident date range used.
[] Needs further research or citation
After 1940, the car was rebuilt with log bunks removed, converting it to flatcar configuration for company service use supporting maintenance and general freight operations. Significantly, the car began another rebuild in the WSLCo shop in 1960 and was still in the shop on October 28, 1960, the last day of West Side Lumber Company's railroad logging operations.
The car's post-WSLCo history reflects the uncertain fate of many narrow gauge assets: It passed to the now-tourist oriented West Side & Cherry Valley Railway from 1968 to 1973 (apparently unused), then to another owner from 197*X* to 198*X* (also unused). The entire WS&CV was sold to Henley Management in 1982, later becoming Quality Resorts of America (Westside Resort) in 19*X* (car still unused).
The car was then sold to a private party and moved to Chicago Park, California (documented there in March 1987), then moved to Merlin, Oregon in 199*X*. SPCRR purchased the car on June 2002 for $3,500.00, and it arrived at Ardenwood on June 16, 2002.
The car underwent two distinct restoration phases by SPCRR volunteers: First, it was restored in 2*0*X* with benches for horse-drawn passenger service. A second, comprehensive restoration occurred during 2022-2023, transforming it into an ADA-accessible gondola with center doors on both sides. The car entered service on SPCRR's passenger train in 2023 and continues in operation.
* Unknown date information, closest confident date range used.
[] Needs further research or citation
Class
Collection
Carter Brothers?
No
Collection
Citation
WSLCo
, “Westside Lumber Company 222,” The Railroad Museum at Ardenwood, accessed October 1, 2026, http://museum.spcrr.org/items/show/39.
