The Chowchilla Pacific Railway Company was organized on or about May 6, 1913 for the purpose of constructing a standard gauge railroad from Chowchilla on the Southern Pacific in Madera County, to a point known as Dairyland on the Chowchilla Ranch, a distance of about ten miles. All of the stock was held by the United States Farm Land Company. The road was constructed in 1915 at a cost of $105,827.90 and was operated primarily for the transport of agricultural products from property along its line. In a hearing in 1922 it was noted that the line had been operating at a loss. At that time the Railroad Commission authorized sale of the railroad properties to Frank G. Drum for $50,000.00. Frank G. Drum was no stranger to railroading, having been President of the Yosemite Valley Railroad in 1915. Unfortunately, Frank G. Drum died within a year and in a decision November 21, 1923 the Railroad Commission authorized sale of the line by the Executors of the Estate of Frank G. Drum to the Southern Pacific, or one of its . subsidiaries for $50,000.00. On June 14, 1924 the Visalia Electric Railroad purchased the Chowchilla-Pacific Railway from the estate of Frank G. Drum. Passenger and express service had been provided by a Hall-Scott gasoline motor car. The Visalia Electric continued operation of this railroad until it leased the railroad to the Southern Pacific Company on November 24, 1928. The road was sold to the Southern Pacific on January 1, 1936. The Chowchilla-Pacific Railway passenger-express motor was built by Hall-Scott Motor Car Company in 1915. It became Visalia Electric's second 301 in 1924 and was scrapped in 1937. Its specifications were: Length 54 ft., Width 10 ft., Height 13 ft., Seat cap. 40, Hall-Scott MCB trucks, 33 in. wheels, air brakes, Hall-Scott gas engine, 150 hp 6 cyl., 4 speed manual trans., mechanical controls, Weight 76,000 lbs. The Visalia Electric leased the line to the Southern Pacific on November 24, 1928, and sold the line to the Southern Pacific on January I, 1936. The Southern Pacific abandoned 5.57 miles of the line east from Dairyland in 1956 retaining the balance as a siding. |