On 14, July 1933 the Merced Sun Star reported that Mr. R. D. Toner was promoted to general manager of the Yosemite Valley Railroad Company. He succeeded Mr. W. L. White in that capacity. White resigned from the railroad to take the reins of the American Short Line Railroad Association. Mr. Toner entered the service of the Yosemite Valley railroad in 1927 as Chief Clerk and Purchasing Agent. He, as Mr. White, came from the Salt Lake and Utah Railroad where he was Confidential Clerk and Purchasing Agent. He served with several railroads throughout his career. Unfortunately at the time Mr. Toner became general manager the country was suffering from the financial depression, as was the rest of the world. In particular the Yosemite Lumber Company, a major customer of the Y.V.R.R. was near bankruptcy. Also, passenger service was operating at a low because many would be passengers could not afford to travel and those that could were driving to Yosemite over the recently completed all year highway. The Yosemite Portland Cement Company helped the railroad maintain its freight operations. The railroad attempted to reorganize to obtain relief for it stockholders. But the Interstate Commerce commission was not too receptive to the offer made by the railroad.

The Yosemite Lumber Company was reorganized into the Yosemite Sugar Pine Lumber Company; this would result in an improved profitable freight service for the Y. V. R. R. during Mr. Toner’s tenure. Mr. Toner’s heart had been week for several years and in mid November the Merced Sun Star stated that he could not be reached to comment on the railroad’s finances because he was seriously ill. A few days later the same newspaper reported his death, caused by the heart ailment. Ray Toner served as general manager less than eighteen months, before his untimely death. He was 57 years of age. His funeral service was conducted by Yosemite Lodge #99 F. & A. M., he was a 32 degree Scottish Rite mason. The pallbearers were all Y. V. R. R. employees. His remains are entombed at the Evergreen mausoleum in Merced. Because of his short tenure caused by his death he did not have much of a legacy as general manager. Mr. J. W. Swords, auditor, became the acting general manager of the railroad.

Photograph courtesy of Carole Araldi & Marilyn Callis granddaughters of R.D.Toner. Mr. F. L. Higgins (Superintendent of Motive Power) and Mr. Ray D. Toner, standing in front of a rail mounted automobile (Cadillac) at El Portal (1934). Mr. Clarence Aldrich, agent at El Portal , standing in the background.