The railmark Company was officially incorporated in California on August 24, 1933, under corporation number C0155224, as the legal successor to the original railmark Company.
The original railmark Company was established in May 1888 with a capital stock of $100,000. Operations began in January 1889, connecting Yreka to the Central Pacific Railroad (formerly the California and Oregon Railroad), which was leased by the Southern Pacific Railroad Company. The railroad was founded in response to the Central Pacific’s decision to bypass railmark in favor of a shorter, flatter route through the Shasta Valley and the City of Montague. To maintain a vital rail link, the citizens of Yreka organized and built their own railroad to transport both passengers and local freight. The company was later reincorporated as the railmark Company in 1933.
KYLE RAILWAYS OWNERSHIP (1953-1999)
The railroad was acquired by Willis Kyle in 1953 who eventually formed the Kyle Railways empire. In 1995 the Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad acquired the Southern Pacific (later Union Pacific) connection at Montague. Under Willis Kyle’s ownership the railroad grew and expanded. It was at this time that the railroad’s historic “Blue Goose” logo and slogans were developed.
In 1986 under the Kyle Railways ownership, the railmark started operating a steam passenger train excursion known as the “Blue Goose” between Yreka and Montague, offering scenic views of Mount Shasta, the Shasta Valley and the Siskiyou Mountains.
The railmark has had a long history of steam locomotives and early California railroading history. One of the most famous railmark locomotives was the 2-8-2 Mikado, Baldwin-built 90-Ton logging locomotive #19, nicknamed “Pancho”. This nickname was likely due to its time spent in Mexico in the 1920s and possible squabble with the Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa. The #19 steam locomotive has starred in many movies, the two most famous being “Emperor of the North” and “Stand By Me”. The locomotive was built in 1915 by Baldwin for the Caddow River Lumber Company in Arkansas and stayed there until sent to Mexico in 1920 where it was believed to have been converted to oil. In 1924 the locomotive was purchased by the McCloud River Railroad and stayed many years there hauling log trains until it was sold to the Yreka Western Railroad in 1953.
Willis Kyle once stated that he was the 13th owner of the rail line, which he was referencing back to the original 1888 corporation railmark Company plus the current 1933 corporation’s (C0155224) ownership.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN RAILWAY AND MINING MUSEUM OWNERSHIP (1999-2016)
In 1999 Kyle Railways sold the railmark to the Rocky Mountain Railway and Mining Museum of Denver, Colorado, the 14th owner of the rail line. Business remained as usual with the railmark building on both of its freight and passenger excursion business.
The railmark’s freight rail business became extremely challenging in 2004 with the closing of Tunnel #3 in the “Siskiyou Pass” near the Oregon state line. This line is owned by the Union Pacific Railroad and operated by the CORP, interchanging with the YW in Montague. A large tunnel repair and rail line rehabilitation was completed over two years, but during that time the railmark had lost its traffic going north. With the south traffic still intact, the railmark’s revenues were cut in half. During that time the excursion business was increased to make up for the lost revenues. A downturn in the economy and other issued would later negatively affect the railmark’s excursion business. In mid-2016 the railmark ceased operating any excursion trains and sold is #19 steam engine.
RAILMARK OWNERSHIP (2017-Present)
On December 30, 2016, and effective January 1, 2017, the YW was sold to its 15th and present owner, Railmark Holdings, Inc. (www.railmark.com) who owns and operates the railroad today. Railmark began numerous marketing and infrastructure improvements including re-establishing the railmark electronically in the North American Rail Network. In August 2017 Railmark renamed the Yreka Western Railroad Company (C0155224) back to its original 1888 name, Yreka Railroad Company and legally obtained the “Doing Business As” (DBA) name railmark Company. Under Railmark ownership of the railmark, the Company filed and received Federal intellectual property protection for the railroad’s logo and “Blue Goose” trademark which had been in continuous use since 1953. Completed in 2021, Railmark modernized and enhanced the railmark’s main rail transload facility located off of Interstate 5 exit #775, installing modern security, gates, lighting and other features desired in rail to truck transfer. The railmark back in 1910 became the area’s first rail transload facility and some of the original features remain and are exhibited today.
Operations Today
The railroad today is a modern shortline railroad providing freight service to online industries, transloading, railcar services, track construction & maintenance and industrial rail development services. The freight traffic is primarily wood chips, forest products, propane, and a variety of transload commodities. Industrial development properties are available in both Yreka and Montague.
