ABOVE: The Fassler Flyer rolls through the crossing at Warnerville Road near Oakdale, Calif. The lush rolling foothills eventually give way to the snow-capped mountain peaks in the distance.
the Fassler Flyer will serve the Granite Rock Spur (West Jamestown) and the Chinese Camp Lumber Mill. Here the train will often add a number of cars to its consist, making it slightly more impressive to the eye. Both West Jamestown and Chinese Camp are easily accessible by local highways and roads. After Chinese Camp comes one of
my favorite stretches of track. This is the section between Jack’s Siding and Keystone, where Highway 108 parallels right along the tracks. As a kid growing up, my grandfather owned a cabin near Mi Wuk, Calif. A few times a year, my family would drive up to the cabin to spend time in the snow or at the lake. Each time we would pass this historic stretch of track. As a young kid, I always dreamed of seeing a train rolling along this line with the towering rock formations in the distance. I was finally able to fulfill this dream on March 18, 2014, when I shot the Fassler Flyer rolling along this exact area. It was one of those moments as a railroad photographer I will never forget. After traveling along Highway 108
for just over a mile, the railroad and the highway go their separate ways.
Next stop along the rail line is a station named Keystone. At Keystone the train will work the California Wood Shaving Company before heading into a remote and inaccessible section of track. For those railfans looking to chase the
train after Keystone, immediately head for Cooperstown. You will be driving in an area away from the tracks for about 30 minutes. At Cooperstown, don’t be surprised if you’re the only person out there. The roads are dirt and the land is empty. Once the train arrives, you will have an easy chase through the foothills as you head back to Oakdale. Part of the reason this line is so conducive to chasing is that the speed limit is ten m.p.h. from Fassler to Cooperstown. It then varies between ten and 20 m.p.h. between Cooperstown and Oakdale. The tracks have been designated “excepted” by the Federal Railroad Administration; tracks with this designation are exempt from compliance with minimum requirements for roadbed, track geometry and track structure. Although the train travels at slow speeds, the sound of the train is like music to any railfan’s ears. The clicking and clacking of jointed rail is something not heard on most rail lines in California.
Visiting California Gold Country The Oakdale Division was completed
around 1900, and much of the surrounding right of way appears untouched since then. The views will give you a glimpse back 160 years to the Gold Rush period. The grassy brown hills spotted with majestic oak trees makes for a classic northern California feel. As you head back into the valley, the towering snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada will loom in the distance. When you visit this region, you might very well forget it’s 2015. After chasing the Fassler Flyer from
Sonora to Oakdale, there is still plenty to do. I would recommend visiting Railtown 1897 in Jamestown. From April to October the museum offers weekend train rides. This ride will take you along the same tracks the Fassler Flyer travels on. The museum also offers an extensive collection of historic railroad equipment including steam locomotives. It is a must visit for anyone interested in railroad history. If riding the train at Railtown 1897
isn’t enough, I suggest taking a ride on the Sierra Dinner Train. Not only will you get to take in the sights and sounds of a classic railroad journey, you will be
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