San Bernardino & Redlands

Yes, the SP operated a narrow gauge between San Bernardino and Redlands and did so under its own name. But the Riverside to San Bernardino line was a standard gauge operation.

The history of the line has been covered in the old Western Railroader, the Journal of the Southern Pacific Narrow Gauge Society and by Trainline of the SP Historical & Technical Society.

It started as a side-of-the-road, 3-foot-gauge steam dummy line named the San Bernardino and Redlands. This was built in 1888. SP acquired the line in 1891 along with the sg Southern California Motor Road running from San Bernardin to Colton to Riverside.

The SP only laid a third rail for standard gauge trains from Redlands Junction (later Bryn Mawr) and Redlands.

In 1906 the SP replaced the steam dummys with a baggage-coach 4-4-0 from the SPC. There are pictures of this locomotive lettered both SPC 6 and SP 6. Also it brought in SPC gaggage-coach #18 which was later lettered Southern Pacific.

A competing sg elelctric railway became part of the Pacific Electric in 1911 when Henry E. Huntington sold his interurban electric lines to the SP. It appears that the SP then discontinued operations of the narrow-gauge, but did not retire the equipment and remove the line until some time later.

The LA, San Pedro & Salt Lake later changed over to running on the Santa Fe from Riverside to San Bernardino when it began through operations.

Brian Norden



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 10/12/2014 09:48PM by Brian Norden.