Re: West Side & Cheeseburger Valley RR

Following the shut-down of the West Side Lumber Co. railroad in 1961, scrappers removed most of the rails, except for short sections from Tuolumne to Baker Siding and Big Rock Cut to River Bridge.
The West Side & Cherry Valley tourist line began operation on some 2 miles of trackage in 1968. In August 1970, the line was reopened a distance of six and a half miles to near River Bridge, after some track was relaid, but the line closed-down again in 1973.
The property was sold to Glenn Bell in 1976. He built a multi-million dollar theme park called the Westside (one word) & Cherry Valley Railroad. The park opened in September 1978 but was shut down abruptly in 1979. It was a fine operation with many other attractions and helped the local economy in many ways.
Glenn Bell's family resented his huge investment in the WS&CV and so he closed it down. The entire matter came as a great surprise to the employees, who were suddendly out of work.
The railroad (not the theme park attractions) was reopened and operated by Frank Cottle under Pickering Corp. ownership until 1981, after which most of the remaining locomotives and cars were sold.
The rails between Tuolumne and River Bridge were removed for scrap in 1986, except for a few tracks in the Tuolumne North Yard. The old right of way reverted to the local Native American tribe, who have resisted any further rebuilding on what they consider their land.
See details and illustrations in WEST SIDE PICTORIAL book.