Old right of way-Yosemite Valley Railroad

I bet the valley floor was packed with humanity this weekend.  Too bad that line did

not stay open for tourism...the Park Service would probably love getting fewer

vehicles through their gates.  I wonder if the Colorado Midland caboose is still sitting

in the rest area off 140?

What are we supposed to be looking at?

The abandoned right of way, across the Merced River from SR 140.  Been on that road quite a few times as I have family not far from there in Oakhurst.

And I agree, too bad it wasn't able to stay open long enough to become a tourist railroad.  Way too busy to visit during holidays!  

On many trips to Yosemite in the 1960s the abandon railroad was very apparent with the right-of-way, bridges and structures all still in place. Even several of the inclines up the sides of the valley were still evident.  Flooding about ten years ago removed a lot of what was left to see.  Then the rock slide onto 140 forced construction of a temporary road on the abandon railroad, destroying even more of what was left.

i am sure if the railroad was still there today it would be very popular. But it ended several miles short of the Yosemite Valley.  If it had gone five miles farther into the park, it would be national treasure.  I believe the dam that forced relocation of the railroad the first time has been raised, flooding the 1930s relocation, including many tunnels and high steel bridges, making rebuilding the railroad impractical today. 

The only caboose I saw was an old Santa Fe somewhere around Planada. You are right about the valley floor being packed, and it was hot as blue blazes!!!

This thread got me searching for the caboose mentioned above.  I couldn't find it but did find some interesting stuff in El Portal.    This is a Google Street View of a Shay and boxcar.  To the right is a turntable and restored station.    To the left is a water tank.  

Here are some photos I found on Flickr. 

I had seen the caboose some years ago with a historical plaque on or near it...it may

have been a later Midland Terminal (successor to Colorado Midland) caboose, as it did

not have the reverse curve cupola roof.  I did not see it on later trips, but don't think

I went back down to Merced, but got on Hwy. 49 to go north after driving into the park from Merced.   I remember it being in some roadside park on the north side of 140.

Maybe the flood or construction got it.  I wondered at the time at this caboose being far from home.

The YV caboose is still at El Portal.  They have restored the turntable and did a lot of work on the caboose.  It looks really good now.

Greg

Goody!  I was sure I had seen one.