Santa Maria Valley Railroad

{{Short description|Californian railroad}} {{more footnotes|date=April 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox rail | gauge={{Track gauge|ussg|allk=on}} | railroad_name = Santa Maria Valley Railroad | marks = SMV | locale = [[Santa Barbara County, California]] | start_year = {{Start date|1911}} | end_year = present | hq_city = [[Santa Maria, California]] | website = {{URL|https://www.smvrr.com/}} |image_filename=Smv airbase.jpg}} {{Santa Maria Valley Railroad}}

The '''Santa Maria Valley Railroad''' {{Reporting mark|SMV}} is a {{convert|14.8|mi|km}} [[shortline railroad]] that [[Interchange (freight rail)|interchanges]] with the [[Union Pacific Railroad|Union Pacific Railroad's]] (former [[Southern Pacific Railroad|Southern Pacific]]) [[Coast Line (Union Pacific Railroad)|Coast Line]] at [[Guadalupe, California]]. As of 2006, the Railroad is owned by the Coast Belle Rail Corporation.

==Traffic== The SMV handles 2,000 cars annually (1996 estimate). Commodities hauled include: *[[Bitumen|Asphalt]] *[[Fertilizer]] *Fresh and Frozen Food products *[[Gypsum]] [[wallboard]] *[[Lumber]] *[[Machinery]] *[[Petroleum|Petroleum Products]] *[[Plastic]] *Scrap iron

Prior traffic included: *[[Beer]] *[[Sugar]] and [[Sugar beet]]s

==Passenger service== Special passenger service was only offered during [[World War II]] on the Air Base branch to transport military personnel to the [[Santa Maria Army Air Base]] for training. The Air Base branch was constructed in 1943. Excursions were offered for the first time on the SMVRR in November 2006, continuing into 2007.

==History== The SMV was incorporated on July 14, 1911 as the Santa Maria Valley Railway at Los Angeles, California with A. A. Dougherty listed as President.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.keyt.com/news/on-the-road/santa-maria-valley-railroad-on-a-roll-and-on-track-for-a-bright-future/1080754736 |title=Santa Maria Valley Railroad on a roll and on track for a bright future |work=KEYT |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190529022049/https://www.keyt.com/news/on-the-road/santa-maria-valley-railroad-on-a-roll-and-on-track-for-a-bright-future/1080754736 |archive-date=2019-05-29}}</ref>

The first {{convert|3.26|mi|km}} of track, from the Southern Pacific connection at [[Guadalupe, California|Guadalupe]] to [[Betteravia, California|Betteravia]] Junction, was built by the SP in August 1899 to get to a sugar mill. The SP leased the track to the SMV years later. From Betteravia the SMV built to Santa Maria and on to Roadamite. The SMV also had branches running from Stowell to Air Base, Suey to Rosemary Farms and Rex to Gates.

By 1925 the railway traffic had steeply declined and the railway went bankrupt. Captain [[George Allan Hancock]] [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927225503/http://www.hancockcollege.edu/Default.asp?Page=687], a principal of the Dominion Oil Company, purchased the railroad for $75,000 at a Sheriff's auction. The railroad was then reorganized as the Santa Maria Valley Railroad in 1926. Until 2006, the railroad was owned by Captain G. Allan Hancock's estate.

The original line ran for {{Convert|23|mi|km}}, from Guadalupe to Roadamite. The track from Gates to Roadamite was abandoned in 1950.

The last run of No. 21, Captain Hancock's favorite steam locomotive, was in February 1962. Captain Hancock took the throttle one last time. [[Walt Disney]] was in the cab with Captain Hancock.

Baldwin 21 currently is undergoing restoration in [[Astoria, Oregon]] to be returned to excursion service.

The Union Sugar Beet plant closed in 1993, ending the beet train era.

In 1999 the G. Allan Hancock Estate gained full control of the SMV. The assets of the railroad were sold to Coast Belle Rail Corporation in 2006, ending an 81-year ownership by the Hancock family.

On March 12, 2025, OmniTrax entered into a joint venture for the Santa Maria Valley Railroad, becoming the 29th railroad in the OmniTRAX national rail network.<ref>{{Cite web |last=blastoff |date=2025-03-12 |title=Rail Transportation and Real Estate Development |url=https://omnitrax.com/omnitrax-network-adds-santa-maria-railroad/ |access-date=2025-07-18 |website=OmniTRAX |language=en-US}}</ref>

Other than No. 21, three other steam locomotives are in existence. Following a successful 38 year restoration, the [[Baldwin Locomotive Works]] 1924-built No. 205 was sold to the [[Albany and Eastern Railroad]] in Lebanon, Oregon and is used on the Santiam Excursion Trains.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.lebanonlocalnews.com/train-enthusiasts-celebrate-steam-locomotives-100th/ | title=Train enthusiasts celebrate steam locomotive's 100th | date=16 February 2024 }}</ref> No. 100 is in Nevada, but has not yet entered restoration by the [[Virginia and Truckee]]. No. 1000 resides on Static Display in [[Griffith Park]] at Travel Town.

===Timeline=== *July 14, 1911 Santa Maria Valley Railway organized *August 23, 1911 grading commenced *September 28, 1911 laying rails commenced *March 15, 1912 construction completed *October 7, 1911 first train operated *1926 Santa Maria Valley ''Railway'' reorganized as the Santa Maria Valley ''Railroad'' *1950 track abandoned between Gates and Roadamite *2006 Purchased by the Coast Belle Rail Corp. from the descendants of G.A. Hancock family *2008 All track east of McClelland Street now vacated. Offices moved to Betteravia Industrial Park (at the site of the old sugar mill). *2025: OmniTrax enters into a joint agreement with the SMVRR

==Route== [[File:Santa Maria Valley Railroad.jpg|thumb|Route in 1931]]

===Main Route=== *Guadalupe (interchange with UP - former SP) originally leased to SMV by SP. *Betteravia Junction *Carr *Pacer *Midco *[[Santa Maria, CA|Santa Maria]]

===Air Base Branch (Santa Maria Army Air Base)=== *Santa Maria *Airbase (also with a spur to Pesco)

===Betteravia Branch=== *Betteravia Junction *Gumm (Iremel) *[[Betteravia, California|Betteravia]]

===Rosemary Branch (abandoned)=== *Santa Maria *Suey *Rosemary (Rosemary Farms) *Battles

===Gates Branch (abandoned)=== *Rosemary (named after owner G. Allan Hancock's daughter) *Rex *Gates *Roadamite (Gates - Roadamite abandoned in 1950)

==Motive power== The SMV has 6 locomotives: *SMV #70 a [[GE 70-ton switcher]] built in January 1950 (Builder No. 30381) acquired for operation in November 1972 from Fort Dodge DM&S *SMV #80 a [[GE 70-ton switcher]] built in December 1953 (Builder No. 32207) acquired for parts for its fleet of 70-ton switchers in November 1972 from Fort Dodge DM&S *SMV #1801 an [[EMD GP9]] built in June 1959 (Builder No. 25314) Built for [[Milwaukee Road]] as their #319 *BUGX #1322, a former [[Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe]] (AT&SF) [[EMD GP7]](u), still with the original Blue and Gold Paint Scheme (leased). In July of 2025, the loco left the property and headed north. *FWRY 3501 [[EMD GP35]], purchased from the [[Fillmore and Western Railway]] in 2021. *OMLX 2025, a rebuilt former Kennecott Copper [[EMD GP39-2]], delivered in July of 2025.

The SMV operated five 70 ton switchers and one [[GE Universal Series locomotives|U6B]] that were acquired between 1948-1959. {| class="wikitable" |+Complete roster of Locomotives Owned by the Santa Maria Valley Railroad !# !Builder !SN !Type !Built !Acq' !Ret' !Dispoistion !Notes |- |1 |[[Schenectady Locomotive Works|Schenectady]] |1588 |[[4-6-0]] |9/1882 |1911 |1913 |Scrapped |Was [[Southern Pacific Transportation Company|Southern Pacific of Arizona]] #69. |- |1 (2nd) |[[Baldwin Locomotive Works|Baldwin]] |31418 |[[2-8-0]] |8/1907 |1913 |1925 |to #15 |Originally [[Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad|Tonopah & Tidewater]] #5, purchased from that road |- |2 |[[Baldwin Locomotive Works|Baldwin]] |29312 |[[2-6-0]] |8/1906 |1913 |1925 |to #12 |Originally [[Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad|Tonopah & Tidewater]] #4, purchased from that road |- |12 |[[Baldwin Locomotive Works|Baldwin]] |29312 |[[2-6-0]] |8/1906 |1925 |1937 |Scrapped |Previously #2 |- |15 |[[Baldwin Locomotive Works|Baldwin]] |31418 |[[2-8-0]] |8/1907 |1925 |1933 |Scrapped |Previously #1 |- |21 |[[Baldwin Locomotive Works|Baldwin]] |58638 |[[2-8-2]] |4/1925 |1925 |1962 |Stored |New. Leased to [[Shasta-McCloud Steam Rail Tours Association|Shasta-McCloud Steam Rail Tour]] in 1966. See [https://www.steamlocomotive.info/nlocoowner.cfm?which=1291 history]. Being restored in [[Astoria, Oregon|Astoria, OR]] |- |100 |[[Baldwin Locomotive Works|Baldwin]] |59284 |[[2-8-2]] |6/1926 |1942 |1962 |Sold |Was [[Pope & Talbot, Inc.]] Sold to [[White Mountain Scenic Railroad|White Mountain Scenic RR]]. See [https://www.steamlocomotive.info/nlocoowner.cfm?which=1208 history]. Under restoration at [[Virginia and Truckee Railroad]] |- |125 |[[Baldwin Locomotive Works|Baldwin]] |52790 |[[2-6-2]] |1/1920 |Unk |1947 |Scrapped |Was [[Columbia & Nehalem River Railroad|Columbia & Nehalem River]] #125 |- |150 |[[Baldwin Locomotive Works|Baldwin]] |55804 |[[2-8-2]] |11/1922 |Unk |1951 |Scrapped |Was [[Vance Lumber Company]] #4 |- |205 |[[Baldwin Locomotive Works|Baldwin]] |57613 |[[2-6-2]] |1/1924 |1933 |1950 |Operational |Was [[San Joaquin and Eastern Railroad|San Joaquin & Eastern]] #205. Donated to [[37th Agricultural District]]. See [https://www.steamlocomotive.info/nlocoowner.cfm?which=985 history]. Restored. At Albany & Eastern Railroad in Lebanon, Oregon <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.lebanonlocalnews.com/train-enthusiasts-celebrate-steam-locomotives-100th/ | title=Train enthusiasts celebrate steam locomotive's 100th | date=16 February 2024 }}</ref> |- |1000 |[[American Locomotive Company|Alco Schenectady]] |61535 |[[2-8-2]] |1/1920 |1944 |1954 |Donated |Was [[Newaukum Valley Railroad|Newaukum Valley]] #1000. Donated to [[Travel Town Museum]]. See [https://www.steamlocomotive.info/nlocoowner.cfm?which=149 history]. |- |10 |[[GE Transportation|General Electric]] |30019 |[[GE 70-ton switcher|70-ton]] |6/1948 |1948 | |Scrapped | |- |20 |[[GE Transportation|General Electric]] |30176 |[[GE 70-ton switcher|70-ton]] |7/1948 |1948 | |Sold |Sold to [[Peninsula Terminal Railway|Peninsula Terminal]] |- |30 |[[GE Transportation|General Electric]] |30447 |[[GE 70-ton switcher|70-ton]] |8/1950 |1950 |2000 |Sold |Sold to [[Nevada Northern Railway|Nevada Northern]], soon sold to [[Colorado, Kansas & Pacific Railroad]] |- |40 |[[GE Transportation|General Electric]] |31282 |[[GE 70-ton switcher|70-ton]] |3/1952 |1952 |2000 |Sold |Sold to [[Nevada Northern Railway|Nevada Northern]], soon sold to [[Colorado, Kansas & Pacific Railroad]] |- |50 |[[GE Transportation|General Electric]] |31283 |[[GE 70-ton switcher|70-ton]] |3/1952 |1952 | |Sold |Sold to [[Peninsula Terminal Railway|Peninsula Terminal]] |- |60 |[[GE Transportation|General Electric]] |33494 |[[GE U6B|U6B]] |5/1959 |1959 |1992 |Scrapped | |- |70 |[[GE Transportation|General Electric]] |30381 |[[GE 70-ton switcher|70-ton]] |1/1950 |1972 | |Operational |Was [[Fort Dodge, Des Moines & Southern Railroad|Fort Dodge, Des Moines & Southern]] #411 |- |80 |[[GE Transportation|General Electric]] |32207 |[[GE 70-ton switcher|70-ton]] |12/1953 |1972 | |Operational |Was [[Fort Dodge, Des Moines & Southern Railroad|Fort Dodge, Des Moines & Southern]] #401 |- |1801 |[[Electro-Motive Diesel|EMD]] |59E-90 |[[EMD GP9|GP9]] |6/1959 |1992 | |Operational |Was [[Great Western Railway of Colorado|Great Western of Colorado]] #1801 |- |2025 |Rebuilt EMD | |GP39-2 | |2025 | |Operational |Lettered OMLX. Rebuilt former Kennecott Copper [[EMD GP39-2]] |} Roster from the Friends of the SMV: https://friends-smvrr.org/images/history/SMVRR-roster.pdf

Also see The Diesel Shop Roster: https://www.thedieselshop.us/SMVR.HTML

==See also== {{Portal||Railways}} *[[List of California railroads]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

*{{cite book | author=Fickewirth, Alvin A.| title=California railroads: an encyclopedia of cable car, common carrier, horsecar, industrial, interurban, logging, monorail, motor road, shortlines, streetcar, switching and terminal railroads in California (1851–1992)| location=[[San Marino, CA]] | publisher=[[Golden West Books]]| year=1992| isbn=0-87095-106-8}} *{{Robertson-Western Railroad-4}} *{{cite book | author=Stindt, Fred A. | title=American Shortline Railway Guide - 5th Ed.| location=[[Waukesha, WI]] | publisher=Kalmbach Publishing Company| year=1996| isbn=0-89024-290-9}} *{{cite book | author=Walker, Mike| title=Steam Powered Video's Comprehensive Railroad Atlas of North America - California and Nevada - Post Merger Edition| location=[[Kent]], [[United Kingdom]] | publisher=Steam Powered Publishing| year=1997| isbn=1-874745-08-0}} *{{cite web | title=Santa Maria Valley Railroad Historical Museum| work=Railroad Today and History| url=http://www.smvrhm.org/| access-date=January 9, 2006}} *{{cite web | title=Santa Maria Valley Railroad Excursions| work=Excursions| url=http://www.smvrr.com/excursions.html| access-date=August 21, 2007}}

==External links== *[http://www.smvrr.com/ Official Santa Maria Valley Railroad homepage] *[http://www.friends-smvrr.org/ Friends of the Santa Maria Valley Railroad] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20030101081033/http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-IMPACT/2002/November/Day-14/i28804.htm Abandonment of 5 miles in 2002] *[http://www.up.com/customers/shortline/profiles_q-s/smv/index.htm UPRR profile of SMV]

==Additional reading== *{{cite magazine|last=Lustig|first=David|title=''Short line: Santa Maria Valley''|date=December 2020|page=46|magazine=[[Trains (magazine)|Trains]]|publisher=[[Kalmbach Media]]}}

{{California railroads}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Santa Maria Valley Railroad}} [[Category:California railroads]] [[Category:Transportation in Santa Barbara County, California]]