Sierra Northern Railway

{{Short description|Freight train service in California}} {{use mdy dates|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox rail |railroad_name = Sierra Northern Railway |logo_filename = |logo_size = |system_map = |map_caption = |map_size = |marks = SERA |image = March 9 2010 Santa Cruz 051xRP - Flickr - drewj1946.jpg |image_size = 300px |image_caption = A Sierra Northern [[EMD GP20]] in Santa Cruz. |locale =California |start_year = 2003 |end_year = present |predecessor_line = |successor_line = |gauge = {{RailGauge|ussg|allk=on}} |old_gauge = |electrification = |length = {{convert|99|mi|km}} |hq_city = [[Woodland, California]] |website = http://www.sierranorthern.com }} The '''Sierra Northern Railway''' {{reporting mark|SERA}} is a [[common carrier]] [[railroad]] company operating in [[California]]. The company owns several [[rights of way]] originating from those of the former [[Sacramento Northern Railroad]], [[Sierra Railway Company Of California]], [[Southern Pacific Railroad]] and [[Yolo Shortline Railroad.]] It handles all freight operations and track maintenance for its parent company, the [[Sierra Railroad]] Company. The tracks that are maintained by Sierra Northern are also used by the Sierra Railroad Company's tourist trains.<ref>[http://www.sierrarailroad.com/dinnertrain/ Sierra Railroad Dinner Train]</ref> According to the AAR, the line operates 99 miles (159 km) of track in California. It serves a number of industrial areas in the state and interchanges with the Union Pacific Railroad, the BNSF Railway and the Northwestern Pacific Railroad.

==History== In August 2003, the [[Sierra Railroad]] and the Yolo Shortline Railroad merged to form the Sierra Northern Railway.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lustig |first=David |date=May 6, 2022 |title=News Photo: Sierra Northern operates test passenger train in Southern California |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/news-photo-sierra-northern-operates-test-passenger-train-in-southern-california/ |access-date=2022-05-07 |website=Trains |language=en-US}}</ref> The newly formed Sierra Northern operated the former Sierra Railroad trackage and Sacramento Northern trackage between Woodland and Clarksburg. It also inherited the operational rights over the Yolo Port Belt Railroad.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-11-20 |title=Yolo Shortline Railroad Company-Lease and Operation Exemption-Port of Sacramento |url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2001/11/20/01-28401/yolo-shortline-railroad-company-lease-and-operation-exemption-port-of-sacramento |access-date=2025-07-25 |website=Federal Register |language=en}}</ref> Later that year on December 17, 2003, SERA would purchase the financially unstable [[California Western Railroad]], saving it from going under. The SERA would form the Mendocino Railway to operate it. On December 23, 2004, SERA filed to abandon the line between Clarksburg and West Sacramento, the abandonment was approved and the line was ripped up the next year, later being partially converted into a rail trail. In 2010 the SERA would be given the opportunity to operate the Santa Cruz Branch, as its owner, the Union Pacific was eager in finding another railroad to operate it. Due to the main customer of the line (a cement plant in Davenport) having shut down the year prior, the UP sweetened the deal by promising common carrier privileges in West Sacramento. After spending millions of dollars in repairs on the line, UP did not fulfill their promises. SERA proceeded to pull out of Santa Cruz in 2011.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Whaley |first=Derek |title=Santa Cruz County Railroading since 1996 |url=https://www.santacruztrains.com/2016/06/santa-cruz-county-railroading-since-1996.html |access-date=2025-07-24}}</ref> 2020 saw the end of freight service on the Woodland Branch, as the weir the line went over in West Sacramento was being widened, resulting in that portion of the track being abandoned and the line being severed from the rest of the system. The line continues to operate for tourist trains and rail-bikes.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sierra Northern Railway - RailroadfanWiki |url=https://railroadfan.com/wiki/index.php/Sierra_Northern_Railway |access-date=2025-07-25 |website=railroadfan.com}}</ref> In 2022, the company signed a 30-year lease to operate over the [[Santa Paula Branch Line]], formerly operated by the [[Fillmore and Western Railway]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wilson |first1=Alex |title=Sierra Northern Moves to Santa Paula {{!}} Railroad company leases former hay and grain building |url=https://www.vcreporter.com/news/sierra-northern-moves-to-santa-paula-railroad-company-leases-former-hay-and-grain-building/article_1043f70a-c30e-5493-bee5-d05c12e859da.html |access-date=7 January 2023 |agency=VC Reporter |date=13 July 2022}}</ref> In 2024, SERA received an environmental award from the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association. Citing their breakthroughs in terms of a hydrogen powered locomotive and a new transload facility in the Central Valley.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Railway |first=Sierra Northern |title=Sierra Northern Railway Receives Prestigious Environmental Award for Groundbreaking Sustainable Rail Initiatives |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sierra-northern-railway-receives-prestigious-environmental-award-for-groundbreaking-sustainable-rail-initiatives-302104854.html |access-date=2025-07-25 |website=www.prnewswire.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Routes== * Oakdale Division - [[Riverbank, California]] to [[Sonora, California]] – {{convert|57.4|mi}} * Yolo Shortline Division - [[Woodland, California]] to [[West Sacramento, California]] – {{convert|16|mi}} * [[Yolo Port Belt Railroad|West Sacramento]] - [[West Sacramento, California]] – {{convert|8|mi}} * [[California Western Railroad|Mendocino Railway]] - [[Fort Bragg, California]] to [[Willits, California]] – {{convert|40|mi}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sierra Northern Railway and Mendocino Railway Improvements |url=https://www.transportation.gov/buildamerica/projects/sierra-northern-railway-and-mendocino-railway-improvements |access-date=July 24, 2025 |website=United States Department of Transportation}}</ref> * Ventura Division - [[Montalvo, Ventura, California|Montalvo, California]] to [[Piru, California]] – {{convert|29 |mi}}

== Former routes ==

* [[Sacramento Northern Railway|Holland Branch]] - [[Riverbank, California|West Sacramento, California]] to [[Clarksburg, California]] – {{convert|9.27|mi}}<ref>{{Cite web |date=2004-12-23 |title=Sierra Northern Railway-Abandonment Exemption-in Yolo County, CA |url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2004/12/23/04-27977/sierra-northern-railway-abandonment-exemption-in-yolo-county-ca |access-date=2025-07-24 |website=Federal Register |language=en}}</ref> * [[Santa Cruz Branch]] - [[Watsonville, California]] to [[Davenport, California]] - {{convert|30|mi}}<ref name=":0" />

==Interchanges with other railroads== The SERA actively interchanges with both the Union Pacific and BNSF. The interchanges with the UP occur in West Sacramento on the Yolo Shortline Division, Oakdale on the Oakdale Division and Santa Paula on the Santa Paula Branch. The SERA interchanges with BNSF in Riverbank on Oakdale Division. Historically the California Western interchanged with the [[Northwestern Pacific Railroad|Northwestern Pacific]], but since its closure of the line in Willits, the line is isolated from the National Rail Network.

The Oakdale interchange is unique in that the [[Oakdale Branch|UP trackage]] is isolated from the rest of their system, and UP trains have to traverse the SERA via trackage rights to access the line.

== Services ==

=== [[Transloading|Transload]] facilities === Source:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Transloading – Sierra Northern |url=https://www.sierranorthern.com/transloading/ |access-date=2025-07-25 |website=www.sierranorthern.com}}</ref> * Wamble Transload facility - Oakdale Division - Oakdale, California * [[Port of Sacramento|Port of West Sacramento]] - West Sacramento Division - West Sacramento, California * Santa Paula - Ventura Division - [[Santa Paula, California]]

=== Railcar Storage === SERA provides railcar storage on all three of its major lines, 900+ cars being able to be stored combined.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Services – Sierra Northern |url=https://www.sierranorthern.com/services/ |access-date=2025-07-25 |website=www.sierranorthern.com}}</ref>

=== Contract switching === SERA offers train crews and switchings to businesses who don't have trained staff or locomotives. A current client is [[Procter & Gamble]], to whom SERA has provided locomotives and crews for.<ref name=":1" />

=== Equipment and track services === SERA offers railcar and locomotive repairs and inspections. Along with that, the company offers the same for trackage and right of way. They also provide help with the designs of new trackage and crossings.

== Railpower Technologies == On February 7, 2025, Sierra Northern acquired prominent [[Genset locomotive|genset]] locomotive builder Railpower Technologies from [[R.J. Corman Railroad Group|R.J. Corman]]. [[File:Sierra Northern RP20GE 2663.jpg|thumb|280x280px|A Railpower Locomotive owned by Sierra Northern]] On March 27, 2025, Sierra Northern completed testing of a hydrogen locomotive which was funded through a $4,000,000 grant from the California Energy Commission.

==See also== {{Portal||Railways}} *[[Sacramento RiverTrain]] *[[Sierra Railroad]] *[[California Western Railroad]] *[[Railpower Technologies|Railpower]]

==References== <references/>

==External links== *[http://www.sierranorthern.com Sierra Northern Railway]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sierra Northern Railway}} [[Category:California railroads]] [[Category:Transportation in Mendocino County, California]] [[Category:Transportation in Sacramento, California]] [[Category:Transportation in Stanislaus County, California]] [[Category:Transportation in Yolo County, California]]  [[Category:Oakdale, California]] [[Category:West Sacramento, California]]  [[Category:Woodland, California]]