El Dorado County has hosted at least eight freight railroads and four excursion railroads since the 1860s. Although some of the same lines changed hands and names many times over the years, I am counting each route only once.
The following is what I believe to be the most complete list of railroads that have called El Dorado County home over its 150+ years of railroad history. Click on each railroad for further information.
- Southern Pacific Placerville Branchline (1860-1989)
- Lake Valley Railroad (1885-1895)
- Matthew Gardner’s Railroad (1885-1890)
- Camino, Placerville & Lake Tahoe Railroad (?-1986)
- Michigan-California Lumber Company (?-?)
- Mountain Quarries Railroad (1912-1944)
- El Dorado Lime and Minerals Company (1920-1989)
- Diamond & Caldor Railway (1920-1954)
- Camino, Cable & Northern Railroad (1965-1975)
- Tahoe, Trout Creek & Pacific Railroad (1972-1973)
- El Dorado Western Railway (?-Present)
- Placerville & Sacramento Valley Railroad (2008-Present)
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