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Though small in geographic size, Placer County is large in its rich history of railroading in California. This book covers 14 different railroads that did or still do exist in some association with Placer County. There were narrow-gauge and standard-gauge, long transcontinental, and short point-to-point railroads. Some railroads were fully contained within the county, and others just touched the county. Some railroads were short-lived operations, while others operated for decades. One railroad still functions today, undiminished after 150 years in service. This book is more than just a collection of photographs of locomotives; it provides the reader with a visual history of various aspects of the many railroads operating in Placer County over the years.
About the author
Arthur Sommers has a sizable collection of Placer County photographs, and many of them are specifically related to railroads. Roger Staab is the editor for the Placer-Sierra Railroad Heritage Society's monthly newsletter. Sommers and Staab decided to work together to produce this brief history of some of the railroads of Placer County. Sommers received his degree in history and is currently living in Hillsboro, Oregon; Staab received his degree in engineering and lives in Colfax, California.
