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FROM 1899 TO 1931 THE MADERA SUGAR PINE LUMBER COMPANY LOGGED OVER 30,000 QCRES IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA, SAWING ALMOST A BILLION-AND-A-HALF BOARD FEET OF LUMBER. WOOD BURNING SHAY LOCOMOTIVES HAULED THE LOGS FROM THE WOODS OVER A LARGE NETWORK OF NARROW GAUGE RAILS TO THE SAWMILL AT SUGAR PINE. THE ROUGH SAWN LUMBER WAS TRANSPORTED BY A 54-MILE FLUME TO MADERA IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY TO BE PLANED AND SHIPPED TO A WORLDWIDE MARKET. THE YOSEMITE MOUNTAIN SUGAR PINE RAILROAD, FOUNDED IN 1965, IS A RESTORATION OF THIS BY-GONE ERA. THE TRACK NOW USED IS RESTORED ON EXACTLY THE SAME GRADE USED FROM 1908 TO 1924. THE LOCOMOTIVES, CARS AND EQUIPMENT USED NOW TO HAUL PASSENGERS INSTEAD OF LOGS ARE AUTHENTIC, DATING BACK TO THE EARLY 1900'S. PRESERVED FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. DEDICATED AUGUST 8, 1987 BY E CLAMPUS VITUS GRUB GULCH CHAPTER 41-49 in Madera County off State Highway 41 south of Kane Ranch Road. |