Mt. Tamalpais & Muir Woods Photo Album
	“Nothing brought more world-wide attention to Mill Valley, nor has been so missed, as the railroad that climbed from the town’s center up Mt. Tamalpais from 1896 to 1929. In many ways this rail line, dubbed ‘The Crookedest Railroad in the World’ for its 281 curves, remains the most colorful chapter in the town’s history.” Official service on the railroad began on August 23, 1896. At that time the round-trip fare from Mill Valley was $1, and from San Francisco, $1.40, including the Sausalito ferry and train connections. “There were two steam engines, the original 20-ton Shay (#498) and a 30-ton Heisler (#2)….There were also six open, canopy-top observation cars, one half-enclosed former San Francisco cable car, and two flat-cars….The Railway, helped by glowing stories in the press, was popular from the start.”
In 1905, “Soon after William Kent bought Redwood Canyon (Muir Woods)… he proposed building a rail spur to near the floor of the canyon. A hotel would be erected at the terminus, and both line and hotel leased to the Mount Tamalpais Railway….The transfer of the canyon to federal stewardship changed the plans. Kent sold the Railway some 190 adjacent acres and they built their own hotel….Service over the Muir Woods line began May 17, 1907….Partly because the Railway’s stock was already fully utilized, some downhill trips were made on engineless gravity cars. Gravity cars were then soon after utilized on the main line down from the summit….A typical gravity car could carry 29 passengers (plus the gravity-man) on six rows of wooden seats….At the start of each descent, passengers were told the ride would be a safe one. The maximum speed permitted for the gravity cars was 12 miles per hour, although this was sometimes breached….The gravity car rides….became the most beloved feature of the Railway.” (From: Barry Spitz, Mill Valley: The Early Years, pp.107-119)
CONTACT: Laurie Thompson at ljthompson@co.marin.ca.us COPYRIGHT 2003, Anne T. Kent California Room, Marin County Free Library