The Mendocino Railway, known locally and by tourists as "the Skunk Train," announced Monday that it has received a $14.8 million grant through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement (CRISI) Grant Program to replace three Tier 0 locomotives with three new Tier IV locomotives.
In a press release, the company characterized its existing excursion service as "a Class III common carrier railroad that offers freight rail services" though it has been decades since freight service was a significant source of revenue.
The Skunk Train turned to passenger traffic to stay in business in the late 1980s after Georgia-Pacific — its only customer — moved lumber shipments to more flexible highway trucks. In 2001, when Georgia-Pacific closed its mill in Fort Bragg, the Skunk Train was headed for financial collapse.
The Sierra Railway stepped in to purchase the Mendocino Railway, which operates the Skunk Train, in December 2003 after the railway shut down Mendocino operations. Since then, the Mendocino Railway, also known as the California Western Railroad, has become known as one of the top scenic railroad tours in the country.
Damage to a tunnel ("Tunnel One") in 2016 put an end to trips between Willits and Fort Bragg. The company currently runs short tours out of Willits and Fort Bragg.
