The Building of The Railroad

The Tamalpais Tavern Under Construction, 1896.

In 1896, The Mill Valley and Mt. Tamalpais Scenic Railway Company was created for the sake of building a railroad up to the top Mt. Tamalpais. Construction started in February 5, 1896.

The original plan was to run an electric line up to the summit of the mountain and from there to Bolinas Beach, at that time almost unreachable. That soon proved unworkable, and the plans changed to a route ending near the top of Mt. Tamalpais.

There was a lot of labor unrest during the construction, in part because the California Construction Company tried to cut costs as much as it could, a puzzling development when the contracts were made on a cost-plus basis. Among the indignities suffered by the workers were charges of $5.25 per week for room and board, with extra cost for Sunday Meals -- a heavy charge for workers who were paid but $1.75 per day. One of the workers reported that they had to get out of bed at five am and walk two miles to work, and that lunch was a four-mile march both ways for food that was barely edible at best. Needless to say, the local newspapers sympathised with the workers.

Further anger was generated towards the railroad when the construction company tried to place the rails alongside the road, ignoring a route a few hundred yards east that would have disturbed nothing. In response a court order was issued and construction stopped within Mill Valley (construction continued on other parts of the line).

But on March 23rd, the courts denied the injunction against the railroad. The rails were laid over the whole route before midnight.

The next day, Engine 498 ran over the rails in the city. Construction moved quickly afterwards, and the main line was completed in August 1896 to minimal opposition.

The first train run was on August 22nd, for the citizens of Mill Valley. On August 26th, the line celebrated its grand opening to the public.