Are any historic rail sites or operations being affected by the current California wildfires?

With the sad news from the town of Paradise where almost the entire community burned to the ground, I’m guessing that the Paradise Depot Museum has been destroyed along with the caboose displayed there.

Last year, Ward Kimball’s Grizzly Flats depot and water tank were destroyed in another fire.

Thomas

The two major southern California fires, "Hill Fire" (4,531 acres) and "Woolsey Fire" (96,314 acres), do not affect any commercial railroad operations.

The Woolsey Fire has overrun some locations in the Malibu near the Pacific Ocean were a one-time railroad was once constructed. This was built by the Ringe family, who owned most of the Malibu 100+ years ago, to keep the mainline railroads off their land. The family fought to keep public roads off their land but failed and then sold off their land holdings. Later highways, roads and building constructions had already whipped out most traces of this railway.

I heard that the Woolsey Fire had overrun some movie studio "ranches;" any historic railroad equipment had been removed from this sites some years ago.

In northern California, I am not familiar with the area of the "Camp Fire." So, I'll let someone else comment.
However, looking at maps it may be close to the former Western Pacific now part of the Union Pacific. There once was a Southern Pacific branch line through Paradise from Chico to Stirling City which is outside the mapped fire area.

To where had the Grizzly Flates depot and water tank been relocated?

They were acquired by John Lasseter, a former Disney animator who moved them to his private railroad in Glenn Ellen, CA.

Thomas

I seem to recall that the Grizzly Flats depot was constructed from scratch by Ward Kimball from a depot that appeared in one of the Walt Disney movies. In other words, it wasn't an authentic historic depot, except of course, it became historic from Kimball's construction and subsequent long time use. If I have this story wrong, please make the necessary correction.


Les

At last report the Paradise Depot Museum still stands, but the Magalia Depot is gone.
I believe Ward Kimball's Depot was built up from a movie prop.

David -

Now that you mention it, I think you are right. After the Walt Disney movie was put to bed, the depot was given to Kimball. It wasn't a complete structure since only the front and side(s) were needed for the film so Kimball added other components, including an entire rear wall, to make it complete. Thanks for the clarification.

Les