Historic Shay #12 steam engine to return

For The Madera Tribune

The historic Shay #12 steam engine will make its way to California to the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad next week.

---

FISH CAMP — A rare and historic moment in California rail history is set to unfold as Shay #12, a nearly century-old steam locomotive, returns to California to join Shay #10 and Shay #15 at the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad.

Built in April 1926, Shay #12 is a 60-ton, three-truck Shay steam engine that powered logging operations for the Swayne Lumber Company and the West Side Lumber Company. After a few decades away, Shay #12 is coming home for a full restoration, with the goal of returning to service in 2026 to celebrate its centennial year.

Shay engines were specifically designed to maneuver steep grades and tight curves, common in logging railroads. The Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad will become one of the very few heritage railroads in the United States to own and preserve three operational-era Shay locomotives, a remarkable achievement in historic railroad preservation. Housing three Shay locomotives onsite offers an unmatched opportunity to see logging, engineering, and Sierra Nevada history firsthand.