USG's Narrow Gauge Plaster City Railroad

The United States Gypsum Corporation operates one of the most unique railroads in the United States. The last industrial narrow-gauge railroad in the country shuttles gypsum between the quarry and plant in Plaster City, California running through the sandy Imperial County desert. The railroad uses ALCO designed, but Bombardier built DL-535Es that were originally ordered by the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway. I've always wanted to shoot this railroad's operations and one morning in January 2022 I found myself in the area with a bit of free time, so I decided to hunt down the train on their morning run. Seen in the video are two shots of their loaded return trip back to the plant from the quarry with good horn action included as well.

[@SuperLanyard]

USG needs to do some work on that track!!!!!!!!!

[@trashrabbit69]

LOVE hearing that old ALCo chug!

[@Coaster3001]

Love hearing it as well!

[@kishascape]

Looks almost precarious with the amount of overhang from the narrow gauge though surprisingly not. I always loved how versatile rail stock is with various axle width bogie swaps.

[@rottenroads1982]

The Plaster City Railroad is a 3ft Gauge Narrow Gauge Railroad which is north of Interstate 8 & West from Dixieland, California.
Their are lots of 3ft gauge railroads in the USA. I’ll name a few:
Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad (in California), Roaring Camp Railroad (also in California), The White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad (From Skagway, Alaska to Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada), The Georgetown Loop Railroad (in Colorado), The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (also in Colorado), etc.
My point is, their is A lot of narrow gauge railroads in The USA.

[@pacificostudios]

Yes, but all of those three footers, other than maybe the White Pass, are heritage museum lines. The Plaster City road is nothing but a freight railroad.

[@LongIslandRailfanner]

The White Pass and Yukon is primarily a Heritage Railroad but they did haul Freight and may still do

[@Hail2Pitt412]

Great video! Such a fun railroad to photograph, your video tells it well! I wish I had been able to get capture some nice video for myself other then some phone captures.

[@denault3985]

Interesting location, I am surprised the cars remain upright since the track appears to be in bad shape.

[@ShawnCalay]

Track seems good, that's alot of weight for 3 foot gauge, and as well built on a sand roadbed as it's mostly desert

[@CaliforniaRailVideos]

Interesting locomotive, cool train!

[@Locos-del-oeste]

Excellent capture my friend like and Greetings 😃💪

[@TheBCRailfan]

Awesome video!

[@willberestartingthischanne9984]

Nice Video

[@willberestartingthischanne9984]

I Love Your Channel

[@fairportrails107]

How often do they operate I want to make a trip down there in the next year or 2

[@VagnerBuenodeGodoy]

Narow gauge in USA? Here in my State in the Brazil this gauge is used on the railroad.

[@Coaster3001]

Standard gauge is the main gauge used in the States, with narrow gauge being far less common to see.

[@VagnerBuenodeGodoy]

Nice video! 👍🚂

[@donstarr7261]

Doesn't Watco run these trains, when not running with switcher at the plant?

[@buddyboy66]

Are the engines and cars more narrow as well?

[@519CZRacer]

I read they run about three times per day. Any info as to what time of day they usually run?

[@ismaelrazo8052]

We run mon-sat

[@519CZRacer]

@@ismaelrazo8052 Thank you!