Carol Shuster

Neil, Ida and I went to Clear Lake, California, for Thanksgiving. On Wednesday we drove to the town of Willits, which was about an hour drive north on Hwy. 101. We boarded what is called the Skunk Train for a four-hour ride through the redwoods. We saw some trees that were 300’ tall and 800 to 1,000 years old. We were entertained with train songs by a local artist along the way. At the halfway point where we turned around we ate in an open air BBQ cafe. They smoked their own meat at  the same location.

The nickname of the train, “Skunk Train,” originated in 1925, when railway motorcars were introduced (today sometimes referred to as railbuses or railcruisers). These single unit, self-propelled motorcars had gasoline powered engines for power and potbellied stoves burning crude oil to keep the passengers warm. The combination of the fumes created a very pungent odor, and the old timers along the line said these motorcars were like skunks. You could smell them before you could see them.

Until 2003 this train also delivered mail along the route to people who live out in the area. There are roads but a lot of times during the year they are not drivable so the train also stops for the residents when they want a ride to town. Normally there would also be a train from Fort Bragg that would meet in the middle but a slide took a large section of the track out and it is the wrong time of the year to fix it.

The Skunk Train is a great ride and well worth the time if you are ever in the area.

(click image to view enlargement)

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