Background
The Stockton Copperopolis Rail Road, 25.80 miles from Stockton to Milton, California, was incorporated October 11, 1865, as
an independent company, with construction occurring between 1866 and 1871. The railroad operated on its own from about February
22, 1871, when the first section of the line was opened, until December 30, 1874. At that time the railroad was leased to
the Central Pacific until consolidated with the Stockton & Visalia Rail Road (November 17, 1877) to form the Stockton & Copperopolis
Railroad.
•The Stockton & Visalia Railroad, 18.90 miles from Peters to Oakdale, California, incorporated as an independent company on
December 16, 1869, with construction occurring between June and September 1871. The railroad operated on its own until December
30, 1874, as a branch of the Stockton & Copperopolis Rail Road, the former company owning both lines. The line was leased
to Central Pacific from December 30, 1874, until consolidated November 17, 1877, with the Stockton & Copperopolis Rail Road
to form the Stockton & Copperopolis Railroad.
•The Stockton & Copperopolis Railroad was operated under lease by the Central Pacific Railroad from date of incorporation
until April 1, 1885, and from that date until May 14, 1888 by the Southern Pacific Company when, along with sixteen other
companies, it was consolidated with the Southern Pacific Railroad. [Guy Dunscomb, A CENTURY OF SOUTHERN PACIFIC STEAM LOCOMOTIVES,
1862-1962 (Modesto, California: 1967), p. 418-419].
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