In 1900 the El Dorado Lumber Company was formed to take over the American River Land & Lumber Company! One of the first things El Dorado Lumber did was to build the cable way across the American River in 1901, that connects the Pino Grande mill with the facilities at Camino California. Lumber was logged, and rough milled at the Pino Grande site before it was loaded on lumber cars for the trip across the river, and onto Camino. For the next 6 years the company prospered but the economic panic of 1907 forced its closure for the next four years.

In 1911 the El Dorado Lumber Company was sold, and reorganized as the Michigan - California Lumber Company in 1918.

Michigan California Lumber Company Climax number 4 was built in 1902. Its weight was 67,000 lbs. Cylinders were 12 x 14 and had 31” drivers. The boiler pressure was 160lbs.

This very powerful Climax was used to pull loads up the 7% grade from south cable to the first summit until it was replaced in 1913! The engine was then taken apart, and taken across on the cable, and was used for switching in the camps, and also for the track laying crews in the woods. In the early 1930’s it was retired however it was reconditioned and used again in the late 1930’s for a short time. Both the Heisler and the Climax were cut up for scrap in 1942 for the war effort!

The unlettered straight stack version that is offered of this Climax is a generic version of the same size engine as it would have come stock from the Climax factory!