San Joaquin Valley Railroad

The San Joaquin Valley Railroad (reporting mark SJVR) is one of several short line railroad companies and is part of the Pacific Region Division of Genesee & Wyoming Inc. It operates about 408 miles (657 km) of track primarily on several lines in California's Central Valley/San Joaquin Valley outside of Fresno, California and Bakersfield, California. The SJVR has trackage rights over Union Pacific (formerly Southern Pacific) from Fresno - Goshen Jct - Famoso - Bakersfield - Algoso. The SJVR also operates for the Tulare Valley Railroad (TVRR) from Calwa to Corcoran and Famoso.

There were two former San Joaquin Valley Railroads. One was owned by Leland Stanford in 1870 to build an 11.3-mile (18.2 km) line from Lathrop, California to the Stanislaus River and was consolidated into the Central Pacific Railroad. The second San Joaquin Valley Railroad operated from 1892–1893 between Fresno and Friant over 24.1 miles (38.8 km) of track and was sold at foreclosure to the Southern Pacific.

In 1991 the SJVR operated the entire former SP line from Fresno to Famoso, but a portion north of Famoso was later abandoned.

SJVR interchanges with the BNSF Railway at Fresno and Bakersfield and with the Union Pacific at Fresno and Goshen Junction.

SJVR was originally owned by Kyle Railways. In 1992, the SJVR was created to obtain and operate several branch lines from the Southern Pacific. From 1992–1997 the SJVR was owned by Kyle Railways. In 1997 SJVR's parent, Kyle Railways, was sold to States Rail. In 2002 SJVR's new parent, States Rail, was purchased by RailAmerica. Genesee & Wyoming Inc. purchased RailAmerica in 2012, with approval by the Surface Transportation Board in December. Today the SJVR remains a shortline within the Genesee & Wyoming family of railroads.

It is important to note that the two short lived 19th century San Joaquin Valley Railroads used the reporting marks SJVRR, whereas the modern San Joaquin Valley Railroad the designation SJVR (a single R). The modern SJVR is not descended from, or in any way related to, either of the two earlier SJVRRs.