The greatest increase, of course, was caused by the construction of the Yosemite Valley railroad from Merced to the border of the Park, eight miles below the Valley.
It is eighty miles long, and the entire distance, except the first twenty-four miles from the town of Merced, is built through the precipitous Merced River Canyon.

The roadbed was virtually blasted out of the solid rock for the entire distance in the canyon.

Work was begun in September, 1905, and the first train entered El Portal, the terminus, April 15, 1907.

Many miles of the road cost as much as $100,000 per mile.

Its business has increased from 4000 tourists in the first year it was operated to 15,000 in 1910..