The Tidewater Southern Railway was a short line railroad in Central California in the United States.

[2] Electrification, using a 1,200 VDC overhead system,[1] was completed in 1913, and regular electric car service began on a 2-hour schedule.

[2] While many references list this branch as being unelectrified, evidence from the TS mechanical department and the Western Pacific's accounting files show that the line did in fact have overhead wire and was operating with electric locomotives.

[citation needed] Most of the stock of the railway was purchased by the Western Pacific Railroad in 1917,[3] but the WP began influencing TS actions as early as 1913.

The electrification was dismantled after this point except in Modesto, where a city ordinance prohibited the operation of steam locomotives.

By the late 1970s, these trains were the main traffic on the line and led to much anger from the city of Modesto, where the mainline occupied the middle of Ninth Street, the major north-south roadway.

A small amount of the common stock (around 4%) was owned by private individuals and the road sent letters to them annually reporting on the company's state and finances.

The Turlock-bound grain trains now bypass the north end of the railroad and enter former TS rails just south of Modesto.

When extra capacity was needed, passenger trailers were borrowed from the Central California Traction Company.

Old newspaper reports and company records indicate that Jewett also built an express motor, but no photos of it have come to light publicly.

Repairs on TS steam and diesel locomotives, as well as freight cars and cabooses, were performed by the Western Pacific.

One series of 25 cars wore a unique herald of a "Cornucopia" and bore the legend "Serving California's Heartland".

One of these cars is preserved at the Western Pacific Railroad Museum and its heralds has been restored, although they have been skillfully hand-painted, rather than being decals as in the original paint scheme.