In December 1955, the Southern Pacific Railroad track between Susanville and Westwood experienced severe damage from unusual winter flooding in the Susan River Canyon. Earlier that year, Fruit Growers Supply Company announced it was closing the sawmill at Westwood. With the closure of the mill, freight traffic from Westwood would be minimal, so the Southern Pacific decided it was not worth the cost to make the repairs and closed down that segment of the line between Westwood and Susanville.

Two decades later, witnessed the slow decline of lumber shipments by rail with Susanville’s two remaining sawmills, Coin Lumber and Sierra Pacific Industries. It was just a matter of time when the railroad would shutter the Susanville Depot. That day came on October 12, 1979.

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