Tag Archives: Railroads

History

Wendel’s Time To Shine

Leave a comment
Looking north of Wendell during the change to from narrow to broad gauge.–Jack Bowden

Wendel one of those railroad communities that in early years had an identity crisis. It was first known as Upper Hot Springs to distinguish of Lower Hot Springs five miles to the south. The later became known in Amedee in 1890,, when the Nevada-California-Oregon Railroad (NC0)extended its line there. In 1899 the NC0 extended its line, the small station there originally called Smithon, though general usage was Hot Springs Station. Since it was close proximity to Amedee it was hampered any type development. In 1913 Southern Pacific’s Fernely & Lassen Branch crossed the NCO tracks at Hot Springs with little fanfare. It should noted that in 1915, Wendel designation applied to railroad stations and the post office.

Wendel Store, circa 1925. Courtesy of Alda Riesenman

Changes were on the horizon. In  1922, Wendel became NCO terminus. A couple years later, Southern Pacific purchased beleaguered NCO. Then on July 1, 1927 800 railroad workers descended there  to broad gauge the narrow gauge. For some time, there was hub of activity at Wendel. Then in the fall of 1929 J.E.Faustino recorded the Wendel townsite. Susanville’s Lassen Mail newspaper went on  the Wendel bandwagon during the spring of 1930 and published statement: “Certain people may prefer to scoff at Wendel as a possible metropolis of the plains, but the fact that there is more than sagebrush down there has been proven throughout past two weeks. There is good fortune in Wendel, and farsighted people will soon be watching this place to see what happens.”

To Support, Please Donate or Subscribe 

 

News

Upcoming Southern Pacific Railroad Convention

Leave a comment
Susanville’s Southern Pacific Depot, 1929—Hank Martinez

While the Southern Pacific no longer exists, it is not forgotten. The Southern Pacific Historical & Technological Society carries on to preserve its history. This year the organization will hold its convention in a railroad community the Southern Pacific made–Sparks, Nevada. It will be held from October 16-19.   To learn more about the event and the registration form you can find the information here.

Yours truly was invited to be a guest speaker, a tremendous honor. Alas, I had to decline. I had the dilemma of scheduling an earlier  presentation of the local Native Daughters of the Golden West. The latter, after nearly nine months since I  received their request will occur on California’s Admission Day (September 9).

Tim

History

The Doldrums of the Early 1900s

Leave a comment
Susanville, 1910

Before there was the Great Depression of the 1930s, there was the 1893 Depression. The recovery from the latter was a slow process. Take for instance, the NCO Railroad remained stalled at Amedee for most of the 1890s. It was not until 1899 that the railroad finally began to extend its line northward to the Madeline Plains.

Standish, 1910–Prentice Holmes

The utopian community of Standish floundered since its beginning in 1897. While company officials stated their goal was to take a slow course, that  proved disastrous. In 1901, Associated Colonies the organizers/promoters of Standish went bankrupt.

On the surface in 1900-1901it looked like was Susanville booming. Four major brick buildings were constructed, but that was partially in response to recovery of a major fire in June 1900 that took a huge chunk of the town’s business district.

One area that looked promising were the proposed railroads. There was the Marysville- Susanville Railway, the Oregon Short Line to name two. While the so-called paper railroads never materialized, they did have surveyors in region, thus adding to speculations.

Tim

History

Susanville’s Distinct Southern Pacific Depot

Leave a comment
Susanville Depot, 1914

Susanville’s Southern Pacific Railroad Depot on Richmond is unique in many ways. By the time the railroad reached Susanville in 1913, the company had already adopted a set of standard depot building plans.

In 1913, the residents wondered what kind of depot they would have. As far as the Southern Pacific  were concerned it would be a modest structure, since in their opinion, Susanville was a small community that had no industry.  A wooden 26 foot by 62 foot depot was built, being part passenger depot and part frieght shed. It opened to the public on September 14, 1913 with C.B. Morton’s the first depot agent.

Susanville Depot, 1970.

Times quickly changed and by 1921 Susanville boasted two large lumber mills—Fruit Growers Supply Company and Lassen Lumber & Box Company. The original depot was no longer able to meet the needs. In 1927, the Southern Pacific constructed a 75-foot addition and unlike other depots its exterior was stuccoed.

Depot 78
Susanville Depot, September 1978.

Times were rapidly changing, especially with the State of California’s ambitious highway construction plan. As automobile travel became the preferred mode of transportation, travel by train declined. In 1933, rail passenger service at Susanville was eliminated. In 1979, Southern Pacific closed the depot.

To Support Donate or Subscribe

History

The Local Benefits of the Iron Horse

Leave a comment
Leona Jackson at Susanville’s SP Depot, 1919–Lola L. Tanner

In 1913-14 when the Fernley & Lassen Railroad was built through a major segment of the Honey Lake Valley, the residents rejoiced. This was especially true for the agricultural community. While there was the NCO railroad, many deemed it expensive and unreliable. There was also other issue, its depots were not conveniently located.

Yet, on the other hand, no one knew what to expect when the Red River Lumber Company established its company town of Westwood. The agricultural community was overwhelmed that it had a large local market, and thanks to the railroad it was easy to get their products to Westwood. The scenario would repeat itself with establishment of the lumber mills—Lassen Lumber & Box Company and Fruit Growers Supply Company—in Susanville. The bottom line, it came as a total surprise that the railroad would create a large local market for local products. The region witnessed an increased local production in the agricultural sector, that allowed for more export of produce by rail.

Subscribe

History

Fire Train Restrictions

Leave a comment
fire train
Red River’s fire train, courtesy of Doug Luff

The Red River Lumber Company at its Westwood operation developed its own fire trains used to fight forest fires. Of course, Red River had its extensive railroad logging network. However, if Red River wanted to access the Southern Pacific’s railroad tracks between Westwood and Susanville there were protocols set by Southern Pacific. In 1936, a Southern Pacific Bulletin stated ”The fire train of the Red River Lumber Company may make the following speeds: Between Mason and Westwood Junction, 35 MPH’ Between Westwood Junction and Susanville, 25 MPH; and through all tunnels, 10 MPH.” I do not know what type of restrictions the Western Pacific imposed.

Tim

History

Westwood Junction

Leave a comment
Westwood Junction

Westwood Junction was that of the Fernley & Lassen branch of the Southern Pacific, built by an agreement with the Red River Lumber Company.  At this point the railroad constructed a spur line to the south of the newly created town of Westwood. The Southern Pacific’s  goal was to extend the line north to Klamath Falls, Oregon. It was after all, the Red River Lumber Company’s intent to build several mills, the next one scheduled for near Lookout. By 1917, the Southern Pacific was anxious to extend the line north, but Red River was not ready. The mammoth mill at Westwood was more than it could handle. In the meantime, the Southern Pacific was nervous that its competitor the Western Pacific might extend a branch to Westwood and siphon off traffic, since Southern Pacific’s five-year agreement with Red River which the railroad had all inclusive freight deal was about to expire.

Then came along World War I and that changed everyone’s plan. When the war ended, the nation went into a severe recession, so expansion was off the table for many. . In the meantime, the Southern Pacific focused on the troubled Nevada-California-Oregon Railroad, as an alternative route north to Oregon, which it eventually did.

This site, it should be noted,  also served as a junction for the railroad logging operations of the Fruit Growers Supply Company and the Lassen Lumber & Box Company.

It is never too late, subscribe.

History

Railroad Fever Strikes

Leave a comment
Susanville, 1905. Courtesy of Dick & Helen Harrison

In 1910, with no substantial proof that a railroad was coming to Susanville, some of the powers to be thought the town could use a makeover. In February, the Lassen County Chamber of Commerce thought the town had a image problem. In their opinion, the town’s name should be changed with something of a more cosmopolitan flair. This was, of course, a delicate maneuver, since the town’s matriarch and namesake, Susan Roop Arnold, was still a resident of the community and had been for forty-six years. The Chamber advised her that it did not mean to be disrespectful, but felt changing the City’s name would be in the best interest of the community. The Chamber believed the town was destined to become an important city and that with name of with suffix “ville” carried a stigma, as being associated with a hamlet or village.

The City Trustees listened to Chamber’s proposal. They decided to postpone it until the March meeting. The Trustee’s appointed a committee to provide a propose name change. The group were not very creative and the best they could come up was Lassen. They cited that if the Lassen name was adopted, very few changes would have to be made. Numerous businesses and organizations had already incorporated the name into their respective establishments. The City said no, end of story.

Donate

History

A Trip to Klamath Falls, 1934

Leave a comment
Great Northern’s Depot, Bieber.

While searching through files concerning railroad passenger service between Keddie and Klamath Falls, I came across the following account, that I thought some might find of interest

On September 22 and 23, 1934, a special excursion train sponsored by the Plumas County Chamber of Commerce went from Keddie to Klamath Falls. At Bieber, Lizzie Durfee and Ellen Elliott boarded the train to its final destination at Klamath Falls and the following is their published report.

Big Valley Gazette, Bieber, California — 4 October 1934: “This excursion was the first passenger train to leave Big Valley since the dedication of the railroad three years ago. Big Valley waited fifty years for the railroad, but there is no passenger service yet. Of course, there are better roads and the automobile, so we do not miss the train service too much.

“The excursion left Bieber about eleven o’clock Saturday morning. It was a little chilly but the cars were comfortable and the crowd was sociable and friendly.

”A stop was made at Merrill going up and the excursionists listened to a recital of the resources of Tule Lake section that seemed almost incredible. Space does not allow a detailed account but the crops and stock produced for disposal this year totals over $4,000,000. As a souvenir of the good will of the people of Merrill. each excursionist was presented with a ten pund box of potatoes of the best variety grown in that section.

”Klamath Falls was reached about 3 o’clock and courtesy cars took the visitors around the city and showed them the vantage points, and the growth and expected development of that busy bit little city.

”The banquet that evening was a pleasant affair where everybody visited with his neighbor on either side of him and across the table. Of course there were speakers of good will and friendliness and the banquet ended with everyone in the best of humor.

”The return home was uneventful and arrived back in Bieber six Sunday evening.”

It should be noted that nearly 200 people participated in the event.

Donate

History

Davis Cut – A Manmade Landmark

Leave a comment
Davis Cut, Fernley & Lassen
Davis Cut near Susanville of the Fernley & Lassen Railroad, 1912

Thousands of people drive by this landmark, and ,many are probably oblivious. Located a short distance north of Johnstonville on Center Road, is a railroad cut—named Davis. It really is somewhat insignificant as railroad construction goes, but it was the first in the Honey Lake Valley when the Fernley & Lassen Railroad was under construction.

In April 1912, the Southern Pacific Railroad announced construction of the Fernley & Lassen Railroad, and awarded the contract to the Utah Construction Company. That company hired a numbered of sub-contractors, the most prominent of which was J.H. Maxey Construction Company. No time was wasted on construction as there was a deadline to reach Westwood by March 1, 1914.  In the fall of 1912, a construction train reached Davis Cut, near Johnstonville.  There were several fatalities associated with the construction of the railroad, and one of them occurred at Davis Cut. On April 13, 1913, James Cook, a powderman for the J.H. Maxey Construction Company, was killed there in an explosion to blast the rock.

John C. Davis family, circa 1890–Courtesy of Robert and Eulalee Trussell

The cut was so named for the John C. Davis family. Davis, a native of Germany, came to California in 1850. In February 1858, he made his home in the Honey Lake Valley. In 1866, Davis purchased property just north of Johnstonville where he lived until his passing in 1894.

Donate