On January 2, 1916, it began to snow and depending where you were located, did it ever.  At Westwood, some records indicate fourteen feet of snow that month. That town was virtually cut-off, as the railroad in the winter months was the only link to the outside world. At Westwood Junction, the highest elevation of the Southern Pacific’s branch line had reported twenty feet of snow.  With the aid of a rotary snow plow, and four locomotives the line from Susanville to Westwood finally opened.

The NCO Railroad that served eastern Lassen County was not as fortunate, because it had no backup like the Southern Pacific. It was just not the deep snow, but the  snow drifts and below zero temperatures that hampered efforts. After a twenty-one day blockade the NCO locomotives made it to Amedee and beyond.

Tim