The Toonerville Trolley

1926 American Legion Convention delegates arriving at the Susanville Depot. Courtesy of Nellygrace Stoll.

Susanville’s Lassen Mail newspaper dubbed the Southern Pacific’s passenger train the “Toonerville Trolley.” The Mail was quick to report that the train “crawls in and out of Susanville.” One of the problem’s that plagued the railroad, especially on the Nevada segment was the train encountered stray livestock, thus causing a delay in its regular schedule. In 1933, that would not be a problem when the Southern Pacific abandoned passenger train service on its Fernley & Lassen Railroad, a move that upset a lot of people, and, of course, the Lassen Mail.

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