I was just recently at a spot called Quartz (Oroville) according to my map. This is where the original row towards Lake Oroville and the new alignment around the lake split. In the following photo, the train is just about to enter a huge cut. My question is this, is the cut on the original alignment?? After looking at some pics of the Oroville Dam RR, it appears there was another alignment here that passes under the bridge in this photo and would now be under water?? Were there some realignments here?? Is the roadway that takes off just to the right of my pic the original alignment or a grade constructed later?? It does go to the tunnel. Any help is greatly appreciated.
To me, that looks like a west bound and coming off the new alignment to the old road bed. Going east, the engineer is on the outside of the curve. The bridge is on the new line, now 42 yrs old. The old right of way continued along the bank and depending on how full the lake is goes under water about a 1/2 mile to your right looking at the picture. I don't know if I have any pictures of the old right of way from the train. To answer your question, no RR alignment went under the bridge that I know of. Also I don't know if there were any tunnels from that point of departure on the old right of way. There was a tunnel on the dam railroad that had a head on collision of deadly consequences during the building of the dam. On the new alignment we come out of tunnel 8, go over the big concrete arch bridge and join up with the old right of way just before Poe siding IIRC. Greg Elems
Howdy Greg, As I understand, the Dam RR tunnel is an original WP tunnel on the original alignment. In the following Bob Morris photo, the Dam RR train is about to pass under a bridge that appears to be the same one now at Quartz. This train is heading towards the tunnel. This alingment for the Dam RR is now underwater. Is this Dam RR alignment the original WP alignment as well or is the big cut?? This is what I'm trying to figure out. Thanks for your help. http://www.snowcrest.net/photobob/cor6.html
Ah the old roadbed of the dam RR did go there. It has been filled in. The old WP roadbed probably merged with the dam road up the road a ways past the bridge where you can see it curving to the right. The old WP road is high and to the right of the pair of U25C's which is about 1/2 mile east of the Oroville depot. It's been years since I ran down that way and even longer since I railfanned there. I understand at one time you could drive most of the old route when the water was low, like in the drought years of the 70's. I think its time to do a google map search. After you cross the bridge in your picture and about two miles IIRC you pass in front of the dam. I wonder if the dam RR ran to the back to deliver the loads of gravel. Now you've got me wondering...... Greg Greg
