http://www.plumasnews.com/news_story.edi?sid=95 50 Years Ago...........1952 The Twain Mill, which replaced the $250,000 mill which was wiped out by fire last June, is expected to resume operations Monday. The new modern mill has established capacity of 9,000 board feet per hour.
If that is the siding that dropped off the mainline into the valley, it wasn't removed till the early 80's when a run away box car crashed into the mill. It's been 8 years since I worked down the canyon and last I heard the mill wasn't going to be replaced. Greg Elems
Thanks Greg, That puts 2 and 2 together for me. I should have just asked you directly. I am Researching the WP via computer and books, one day I'll get into the FRC. Brad
Been looking at Gray's Flat/Twain for a friends layout based on the WP 3rd Sub. Checking topos & Google Earth doesn't appear to have been a siding at Gray's, just the spurs. Any runaround moves would seem to have been done at the Twain (1.3 mi. E) or Virgilia (2.1 mi. W) sidings. Greg, were runarounds done at Twain because it wasn't a controlled siding? BTW Dave & I are planning on being at the WPHS convention.
IIRC we served that lumber mill west bound only. Also Twain tended to have MofW equipment stored there or an occasional bad order car. I'm toying with going to the WPHS convention; we'll have to see how the finances are doing. There will be people there who will know for sure the answers to your questions. Greg
Greg My freind Dave says there used to be a local job out of Keddie. Did you ever work that at Gray's Flat? Also where did their loads get set out. Hope to see you at the convention,
The Keddie local ran north on the Inside Gate Way, the line to Bieber. It may have run west but I'm not sure. There was also a local out of Portola that ran west but would have probably not gone past Keddie. As far as Gray's Flat, a drag freight was serving it once or twice a week in the late 70's IIRC. I didn't work the third sub till 1986 and Gray's Flat was already out of service. I do remember seeing MofW cars set out there occasionally but they didn't like to do that since the grade was pretty steep going down to the mill site. Greg
Brad, You are welcome. If and when you do get up this way, I know you will enjoy the canyon. Even with UP and BNSF running in it, it is a neat line. And of course if you make this far up, you have to pay homage to the WP and go to the museum at Portola. Greg
Greg, I believe that you're correct on this information. Two quick questions: 1. Did you attend PHS? 2. Along the track from Beckwourth Pass to the NV border (near Bordertown), there are strings and strings of cars (broken only where folks need to pass over rural roads). Why has UP "parked" the cars (mostly old freight cars and lumber haulers? Thanks.
The cars are either going to be retired/scrapped or they're just not needed right now. The 1st few months of any year on most RRs are the lowest traffic wise. So unused sidings are used as "parking lots."
Hi Ole Croc, I did not attend PHS, graduated from Davis High School in Modesto CA. As for the cars, on the line to Loyalton and the old Reno branch, they are stored due to a down turn in the building industry. The center beam flats will get used again, most are around 10yrs old. The box cars on the Loyalton branch are nearing 30 yrs old for the most part and I expect to see them scrapped if it takes much to get them rolling again. I watched this happen in the early 80's many 50' box cars from the late 50's and early 60's weren't needed and got stored to be scrapped. WP scrapped a bunch of 40' and 50' cars at that timel. Greg
Thanks Greg. Had a student at PHS named Greg Elems (relative, perhaps?). Greg went to work on a railroad; not certain which one. Yes, I'm familar with your school (good one); I was "cfo" at MJC for years.... Great area! Also, thanks for the info on the cars "parked" on the "siding." Here's a simple question: If the cars are parked on the sidings (Beckwourth Pass-Reno & Loyalton), doesn't this effectively block the rail line? Historically, both rail lines can trace their proposed lineage way back to 1869/1887 respectively. Again thanks. And thank you, Cajon.
What year did you have Greg for a student? I graduated in 1976. Darn 31 yrs ago already. Anyway as far as I know, I'm the only Greg Elems working on the UP. The cars on the Loyalton branch are not on the siding but on the branch its self. The cars on the Reno branch are the only thing keeping the UP from tearing it out, both of them actually. Both branches are considered dead. Part of the Reno branch is still active, from Reno to Boardertown. I used to run on the hauling job out of Parr yard to Portola in 2000. This week I just bid on the local out of Sparks that runs up to Stead and back. The old narrow gauge right of way is disappearing fast, under houses. I've taken my boys on railroad archeology trips and we've traced a fair amount of the old RR line. Lots of rail history in area of the country and it’s fun sharing that with the boys. Cheers, Greg
