Elizabeth and I arose at Klamath Falls and after our Internet duties, we checked out and drove over to Black Bear Diner where we had a great breakfast. I drove us south on Oregon Highway 39 to Stronghold were we stopped.
The railroad crossing at Stronghold where the Burlington Northern Santa Fe crosses the Union Pacific. I spotted a headlight heading our way, so drove down County Road 111 to intercept the train.
BNSF 6416 West at Stronghold.
Kansas City Southern ET44AC-T4 5001 built by General Electric in 2018.
Norfolk Southern AC44C6M 4597 built by General Electric in 2022.
The train heading into Oregon. From here I drove us on California Highway 139 to California Highway 299 to US 395 into Alturas.
The Nevada-California-Oregon sign let us know we were in the right place. A few minutes later, Shane Starr, President of the Nevada-California-Oregon Railiway arrived as arranged and after exchanging business cards, he took us on a tour of several locations in town.
A Brief History of the Nevada-California–Oregon RailwayIn December 1879, a group of investors led by John T. Davis formed the Western Nevada Railroad Company to build south from Wadsworth, Nevada to the Walker Lake region. As additional investors became involved, the focus shifted to Reno, Nevada and a proposed railroad from Bodie, California, north through Reno to the Columbia River became the focus. The company re-incorporated as the Nevada & Oregon Railroad. These early days of the N&O were filled with corporate intrigue and shenanigans, including one Board of Directors meeting ending in a gunfight between opposing factions and a period of time when two separate Boards claimed direction of the company.
The first ground was broken in Reno on December 22, 1880, however corporate dysfunction and a lack of funds kept construction at a slow pace. The company decided to focus on the line north from Reno. "Narrow Gauge Fever" was sweeping the country at this time. The argument that narrow gauge meant cheaper construction costs was enough to convince the N&O to build its tracks at three feet between the rails. This compares to the four foot, eight and a half inches between standard gauge rails.
Grading progressed slowly and the first rails were spiked down on May 28, 1881. By September 8, 1881, crews had completed 21 miles of grade and 10 miles of track. The completed railroad stretched to Oneida, California, 30 miles north of Reno and between current day Hallelujah Junction and Bordertown, by September of 1882. The company commenced regular service between Reno and Oneida oThe Moran Brothers, a New York banking firm, had been one of the early and most prominent investors in the Nevada & Oregon. On April 17, 1884 the Morans purchased the company at a court ordered auction, taking full control of the railroad with a bid of $372,534.21. The railroad got a new name in January 1885: the Nevada & California Railroad. With relatively firm financial footing and constant leadership, northward construction once again picked up in October 1885.
The rails reached Plumas Junction, at the foot of Beckwourth Pass, by the end of 1884. A separate company, the Sierra Valley and Mohawk, was incorporated the next year to build a line west, but work stopped by 1887. On the N&C, construction resumed at that time, with tracks running along the eastern shores of Honey Lake. Bypassing the town of Susanville, CA led the citizens to became so disgusted with the narrow gauge that many merchants chose to team supplies to and from Chico instead of patronizing the more local line.
Rails finally reached the newly established town of Amedee in 1890, where construction stopped. The company spent the next several years trying to build up business and weathering various financial?panics that made additional capital difficult to access. On January 1, 1893 the railroad received its final name: the Nevada-California-Oregon Railway. The initials “NCO” inspired at least two nicknames for the line, the "Narrow, Crooked & Ornery" and the "Northern California Outrage".On January 17, 1895, the SV&M was taken over by the Sierra Valley Railways and track pushed through Portola to Clairville. Construction on the N-C-O restarted in 1899, and by June 1900, 50 new miles of track had been spiked down. The year 1901 saw the railroad reach its new terminus of Madeline and acquire the connecting Sierra Valley Railways. Construction halted again until June 1906 when the next phase started and rails reached Alturas in December 1908. Construction pushed northward to Lakeview, Oregon, reaching their farthest extent on January 10, 1912. It had taken the company 32 years to build 238 miles of railroad from Reno to Lakeview.
The N-C-O charter listed plans to continue north through Prineville to The Dalles on the Columbia River, with one branch running through Klamath Falls to the Rogue River Valley and another running to the Eugene area in the Willamette Valley, but no further construction ever took place. In 1915, the Sierra Valley Railways (since renamed the Sierra and Mohawk) was dissolved and became the N-C-O’s Plumas Branch. It was extended a few miles west to Davies Mill (Graeagle) in 1916, thus becoming one of the longest narrow gauge railways in North America totaling 275 miles.
The N-C-O mainline survived as an intact railroad for only six years. In 1917, the railroad sold the 64 miles south of Hackstaff, CA, plus the Plumas Branch, to the Western Pacific Railroad for $700,000. WP abandoned all but two segments between Reno and Beckwourth Pass, converting them to standard gauge and adding new construction to create its Reno branch. The N-C-O left Reno for good on January 20, 1918, moving the company’s headquarters and shops to Alturas. By 1922, the railroad was in a critical financial situation, and the Morans were looking for a way out.
Relief came in 1925 when the Southern Pacific offered to purchase the company. The SP took control in October 1926 and converted the railroad to standard gauge between 1927 and 1928. At the same time, the SP began construction of a line from Klamath Falls to Alturas and connected its line from Fernley, NV to Westwood, CA to the N-C-O at Wendel, forming the famous “Modoc Line”. Much of the N-C-O’s equipment went south to the SP narrow gauge system in California’s Owens Valley or was sold to other operators. SP maintained the original N-C-O name on standard gauge equipment assigned to line until September 1, 1929.
The former N-C-O from Wendel to south of Alturas was abandoned by successor Union Pacific in 1996. Today, only the two segments that became part of the WP's Reno Branch (now run by Union Pacific) and the line from Alturas to Lakeview survive from the original N-C-O. The Lakeview section is today operated by the Goose Lake Railway.
An employee cottage built for the owners of the Nevada–California–Oregon Railway designed by Frederick DeLongchamps.
The cottage plans.
A unique fireplace.
Nevada-California-Oregon Baggage Mail Car 75.
This room was an originally a refrigerator and now stores plans and paperwork as it is a controlled environment.
Nevada-California-Oregon Railway freight building originally built as the main railway depot for Surprise Station just north of town. It was disassembled and moved by rail in 1915 after original freight depot burned. Since its disuse by the NCO, the structure has served as warehouse space and is now owned by Franks Carpets and Furniture.
Goose Lake Railroad milpost L58.
Nevada-California-Oregon Railway Administration building was built in 1917 designed by Frederick DeLongchamps and is the only known example of Mission-Revival architecture in the region. To save on costs, each bell in the tower was made of wood and turned in the locomotive shop behind the building. One of these bells is from a Sierra Valley and Mohawk steam engine. Today the building is home to the local chapter of the Elks.
Nevada-California-Oregon Railway Alturas station built in 1908 using locally-quarried bricks. Since the 1950's, has been the Alturus Garden Club headquarters.
This station sat outside the town so when it was moved to town, each brick was numbered and rebuilt on this site.
Alturas Court House was also designed by Frederick DeLongchamps. Next Shane took us over to the steam engine.
Southern Pacific 2-8-0 2718 built by Baldwin in !904 and donated to Modoc County in 1956 where it has been on display ever since. Shane continued his tour around town.
This was the location of the roundhouse and turntable. All that remains part of the pump house. Quite recently, a man thought he could remove the stones for his personal use but they did not work for him.
This building was the old Nevada–California–Oregon Railway shop building; you can tell by the bricks at the bottom.
The railroad served this building from the rear.
The Standard Oil Building. We drove to the lumber mill where the group's equipment was located.
Nevada-California-Oregon baggage car 72, later Florence and Cripple Creek 72, built by St. Charles Car Company in 1897.
Interior of baggage car 72.
Nevada-California-Oregon Mail and Express car 4 built by the railroad in 1891 and rebuilt as combine 22.
Interior of Mail and Express Car 22.
Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad box car 518 built by the St. Charles Car Works in 1898.
Nevada-California-Oregon Railway refrigerator car 501 built by the railroad in 1915.
Nevada-California-Oregon Railway combine 12.
Interior of combine 12.
United States Army RS-4-TC 4031 built by Baldwin in 1953.
Southern Pacific caboose 1321 built by the company in 1951.
United States Army 40 foot box car 26184. These three pieces of equipment are not owned by the Nevada-California-Oregon Railway but instead were purchased by the City of Alturas several years ago. From here Elizabeth drove to a rest area then I drove us to Wendel.
The old Southern Pacific water tower stands guard.
Southern Pacific Wendel station. The settlement of Wendel was once an important stop on the Modoc line. Originally called Hot Springs and built by the narrow gauge Nevada-California-Oregon railway, it was a through station for the line to Reno. The financially stricken N-C-O cut their line back from Reno in 1917 and then from Hackstaff to Wendel in 1922. From that point on Wendel became the southern terminus of the line that went as far north as Lakeview. In 1925 the Southern Pacific came along with plans to build their Oregon cutoff line between Fernley to Klamath Falls and purchased the N-C-O whose line connected Wendel with the start of the cut off at Alturas in the north. They eventually converted the line to standard gauge but for a while the track was dual gauge. Wendel was also a station on the original Fernley and Lassen line to Susanville and Westwood (built and owned by the SP).
From the opening of the Modoc Line in 1929, Wendel became an important point on the line. It was both a junction for the branch to Susanville and a division point where crews were changed. It contained a two stall engine house, water tower, pumphouse, powerhouse and oil storage.
The old Southern Pacific water tower.
Tracks at Wendel.
The former crossing signal at this location. I drove us into Susanville where we stopped at Lumberjacks Restaurant for a linner then checked into the River Inn. Later during a light snow flurry, we went for a walk using our umbrellas then I worked on this story until we went to bed.
3/22/2023 Elizabeth and I arose and after doing our Internet duties, we checked out and I drove us to Lumberjacks where we both enjoyed an excellent breakfast. I then drove us to Sparks where we picked up a Nevada state map from AAA then drove east on Interstate 80 to West Fernley where we stopped for petrol. From here it was less than two miles to our station.
Southern Pacific Fernley station built in 1914. From here I drove us to Fallon to our next station.
Southern Pacific Fallon freight house in which the local model railroad club is located.
Southern Pacific caboose 1281 built by American Car and Foundry in 1948.
United States Army 50 foot double door box car 27783.
United States Army 50 foot double door box car 27727.
United States Army 50 foot double door box car 27773.
United States Army 50 foot double door box car 28387.
United States Army 50 foot double door box car 27737.
United States Army 50 foot double door box car 28196.
United States Army 50 foot double door box car 29823.
Southern Pacific Fallon station built in 1907 and relocated and incorporated in casino buildings. We made our way to Hawthorne.
Carson & Colorado Hawthorne freight station built in 1882 and presently the Elks Club.
Carson & Colorado sign on the building. Elizabeth then drove us down US 95.
The mountains had snow from the recent storms.
Very beautiful scenes.
Life is a highway! We then were on Nevada Highway 302.
It does not get any better than this. You can see the old grade of the Carson and Colorodo Railroad.
Rolling through the upper reaches of the Owens Valley.
Elizabeth did her usual great driving.
Looking west of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
The peaks were clearing.
The peaks were not clearing to the west. We arrived in Bishop and checked into the Comfort Inn, walked to Carl's Junior for dinner then worked on this story.
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