Oregon Short Lines

From: "Dale Darney" vtshops@sbcglobal.net

Oregon Short Lines This change affected the relations of the people in sparks with the V.& T. and not for the better. THE SP people in Sacramento maintained good relations as always. I am not sure when this ended may have been with the end of the N&C? dale

SEPTEMBER 2 1905 Sparks Dispatch

Yesterday the Southern Pacific line from Sparks eastward and all the lines of the Nevada & California, formerly the C.& C. Passed under the control of the Oregon Short Line to the officials of which the employees of the roads affected by J. G. Stubbs, traffic manager of the Harrinan system.

Dale Darney

Fwd: CP/SP Coal History

I received the attached from Bob Pecotich. thought I'd share it.

Kyle

Note my NEW address of kwyatt@parks.ca.gov

Kyle K. Wyatt
Curator of History & Technology
California State Railroad Museum

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Somewhere in my research on Sacramento shops, oil firing experiments for stationary boilers by Stevens, etc. I came across a factoid which discussed that there was no uniformity of converting from wood to coal to oil fuel on the Pacific lines. Seems that the general rule was that the cheapest fuel for the area was used. Coal stayed in use on the Salt lake division because of the local cheap supply from Carbon county. Wood was used for fuel as I hazily recall up until 1910 or so on the Oregon lines, even later in remote areas, becauuse of the abundant local supply. Seems logical that the Shasta division locos would be woodies circa 1901.

Bob Pecotich

Re: CP/SP Coal History

From: "Kevin Bunker" mikadobear45@yahoo.com

It's also important to remember that CP was burning coal in furnaces other than locomotive fireboxes...there would be foundry hearths, ferry boats' boilers, stoves galore in coaches, dining car galleys, depots, offices, cabooses...this surely would affect the total report on such a large railroad and industry. Were they also including subsidiaries in that report, or were those separately recorded?  

—Kevin

Re: CP/SP Coal History

From: "Kevin Bunker" mikadobear45@yahoo.com

I've known about that bit of history, but now I wonder to what extent Harriman standard (and pre-Harriman) OSL [Oregon Short Line Railroad] motive power made it onto the CP from Sparks east and vice versa.

—Kevin

Re: CP/SP Coal History

Note to the side - for many of the Harriman years (but not all of them) the SP line east of Sparks (all the way to Ogden) was leased to Oregon Short Line for operation. I never have tied down the exact dates of that - but the first depot built in (the new town of) Sparks was of UP standard design, not SP standard, suggesting it was in effect at the time Sparks was established.

Kyle

Note my NEW address of kwyatt@parks.ca.gov

Kyle K. Wyatt Curator of History & Technology California State Railroad Museum

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"Wendell Huffman" wwhuffma@clan.lib.nv.us

I told Larry the other night I bet the CP/SP would have electrified had it not been for on-line oil. I do wonder how the CP/SP's fuel costs changed during the Harriman period when (presumably) they had better access to UP coal fields.

Wendell

Re: CP/SP Coal History

There is a photo (actually a series of photos) of a wreck on the Shasta Division that I've dated to 1901. Photos have been published in several books, although generally with incorrect dates. The wreck involved two 4-8-0s and a 4-6-0, including 4-8-0 #2800, and is likely the reason for the Aug 1901 rebuilding. Of interest here, all of the locomotives in the photos are wood burners.

Photos came about because a Carmel photographer happened to be on the train. (there is even a photo of the train before the wreck).

Kyle

Note my NEW address of kwyatt@parks.ca.gov

Kyle K. Wyatt
Curator of History & Technology
California State Railroad Museum