Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Inventory of Rocklin, 1869

From: "Chris Graves" caliron@att.net

In 1869, L. M. Clement, Assistant Engineer for the CPRR completed an inventory of Rocklin:

One wood shed, 326 feet by 43 1/2 feet
12 water tanks, gravity feed, cap. 42,000 gals.
One station, 85 ft. 9 in. by 24 ft. 4 in.
One round house, stone
One turntable.

5 Comments:

Blogger CPRR Discussion Group said...

From: Chris Graves

Lewis Clement did a survey of the buildings on the CPRR grade as of 1869, that survey today rests in the National Archives.

I was lucky enough today to have the Rocklin portion read to me, and, happily. I will have hard copy in a few days.

From that I report, I recall that the roundhouse was stone, there were a couple of water tanks, and other buildings. If you would like to review it, I am in Newcastle, it should be here by Friday, this week.

—gjg

4/02/2008 9:56 PM  
Blogger CPRR Discussion Group said...

From: Ken Morrow
Subject: Info about Rocklin Terminal

A link ... allows me to put the distances on the various stops along the way to the Summit.

The information that you supplied ... seems to verify that contained the book, Rocklin, past, present, future: An illustrated history of Rocklin, Placer County, California, from 1864 to 1981 by Leonard M Davis. I have included the portion that appears on page 22 and 24 of Davis's book below. There is a difference with the dimensions of the wood shed though. Davis says it was 326' by 23-1/2'. You indicate that your information shows it as 43-1/2 wide. Do have more confidence in your information than that supplied in Davis's book? Gary Day and I are aware of many errors in "Davis" and this just may be another one.

—Ken Morrow

P.S. I am amazed at the number people that have their hands imbedded in the history of the railroad and this area. Fantastic!! I only got into the history thing by trying to help with a "Trail Guide" that our Homeowner's Association is preparing to describe the 3-1/2 miles of trails in Whitney Oaks. I'm probably on my way to becomming a "HISTORY BUFF" also.

---------------------------------
By August, 1869, facilities of the Central Pacific Railroad Company at Rocklin included the following structures: one wood shed (326' x 23-1/2'), twelve water tanks (42,000 gallons), one hand car shed (no dimensions listed), one freight and passenger depot (85'-9" x 24'-4"), one round house (386' x 64' made of stone with 25 stalls), and one turntable (no dimensions listed).(26)

Railroad records surprisingly do not show when the original Rocklin Depot was erected.(27) Possibly the earliest structure to serve in that capacity was a railroad car fitted up for that purpose on a nearby siding.(28) Sometime between 1865 and 1869, probably 1867 when a division point was established here, a more permanent facility was erected. This small building, built by private enterprise, housed the Depot Saloon for many years. When it burned in 1891, it was owned by Mr. John Sweeney.(29)

4/02/2008 10:08 PM  
Blogger CPRR Discussion Group said...

Also see the original post.

4/02/2008 10:09 PM  
Blogger CPRR Discussion Group said...

It could be 23 1/2. I am looking at a Xerox copy of the handwritten original – it is very faint.

—gjg

4/02/2008 10:19 PM  
Blogger CPRR Discussion Group said...

From: ldfarrar81@comcast.net
Subject: Rocklin's Roundhouse and Other Things

I have just read Ken Morrow's lengthy letter and suggest to him and anyone else interested that they contact Chris Graves in Newcastle, CA. I have just sent him a copy of an 1869 list of facilities from Sacramento to Colfax because it included Rocklin. The roundhouse (facetiously the semi-circular house) is listed as 28 stalls, made of stone, etc. Chris G. has a great deal of info on early CP matters and can possibly answer your questions. I hope I am correct in saying the mileages from Sacramento east are on the CPRR Museum's web site.

—Lynn Farrar

4/07/2008 12:40 AM  

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