New Book: "Frank Norris: A Life," biography by Joseph R. McElrath Jr. and Jesse S. Crisler

New Book: 'Frank Norris: A Life,' biography by Joseph R. McElrath Jr. and Jesse S. Crisler

"Zola in San Francisco" Book Review by VICTOR DAVIS HANSON © New York Times, Jan. 1, 2006.

"About 15 miles from my farm in the central San Joaquin Valley of California, near the Kings River at the dry creek bed of Mussel Slough, on May 11, 1880, a group of farmers shot it out with railroad men, a United States marshal and some local toughs. Homesteaders had purchased mostly worthless railroad land for $2.50 an acre, improved it, and then discovered nearly a decade later that the railroad had retained title all along. Smelling profit, rail executives sought to sell the enhanced farms out from under the farmers for $25 to $35 an acre. Seven died - six of them settlers - during the failed eviction. The Southern Pacific Railroad may have had the money, the lawyers and the courts and so convicted the farmers, but they immediately became California folk icons and served only abbreviated sentences. Eventually most of the farmers got their land back. ... " [More]

Frank Norris, the subject of this new biography was the author of the muckraking book about the Southern Pacific Railroad, "The Octopus."

Model live Steam Engine Construction

From: "nc-schneiwo7"

I am a model construction amateur from Cologne in Germany. I am very interested at live steam because probably be my father and grandfather was a steam engine driver. I am also taken with on shorter distance (was not permitted). I would like to build a R.C. steered live steam locomotive. As help for build I am searching an American Locomotive 4-4-0 either the CP 60 Jupiter (1195) of the CENTRAL PACIFIC RAILROAD with the classical smoke stack for wood burning, or the AMERICAN STANDARD NR. 119 of the Union Pacific from the time of the development of the wild west. The locomotive is to drive on a scale 1:32 trace 1 track width 45 mm of Maerklin (or 1:22,5 trace G 45 mm LGB) by our garden. Unfortunately I could not find closer information up to few pictures of other 4-4-0 locomotives. Perhaps drawings or plans and pictures with the original masses last very helpfully for this.
How were steam cylinders steered?
On pictures I cannot see steam control to the cylinders.
Does it lie in the drive assembly?
Are there contact or Links to Model railroading in America?

—Wolfgang Schneider

CP Freight cars

From: "Todd@Ickler" thebigcheese@ickler.com

Is there a place in your archives where there are detailed drawings or photographs specifically and only of Central Pacific rolling stock and locomotives? Photos and drawings one could use to build an accurate model? Correct lettering of freight cars, colors used, types of cabooses (if used at that time) types of trucks, couplers and running gear. I would have interest in rolling stock unique to building the transcontinental railroad, maintenance of way equipment, specialized locomotives and rollingstock unique to the CP.

—Todd

Questions

From: "Lou Henkel" lhenkel@tampabay.rr.com

I am reading Stephen Ambrose's book Nothing Like in the World and several questions come to mind:

a. Is the original [route] still being used for the most part? For example the original Summit Tunnel.

b. Is it possible to drive, within reasonable proximity, then walk to most of the primary points of interest of the original [route]? (Primary points of interest I would include are tunnels, major cuts, and major river crossings.) Can such be found on a map dedicated to this topic?

c. Does anyone offer a tour, with stops, of most of the way from a historical perspective? The part I am most interested in seeing is that which includes those areas described in the previous question.

If I were to visit 3-5 railroad museums wishing to see exhibits having to do with the original railroad, which would you suggest?

Thank you for such a comprehensive web site. The amount of material is almost overwhelming. I suspect that my questions were answered in the material IF only I knew where. ...

—Lou Henkel (son of a man who worked over 30 years for the Ann Arbor RR and grandson of a man who was an express messenger for the Nickel Platte RR for 40 years between Toledo and St. Louis.)

New Book: Capitol Life, Sacramento, California 1868-1876

The following new 48 page pamphlet which transcribes historic Sacramento newspaper articles, many relating to the CPRR, may be of interest:

Capitol Life, Sacramento, California: August 19, 1868 to January 20, 1876 by Stan Garner.

19th Century Locomotive Engineer Autobiographies

What detailed 19th century memoirs or autobiographies by American locomotive engineers (any railroad) exist to describe first hand their personal experiences and what operating a steam engine/train was really like in those early days? Are there any?

Emigrant trains

From: "Ken Kramer" kdlogger@tdn.com

I am hoping you can help me find more information about [emigrant trains].

I am researching my husband's family, and according to a 1906 obituary they first came to Washington State in 1873. The obituary simply said they came across the country in 1873 first to San Francisco and then immediately on to Washington. They came from Iowa. I recently read a very short article that talked about the emigrant trains and I think the Davolt family probably traveled west on the train.

So far I have found just bits and pieces talking about these trains. I have become quite interested in finding out more about the history of this form of traveling west. We are so use to hearing about the wagon trains but I have never before heard of families coming west by train. Do you know where I can find more information on the emigrant trains?

—Sandy Kramer, Longview, Washington

Question: Wayne Station WP

I'm looking for information on a site near San Jose on the old W.P.R.R. (1860'S) by the name of WAYNE STATION....? anything on this old WP-CP, SPCo would be most helpfull...

—CHARLIE HOPKINS

Letter to the Editor in today's AUBURN JOURNAL

From: "chris graves" caliron@cwnet.com

The Auburn Journal printed a letter to the Editor today (December 26, 2005) headlined thus: "PROBING LOCAL RAILROAD STORIES LED TO ADVENTURE:"

The story reads:

It was with great interest I read your article concerning the Myth of Cape Horn, Journal, December 13. During the time I was a young boy growing up in Martinez, Cal. our family took the train to Utah at least once a year, which caused me to be very interested in the story of the Central Pacific. I read anything I could get my hands on, including "A Work of Giants", mentioned in your article. I am not sure if that was my first exposure tothe story of Chinese being lowered in baskets to carve out the right of way at Cape Horn, but whatever the source I was determined to find the spot where this had taken place.

Alas, I could never find an area that I felt qualified. I began to wonder about the truth of this story, but I was just a kid. What did I know? Since then I have heard the basket story repeated many time, including the Railroad Museum in Sacramento.

Thanks be to you, Mr. Strobridge, Mr. Duncan, and the Auburn Journal for devoting the time and space to the truth of the Cape Horn basket case.

This sort of thing can't help but make you wonder about accepted "facts" of history.

(The letter then goes on to describe in detail a walk the writer took thru Tunnel #6.)

(The letter is signed) GRANT SHAW, Auburn, Cal.

Great rail barons came from New York State

"On a larger scale, New York State really was the rail center of a growing nation in the last century. New York changed the rail industry and was changed by it. The great rail barons of this country (Vanderbilt, Gould, Harriman, Stanford, Crocker, Huntington, Hopkins and others) all came from New York. In fact, of the "Big Four" that built the Central Pacific Railroad, the western end of the Transcontinental Railroad, Leland Stanford was a native of Watervliet, Charles Crocker came from Troy, Collis P. Huntington came from Oneonta and Mark Hopkins came from near Watertown. Thomas Durant, Vice President of the Union Pacific Railroad and one of the men who drove the "Golden Spike" at Promontory, Utah on May 10, 1869, was an 1849 graduate of the Albany Medical College; he chose to make his fortune in railroads rather than to take his chances with medicine. ..."

From Albany Area Railroads.

Question: Piece of Rail (?1888)

From: CNFarrow@Cox.Net

... I have a piece of track 11" long where the two holes are for connecting two rails. I was told it was rail from the original line. To the right of the holes is what looks like 888. I thought that the one hole removed the 1 as if it was 1888, but the hole isn't in line, and is a little smaller and probably would show some of the #1 on the outside of the hole.

The rail is 3 1/4" high, the foot is 3 1/4" wide, top of rail is 1 3/4" wide. I'm into model RR and have a golden spike laying on it as a display, but I make no claims.

Thanks for any information you can give. ...

—Richard L. Baumer

Question: Golden Spike Ceremony paintings [other than Thomas Hill's]

From: "Peter J. McClosky" pmcclosky@earthlink.net

I understand that there were (at least) 4 major paintings done of the Golden Spike Ceremony. I know one ... but [what about] the others?

—Peter J. McClosky

Question: UPRR operating rules

From: "Sammie Long" sambogun@etex.net

Do you know where I might get a copy of the UPRR code of operating rules?

Thanks.

Interactive Mapping of US Railroad Attractions

From: "cynthia jett" cindyjett@hotmail.com

I just want to let railroad enthusiasts know about a new website which maps railroad attractions across the US. Relevant information is given for each location. The site is MapMuse.com.

Lots of other interests (everything from Civil War battles to wineries to hotels) can be mapped as well. Take a look at our site, and let us know what you think (suggestions are very welcome).

—Cindy Jett, MapMuse.com

Photographs of Grenville Dodge and his little brother Nathan

From: ndodge@npdodge.com

The company I work for [NP Dodge Real Estate] was co-founded by Grenville Dodge and his little brother Nathan (NP) in 1855. At the time both were budding surveyors. I'm looking for historic photographs ...

—Nathan P. Dodge III, Omaha, Nebraska

George W. Smith locomotive

From: "Warrick, Clifford" clifford_warrick@eli.net

I am trying to locate a picture of the George W. Smith locomotive. It was built by the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railroad (GH&SA - later became a subsidiary of the Southern Pacific Railroad Co.) and honored honored Smith in 1870 by christening a new locomotive George W. Smith.

George W. Smith is one of my ancestors and I am trying to locate a ... photograph of the locomotive. ... —Cliff Warrick

WP Boxed Engines

From: "Larry Mullaly" lmullaly@jeffnet.org

I am seeking information on the boxed Western Pacific engines reportedly stored at the SF&SJ shops in San Francisco until shipped to Sacramento for setup in Winter of 1867-1867. The background to these engines seems to be as follows:

Grading on the Western Pacific between Milpitas and San Jose began in January 1865. Wendell Huffman reports that an unnamed WP locomotive reached San Francisco in October of that year and a SF & SJ Minute Book entry of Nov. 21, 1865 indicates that the SF & SJ would "hold a locomotive of the Western Pacific, a turntable, and the carstock at its shops." Gerald Best indicates that both the Merced and the Wm. Penn were involved in constructing the 17 miles of track completed in Fall 1866.

Purchase orders for eight other locomotives were placed in 1866, several of which engines were not completed until Fall of that year. Sent to San Francisco by ship, the last of these engines would have arrived in Winter or Spring of 67, by which time the WP and/or its contractors were bankrupt. About the end of that year, all ten locomotives were transferred to Sacramento to be used on the WP when work resumed on that end of the line.

Any additional help on this topic would be appreciated.

—Larry Mullaly

Question: Canadian Pacific Locomotive #4744 [also SP corporate organization, taxes, credit mobilier, robber barons, Ames tools, panic of 1873]

From: "Clifford Harwood" TheKaml@webtv.net

I have a question about the final disposition of Central Pacific [sic] #4744, a Montreal Locomotive Works, M640, diesel locomotive, built in February of 1971.

Rated at 4000 HP, I believe this was a Canadian version of an ALCo. My list does not distinguish between Central Pacific and Canadian Pacific.

If it was, in fact, Canadian Pacific, then my hunt will go on.

If I am barking up the wrong tree, let me know. ...

Thomas Allen

From: "Rebecca Smith" rsmith45@nycap.rr.com

My name is Rebecca Smith and I am president of the Pittsfield MA historical commission and a board member of the Berkshire Historical Society.  

As I am certain you know, Thomas Allen … of the Central Pacific Railroad [sic] ... was the grandson of Pittsfield’s first pastor, Thomas Allen, known as the famous "fighting parson" as he kept a musket under the alter at the congregational church in our historic Park Square during the Revolutionary War.   His grandson Thomas headed west to St. Louis, owned a granite quarry, became a state senator and then retired back in Pittsfield where he donated the city’s first library, the arch at the Pittsfield Cemetery and other philanthropic works.   

His son, William Russell Allen, built a grand mansion in the center of town.  When he died, the house was willed to St. Luke’s Hospital ... then acquired by the state of Massachusetts and now lies boarded up.  Thomas’s gravesite is marked by a fabulous piece of Missouri polished granite.  It took a special rail car to bring it to the city … dragged 1,000 feet per day through town to the cemetery … famous event for the city.  

Our two historical groups, working with the city and the state, are intending to restore the house and open it as a museum of the guilded age.   Our society is based at Arrowhead … Melville’s home, where he wrote Moby Dick ... but we have extensive collections which cannot be displayed until we find another museum.  

I own the mansion built by Thomas Allen’s childhood friend, Thaddeus Clapp.   Thaddeus and the Rev. Todd of the Pittsfield both attended the ceremony.  

We would very much like to work with your museum in commemorating the railroad as there is such a connection.  I don’t even know the approach yet, but would greatly appreciate any thought.   What information, memorabilia, etc., do you have on Thomas Allen? ... photographs?  

Again, we would appreciate any ideas or information ...  

—Rebecca Smith  

The Thaddeus Clapp House
... an elegant bed & breakfast in the Berkshires
74 Wendell Avenue
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Phone Toll Free: 1.888.499.6840

Question: Wanting BOX HEADLIGHT info

From: "Jon Williams" grayguy22@yahoo.com

... I am most interested in learning about the box-type headlights on the locomotives of the Golden Spike era. I assume that the reflector was of polished tin and that the burner was oil-fueled with a wick. Is this correct? Were any of them kerosene-fueled in the 1860-70s? Please clarify if you can. How well did the headlight illuminate the way at night? Was it effective enough so that the engineer could see the the track ahead and perhaps some countryside to the left and right? Was it considered more risky to operate a locomotive at night in these times? How vigilant was the engineer during long stretches, particularly at night? Would he be on constant lookout? Would the train stop if it hit a large animal (say a bison or elk)? Would it even 'sense' the impact? ...

—J. Williams

List of CPRR Tunnels

From: "Chris Graves" caliron@cwnet.com
Subject: Central Pacific Railroad Tunnels, c. 1870 and 1984

Tunnels on TRACK #1:

Tunnel #0 – Driven in 1873 as part of the line change to eliminate Deep Gulch trestle. This tunnel is East of Clipper Gap, abandoned in 1942. It is horse-shoe shaped, lined with granite from the Rocklin quarries. Following its abandonment, it was used for a while as a growing garden for mushrooms, however that venture was not successful financially. West of the tunnel face 100 yards was found a rail chair in 2002, as well as several original construction spikes.

Tunnel #1 – Driven in 1866 as a single track at Grizzly Hill, widened for the second track during double tracking work of 1913. 514.70 feet long, concrete lined.

Tunnel #2 – Driven in 1866 about one mile East of the settlement of Emigrant Gap, to further locate it was about 200 yards East of the trestle over Emigrant Gap, now (2005) filled in. This tunnel was driven through the West end of Smart Ridge. It was daylighted for the second track alignment, Emigrant Gap to Andover, in 1923-1924. Original length was 271 feet. An interesting feature can be found about one mile East of this daylighted tunnel: A stone wall was built in 1866 to stop avalanches from taking out the grade, the stone wall is still in place (2005).

Tunnel #3 – East of Cisco at Mile Post 180.7, on a 9 degree curve, unlined. Originally 280 feet long, in 1984 it measured 269 feet. Please note: As you stand on the West Portal of this tunnel, trains are coming at you, DOWN THE HILL. It is impossible to see or hear a train until it exits the tunnel; a dangerous place to be, in the extreme. [Tunnel 3 was one of those worked partly by nitroglycerine. In consequence of using nitroglycerine about 20% of the men working on the tunnel struck and were not replaced. Thus only 2 shifts worked tunnel 3 but by using nitroglycerine they kept up with the work in the headings. Gillis goes on to say 'It will be seen (in Appendix E) that, after allowing for the smaller force employed, about twice as much work was done per man, with nitro-glycerine as with powder.']

Tunnel #4 – East of Cisco, at Mile Post 181, it is curved on a 8 degree curve. Originally 92 feet in length, in 1984 it measured 85 feet. Both Tunnel #3 and Tunnel #4 were driven thru solid ['Trap Rock' called 'ironstone' by the builders, described by Gillis in his 1870's reports as 'black limestone' and 'dark blue quartzite.']

Tunnel #5 – Located East of Cisco at Mile Post 185, at a spot called Crocker's Spur, built on an 8 degree curve, unlined, originally 128 feet in length, daylighted about 1895.

Tunnel #6 – Known also as Summit Tunnel. Unlined, originally 1,659 in length, in 1984 it measured 1,653.4 feet. All original tunnel were enlarged in the 1960's by having their ceiling raised some 2 feet, except Tunnel #6, which had it's floor lowered some 2 feet.

Tunnel #7 – Located at Mile Post 194.1, length was 100 feet, it was was daylighted, and then a concrete roof was constructed, replacing the removed stone roof. It was unlined, now out of service.

Tunnel #8 – Located at Black Point, at Mile Post 194.3, original length was 375 feet, it measured 361 feet in 1984. Now out of service.

Tunnel #9 – Located at Mile Post 194.9, original length was 216 feet, in 1984 it measured 205 feet. Now out of service.

Tunnel #10 – Located at Cement Ridge, at Mile Post 195.1, original length was 509 feet. Now out of service.

Tunnel #11 – At Spur, Mile Post 195.4, original length was 577 feet, now out of service.

Tunnel #12 – At Spur, Mile Post 195.7, original length was 342 feet, in 1984 it measured 328.50 feet. Out of service.

Tunnel #13 – At Lakeridge (Andover), Mile Post 200.1. Original length 870 feet, in 1984 it measured 865.8 feet.

Tunnel #14 – At Alder Creek, Mile Post 222. Length was 200, abandoned in 1913 due to line change of double tracking.

Tunnel #15 – At Quartz Spur, Mile Post 225, original length was 96, daylighted about 1895, abandoned 1913 due to line change of double tracking.

Mile Post noted are on the West Portal, Tunnel #14 and #15 Mile Post as noted in this report are not exact.

---

Tunnels on TRACK #2:

Tunnel #15 – Do not confuse this with the Tunnel #15 on Track #1. The Tunnel #15 on Track #1 was daylighted in 1895, and then abandoned in 1913 — Tunnel #15 (the Second) is located at Mile Post 114.20 East of Rocklin, alongside what is today (2005) Sierra College Blvd. Built in 1912, its length is 1,904.76 feet, concrete lined.

Tunnel #16 – Located East of Rocklin, at Mile Post 114.7. Length is 777.65 feet, concrete lined. This tunnel runs alongside of what is today (2005) Sierra College Blvd.

Tunnel #17 – Located at Mile Post 117.3. Length is 1,648.16, of which 1,259.16 feet is concrete lined, gunite only covers 189 feet, timber posts between concrete ribs 200 feet. Built in 1912.

Tunnel #18 – Double tracked with Track #1, at Mile Post 120.5, just East of the Village of NewCastle. Length is 1000 feet, concrete lined, built in 1912.

Tunnel #19 – Located at Mile Post 122.7, West of the Nevada Street Station in Auburn, length was 377.37, driven in 1912, daylighted between January 1, 1974 and January 1, 1976. In a book by Stephen Ambrose, printed in 2001, entitled Nothing Like it in the World, Mr. Ambrose mistakenly said this tunnel was still in existence, and took the place of Bloomer Cut. In fact, Bloomer Cut is still on Track #1, and is in use today (2005), while the tunnel is no longer in existence.

Tunnel #20 – Located West of Auburn Station on Nevada Street, and West of the bridge over I-80, at Mile Post 123.1. Length is 1,248.33 feet, of which 112.33 feet is concrete portals, 276 feet gunited with steel bents, the balance is gunited with no steel bents. Built in 1912.

Tunnel #21 – At Mile Post 124.60 on the 1912 line, East of Auburn Station at Nevada Street, length is 1,210.66 feet, of which 531 feet is lined with concrete portals, 428 feet of gunite with steel bents, 43 feet is gunite only, and 208.66 feet with timber posts between concrete ribs.

Tunnel #22 – At Mile Post 131.2, near Clipper Gap, built on the 1912 line. Length is 984.69 feet, of which 116 feet is concrete lined portals, 188 feet is gunite with steel bents, 680.89 feet is gunite only.

Tunnel #23 – At Mile Post 132.7 on the 1912 line, immediately next to the abandoned Tunnel 0, but a few feet lower in elevation. length is 843.66 feet, concrete lined.

Tunnel #24 – At Mile Post 132.9 on the 1912 line. Length is 300.66 feet, concrete lined.

Tunnel #25 – At Mile Post 133.1 on the 1912 line, length is 771.66 feet, concrete lined.

Tunnel #26 – At Mile Post 133.3 on the 1912 line, length is 149.82 feet, concrete lined.

Tunnel #27 – At Mile Post 133.8, on the 1912 line, West of East Applegate. Original length was 855.49 feet, then shortened to 686.91 prior to 1984. Partially daylighted between 1959 and 1968; leaving 351.91 of concrete lined tunnel, 335 feet of timber posts between concrete ribs, and 55 feet of concrete barrel at the East end. The East Portal was left in place.

Tunnel #28 – At Mile Post 134.8 on the 1912 line, it is West of East Applegate. Length is 3,208.86 feet, concrete lined.

Tunnel #29 – At Mile Post 135.9 on the 1912 line, it is West of East Applegate. Length is 1,009 feet, of which 405 feet is concrete lined, 604 feet is timber posts between concrete ribs.

Tunnel #30 – At Mile Post 138.7, on the 1912 line West of Colfax. Length is 780.33 feet, of which 720.33 is concrete lined, 60 feet gunite only.

Tunnel #31 – At Mile Post 139.2, on the 1912 line West of Colfax. Length is 443.66 feet, of which 109.50 feet is concrete lined, 334.16 gunite lined with steel bents.

Tunnel #32 – At Mile Post 139.4, length is 769.33 feet, concrete lined.

Tunnel #33 – At Mile Post 144.9, built as double track in 1913. Now used only as Westbound. Length is 1331 feet. East Bound rails go around Cape Horn.

Tunnel #34 – At Mile Post 145.1, built as double track in 1913; now only used as Westbound. Length 410 feet, concrete lined.

Tunnel #35 – At Mile Post 176.6, built on the double tracking line of 1924 West of Shed 10. Length is 737.66 feet, of which 263.66 is concrete lined, 474 feet is unlined. NOTE: In the double tracking of 1913, Colfax to Blue Canyon, Tunnel No. 1 was initially called Tunnel #35, but was renumbered to Tunnel #1 (See Track #1 Schedule, above).

Tunnel #36 – At Mile Post 176.9 on the 1924/1925 line, double tracking West of Shed 10. Length is 325.66 feet, concrete lined.

Tunnel #37 – At Mile Post 177.8 on the 1924/1925 double tracking line, West of Shed 10. Length is 410.66 feet, of which 340.66 feet are concrete lined, 70 feet unlined.

Tunnel #38 – At Mile Post 180.5 on the 1924/1925 line East of Cisco. Length is 920.66 feet, of which 543.66 is concrete lined, 377 feet unlined.

Tunnel #39 – At Mile Post 180.9, on the 1924/1925 line. Length is 279.66 feet, concrete lined.

Tunnel #40 – At Mile Post 185.3, on the 1924/1925 double tracking line, West of Troy. Length is 315.66 feet; 183.66 is concrete lined, 132 feet unlined. This tunnel was daylighted between January 1, 1976 and January 1, 1978.

Tunnel #41 – At Mile Post 193.3 on the 1924/1925 double tracking line East of Norden. Length is 10,325.66 feet, of which 6,171.66 feet is concrete lined, and 4,154 is unlined. This tunnel is known as THE BIG HOLE. This Tunnel is now used in place of the Tunnels and Snow Sheds visible from I-80 between Truckee and the Summit.

Tunnel #42 – At Mile Post 200.1 on the 1924/1925 double tracking near Andover. Length is 892.83 feet, concrete lined.

---

Above information from Southern Pacific Transportation Company Tunnel Data dated June 1, 1984, and John R. Gillis, CPRR Civil Engineer, paper read to the ASCE on January 5, 1870.

Credit: List of CPRR Tunnels based on notes provided by Lynn D. Farrar.

Sierra Grade

I've just been looking through the set of photographs of the summit tunnel, the Chinese wall etc. ... fascinating.

Why was the line eventually shut down? It seems strange that it remained in use until 1993, surely if it was unsuitable for modern railway vehicles it would have been shut down alot earlier.

Those other photo's showing where the line used to run are very atmospheric as well.

Are the snowsheds you show in a few photographs modern?

—John van den Akker.

Public Domain

I teach at The Columbus College of Art & Design and I wanted to use ... images in a lecture ... I'm a bit confused. I thought that anything over 75 years past the publication date, or the death of the artist, fell into the public domain. I don't understand how engravings from the Nineteenth Century can be copywritten by your museum. Please advise.

—Brian M. Kane

Hand Held Stereoscope

From: Debe07@aol.com

We have a hand held stereoscope, it is a Sun Sculpture Trademark. The Manufacturers are Underwood & Underwood in New York. We also have some original photographs. We would like to know the history on these. We only have what our Sweet Beloved Mother has told us. —Debbie

WP and SF&SJ inclusion in Pacific Railway Legislation

From: "Larry Mullaly" lmullaly@jeffnet.org

Two questions:

1) The original Pacific Railway Act of 1862 did include transfer of rights from the CP to the [Western Pacific Railroad] to build a connector line between Sacramento to San Francisco. Was there subsequent legislation that allowed the Western Pacific to be awarded federal lands?

2) Although the Department of Interior appointed Commissioners to examine the San Francisco & San Jose in 1866, I do not see that the road was ever awarded government assistance. Why did the inspection take place if there were no benefits attached?

Any assistance would be appreciated.

—Larry Mullaly

Great Grandfather, Benjamin Daniel Hayes

From: "Loni Hayes-Mazzocco" mudsock@sbcglobal.net

Will you help me?  With your extensive research with the transcontinental railroad workers, I'm hoping you can direct me to web sites or railroad companies with phone numbers that could possibly have the records I need.  

I am looking for the railroad line, the exact dates of employment and any other information on my Great Grandfather, Benjamin Daniel Hayes.  He worked on the railroad in security.  He would travel on the train to protect the railroad's payroll being delivered.  I actually have the pistol he used, which has seven knotches in the wood of the handle representing the number of men he killed in this line of duty.  

He was born 1859 in Shelbrock County, Iowa and died 1933 in Council Bluffs, Iowa.  Therefore, I assume it is a rail line in that area that was active during that time frame.   

From what I can gather in the Net, railroad lines in that time changed companys and renamed several times.  It's all confusing to me and I have no idea where to look.  Is there one major list of railroad employees during that time I can check that will specifiy what company he worked for?   

Is it also possible the my Great Grandfather worked for a security company that was hired by the railroad line and I'm not looking in the right direction at all?  If there were such companies, what are their names or how can I find them?  

Any information you can provide me would be tremendously and greatly appreciated.  

—Loni Hayes

Charles W. Fox, leader of a CPRR Chinese work gang

From: "Linda Moorhouse" Linda.Moorhouse@JenconsUSA.com

... Are there any documents still in existence that would list the personnel that were involved with the building of the Transcontinental Railroad. I am researching my family, and my Great-Grandfather always told us that he was a gang leader for a Chinese work gang and was present during the driving of the Golden Spike. His name was Charles W. Fox originally of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.

Any information or direction you could give me would be greatly appreciated.

Linda H. Moorhouse
Operations Manager
Jencons Scientific
Bridgeville Pennsylvania

What happened to the last tie?

From: Linda Bridges bridgesl@liveoakpl.org

I've found out where the Golden Spike from the Transcontinental Railroad is, but I'm curious about the final tie. Is it still in existence? If so, where is it housed? Thanks for your help.

Linda Bridges
Effingham County Children's Librarian
a branch of Live Oak Public Libraries
Savannah, GA

CPRR Discussion Group

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Pollard's Station: Donner Lake's first resort by Gordon Richards

"Pollard's Station: Donner Lake's first resort" by Gordon Richards, president and research historian for the Truckee Donner Historical Society, © Sierra Sun, November 17, 2005. (News Article)

" ... Dr. Daniel Strong of Dutch Flat ... claimed 350 acres at the west end of Donner Lake with the completion of the wagon road in 1864, calling it Strong's Ranch. ... he leased his property to Joseph Delos Pollard ... By September 1864, Pollard was erecting a large building, part of which was being used as a hotel. ... Pollard's Station was a stage transfer point where travelers would change coaches, grab a quick meal, and roll on with fresh horses and a new driver. ... 1867 ... That summer the Central Pacific was constructing the tunnels on the summit, and the workers flocked to Donner Lake on their rare days off. ... " [More]

[Courtesy Google Alerts.]

David Lemon Interview

The interview of David Lemon, the fireman of the UP locomotive at the golden spike ceremony at Promontory Summit, Utah on May 10, 1869 is now available online at the CPRR Museum, courtesy of Bob Spude, Historian, Cultural Resources Management, National Park Service.

"David Lemon – Old Timer: Fired Engine at Golden Spike Driving May 10, 1869." Union Pacific Magazine, May 1924, pages 5-6.

The Lemon iron spike:
"When the gold spike had been removed and replaced by an ordinary iron spike, I remarked to Superintendent Hoxie that some one would pull that spike, and that I'd like to have it. After some hesitation the superintendent said: 'You saved my life once, and also that of Engineer Oman Stimpson here. Let's go and get that spike for you.' "

Recent webpage change not displayed immediately

Why do I sometimes not see the most recent post to the discussion group?

Why can't I see the picture that I was told was just added to a web page?

Question: American Progress by John Gast

From: pagarvey@volusia.k12.fl.us

American Progress by John Gast

What is the name of the book she's holding??

Patty Garvey
Social Studies
Ext. 60140

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AMERICAN PROGRESS, by JOHN GAST, 1872

Detail of "School Book." Courtesy Library of Congress.

Book Chapter: David Hewes, An Autobiography, 1913.

Now online at the CPRR Museum:

"David Hewes: An Autobiography" Chapter from "Lieutenant Joshua Hewes: A New England Pioneer and Some of His Descendants ..." by Eben Putnam, 1913.

(with photographs of the recently rediscovered Hewes family gold "last spike")

The lost spike has been found!!!

From: "Walter Gray" WGRAY@parks.ca.gov

David Hewes (1822-1915), a prominent San Francisco land developer and brother-in-law of Leland Stanford, is the man who gave the Gold Spike that was used at Promontory, Utah, on May 10, 1869, to mark the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. The mold and casting of the spike(s) was done in 1869 by William T. Garratt, brass and bell founder of San Francisco, who then turned them over to Schulz, Fischer & Mohrig for finishing. The original Schulz et al invoice of May 4th, 1869, survives at Stanford University. It itemizes "Finishing 2 Gold Spikes, Engraving 381 letters at 4 Cts," and "1 Velvet Box." Most scholars have assumed that "Finishing 2 Gold Spikes" was the Gold Spike and the attached large surplus gold that filled the gate of the mold, known as the "sprue." Now we know that there were actually two Gold Spikes!

The first Gold Spike was engraved with 381 letters and the projected completion date of May 8th, 1869. E. P. Durant's UP train was delayed and the ceremony at Promontory did not occur until May 10th. The "sprue" was made afterwards into keepsake rings and small spikes and several of these still survive. Returned to the donor, the Gold Spike was presented to Stanford University in 1892 by David Hewes along with his considerable art collection.

The Stanford Gold Spike, or an inferior brass replica created for security reasons, have been displayed in the Stanford Art Museum for decades. CSRM has borrowed the original gold and Nevada silver spikes on many occasions since 1981, most recently for the September 9th-11th opening of the Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park.

The second Gold Spike was similarly engraved after the Promontory event. It bears subtle differences: the name "Central Pacific Railroad" in place of "The Pacific Railroad" and the actual completion date of May 10th, 1869. Five detailed photographs of this spike, with the sprue still attached, are on page 250 of a privately printed history of the Hewes Family edited by Eben Putnam and published in 1913. The Hewes Family and descendants have quietly held the second or "lost" Gold Spike for 136 years.

In April 2005, a brother and sister, fifth generation descendants of David Hewes, concluded to place the Hewes Family spike and other items on consignment with a Southern California dealer. CSRM began discussions, research and intense negotiations in May. This past week, Stephen Drew and Kyle Wyatt authenticated the spike on-site, consummated the purchase, and transported the Gold Spike to CSRM.

Kudos are due colleague Bill Withuhn, Curator of Transportation at the Smithsonian Institution, who alerted Museum Director Cathy Taylor that the spike was available. The purchase was made from the Museum's Opportunity Acquisition Fund managed by the Museum Foundation.

The spike and sprue measure 9-1/2 inches in length. The artifact weighs 444.5 grams which equates to 14.2 ounces. The spike is 17-6/10 carat gold, alloyed with copper.

Famous engineers

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

I suppose every era had its most famous engineer. My "favorite" is George B. Jefferis who ran the first passenger train onto the train ferry Solano (1879) and the first train into the Oakland Pier (1882). What makes him really notable (in my mind) is that he managed to do all this with two wives, one in Oakland and one in Sacramento. Which apparently caused some problem, which he solved by killing the one in Sacramento and burning down the Brighton Jct. depot (where she was the station agent) to cover the crime. He managed to get out of the murder rap and bigamy charge on a technicality (well, by the time of the trial he only had the one wife) and even kept his good standing with the railroad company. In 1911 he drove Taft's special and retired as road foreman of engines in 1927. There is even the possibility that he came out of retirement to pilot the first train across the Benicia-Martenez bridge in 1930 (did he run "Huntington"?). He died in 1933.

—Wendell

Bascom Farrow, SP Engineman

From: pravoslavna@comcast.net

Bascom Farrow is perhaps the best known Engineman of the Southern Pacific Railroad, thanks to a feature-length article on his retirement carried by Trains Magazine in October, 1948, and copiously illustrated by famed Disney photographer Ward Kimball. Bascom's last trip was from Los Angeles to Bakersfield, and return. His career stretched from 1900 to 1948.

My genealogist wife found that he was born in 1883 and died July 12, 1965, in Trinity, California.

Is anything else known about him? Hopefully someone got to him and recorded his memories.

—Abram Burnett

Google, libraries post first batch of books online

"Google, libraries post first batch of books online" by Eric Auchard, ©Reuters, November 3, 2005. (News Article)

"Google Inc. and four U.S. libraries plan to unveil on Thursday the first collection of thousands of mostly 19th century American literary and historical works ... its library partners said they will put up their first large collection of public domain works. Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Michigan and the New York Public Library have contributed ... to the Google Print program." [More]

Additional books relating to the Central Pacific Railroad are now available through the Google Library Project. Click on the CPRR Museum's home page link for
"More books about the Central Pacific Railroad."

Additional CPRR Locomotive Rosters

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

[Coming soon are] copies of Crocker's 1867 list of locomotives, the 1868 printed list, the 1887 list from the "Testimony of the United States Pacific Railway Commission," and Montague's 1864 engineer's report (which includes a list of locomotives).

Donald Duke did a typeset version of the 1868 roster, which appears in his "Southern Pacific Steam Locomotives" from Golden West Books (which is Duke's company). It is certainly more legible ... The latest address I have for him is P.O. Box 80250 San Marino, CA 91118-8250 ...

I found the 1887 roster of some use in my research, but it will perhaps be confusing to most people. It introduces "date rebuilt" information, which in some cases is indeed a date when a particular locomotive really was physically rebuilt (presumably the date it was released from the shop). However, in several cases the "date rebuilt" is actually the date that a listed locomotive replaced a previous – and completely distinct locomotive. For instance, the entry for the No.3 locomotive has a "date put in service" of Oct. 29, 1863 and a "date rebuilt" of Oct. 30, 1872. That "date put in service" represents the date the "C.P. Huntington" was invoiced by Danforth in New Jersey, while the "date rebuilt" represents the date a brand new 4-4-0 built by Rogers Locomotive Works was added to the roster. In no way that any of us would understand was the old "C.P. Huntington" rebuilt into the Rogers 4-4-0. Indeed, the "Huntington" was happily still puffing away down on the SP while what appears to be a "rebuilt" "Huntington" was working on the CP.

So, in the same document, the term "rebuilt" is used in two different ways. The best explanation for this odd-seeming practice is that calling a new locomotive a "rebuild" allowed its cost to be entered in operating rather than capital expenditures by the accounting department. This has led to much confusion, and for years brand new A.J. Stevens-built locomotive have been identified as rebuilts of various earlier locomotives. Indeed, it has made the task of counting and identifying Sacramento-built locomotives difficult if not impossible, simply because there is no way to draw a line between a rebuilt locomotive and a locomotive the company called a rebuilt locomotive.

Another compounding problem is simply that the company never used the modifier "second" or 'third" to indicate that a particular locomotive was the second or third to carry a particular number. It is like the locomotive number itself is the thing that really matters, and the machines that sequentially wore any particular number were themselves of secondary importance. I suppose that is how accountants may have seen it, and these rosters were most likely compiled by accountants in offices far away from the actual locomotives.

This 1887 roster also demonstrates how easy it is for mistakes to be entered into the record. When you get this, you will note that on the first two pages cylinder sizes are given in inches, while on the last pages they are given in "feet". Clearly the dimensions are still inches – the term only was mistakenly changed, perhaps by a typesetter. The mistake is easy enough to overlook. However, my point is, the mistake happened; and for all we know any of these rosters contain other mistakes that were no more difficult to make, yet are perhaps more difficult to weed out. This is why, while these wonderful original rosters exist, I continue to take the effort to compare every scrap of evidence I can find and work at compiling a more comprehensive roster. It takes about as much time as genealogy, though fortunately has only a finite number of units to consider.

—Wendell

William Crocker House

From: Grambo10@aol.com

By way of introducing myself, I am Barbara Smith, a life-long California history buff and founder of the docent program at historic Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland, CA, where Charles Crocker is buried.

... one of your photos is mislabeled ... the glass plate image of what is labeled as Charles Crocker's San Francisco house. Actually, it is his son William's house built sometime after Charles Crocker's 1888 death, on the lot next to the Charles Crocker home. After both houses were destroyed in the 1906 earthquake/fire, William Crocker gave both lots to the Episcopal Diocese as the site of Grace Cathedral.

The property faces on California Street and is bounded by Jones, Sacramento, and Taylor Streets.

The following link will take you to a picture of Charles Crocker's house taken about 1878. Charles Crocker's house is the great dark pile at the upper left in the photo. The adjoining property which was to become the site of William's house is the upward-sloping lot behind Crocker's house – obviously a great deal of grading was done before William's house was built, as the entire property is quite level today. William Crocker apparently liked the iron fencing around his father's property, as he installed the identical fencing around his house.

A note of interest, in the photograph of the Charles Crocker house, you will note a high wooden barrier that appears to grow out of the white house located in the center of the photograph. Actually, that is the 40' high "Spite Fence" Charles Crocker built around three sides of the property of one Nicholas Yung, a German undertaker who refused to sell his property to Crocker. Mr. Young could then see out only through his front windows!

The white house next to Crocker's was built by the CPRR's David D. Colton, and after his death was owned by Collis P. Huntington – now the site of Huntington Park.

I enjoyed looking at your website.

Barbara Smith

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Lantern Slide. Black and white glass slide image of the house of Charles Crocker, one of the Big Four of Central Pacific Railroad fame. This palatial home on Nob Hill cost $2,300,000 and contained a fully equipped theater, library, and billiard room. An imposing seventy-six-foot tower offered Crocker an uninterrupted view of the entire Bay Area. The house has long since disappeared and Grace Cathedral now stands on this site in San Francisco, California. The handwritten inscription reads:
"No. 13375 Cal. San Francisco, Residence of Crocker Railway magnate."
Image and Caption courtesy John Fillmore.

CPRR Discussion Group

Welcome to the CPRR Discussion Group at the Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum.

See HOW TO POST to the CPRR Discussion Group.

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CPRR Museum Category Tags:
Transcontinental Railroad
Central Pacific Railroad, Union Pacific Railroad
Railroads, Trains, Locomotives
History of the American West, Chinese railroad workers
Photography, Photographs, Stereoviews, Stereographs
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

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How many Chinese were dead building the RR?

I am a Chinese 6th grade student. I have a report about the Transcontinental RR, so let me ask you: How many Chinese were dead building the RR?  

—D. J.

Historical Railroad CD-Rom

From: "Milan Škoda" m.skoda@avekont.cz

I look for any US historical Railroad CD-Rom (operation system Windows) for my son who is railroad modeler .... but in my country (Czech republic) is impossible find and buy or exchange this CD ... can you help me? Do you know any website with historical railroad CD-Roms or have you it?

take care and thank you advance

Milan Skoda, ICQ 109710230

Track Gauge

From: "Ray State" rhstate@spion.demon.co.uk

... The extra .5" on the track gauge has puzzled people for some time. Why not 4ft 8"? It fact the first railways in the UK were built to 4ft 8". The answer may come from recent research into the Stockton and Darlington Railway. This line was Built by George Stephenson and opened in 1825. He followed the same pattern as his earlier railways in Northumberland and Durham and made the gauge 4ft 8" and the first locomotives, being 0-4-0 were relatively short wheel base (about 4ft) and therefore had no trouble in negotiating the curves on the line. The engineer in charge of the S&DR, Timothy Hackworth soon found that these primitive locomotives were underpowered and costly and so, following a visit by some Prussian engineers in 1827, decided to build his own locomotives. To increase power he designed an 0-6-0 with a rigid wheelbase of 8ft 7", over twice the average of the original fleet. Locomotive #5 Royal George entered service late in 1827 but soon was found to derail and attempt to straighten the curves. The locomotive was sketched by John U Rastrick in 1829 on his visit in June of that year. Undaunted Hackworth set about widening the gauge by .5" to permit the longer wheelbase. This had no affect on the existing fleet as the width of the tyres was enough to accommodate the gauge widening. Gauge widening was easy because the rails were held in stone blocks and it was simply a matter of edging one line of blocks outwards and repacking. Hackworth told Stephenson what he had done and the locomotives continued to be built to 4ft 8" but from then on George Stephenson and his son Robert built track to 4ft 8.5" and so the "standard" gauge was born.

—Ray State

Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

From: "Whitney Moses" moses@gilderlehrman.org

I thought your colleagues and members might be interested in learning about the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. The Institute's mission is to promote the study and love of American history, and we provide an array of resources for students, teachers, scholars and the general public.

I'd like to inform you about some of our programs ... Many such programs and initiatives are free to educators and scholars, including:

* Summer Seminars and other professional development opportunities for teachers and college professors;

* History Now, a quarterly, online journal featuring articles by historians, lesson plans, and interactive features;

* Lectures, symposia, conferences and traveling exhibitions on American history;

* A number of publications, including "Early American Abolitionists: A Collection of Anti-Slavery Writings 1760-1820" which is available free of charge to history teachers, professors and institutional libraries. To order a copy, educators and librarians should email name, title, school or library and address;

* Awards including the History Teacher of Year; and

* Research fellowships for scholars and journalists to work in history archives.

Please feel free to contact me with questions or comments.

Many thanks.

Whitney Moses
Marketing and Research Assistant
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
19 West 44th Street, Suite 500
New York, New York 10036
www.gilderlehrman.org
646-366-9666

Book: California for Health, Pleasure, and Residence, by Charles Nordhoff, 1872.

Now available online at the CPRR Museum:

"California: For Health, Pleasure, and Residence. A Book for Travellers and Settlers." by Charles Nordhoff, 1872.
(complete book, 252 pages with illustrations and maps in searchable pdf format)

Engineering drawings for the Jupiter and No. 119 Locomotives

From: "Jules C. Jacquin" jacquinj@nycap.rr.com

Are some of the engineering drawings for constructing the Jupiter and No. 119 available?

—Jules Jacquin

Question: Information on a locomotive - Schenectady - 2012

Hsweetser@aol.com wrote:

I recently saw a photo of a rather curious Central Pacific consolidation. It was apparently an enlargement of a builder's photo, and the locomotive pictured was named "Schenectady," and numbered 2012, evidentally having been built by the locomotive works of that name....Could you help me with info. regarding date of manufacture, and any subsequent renumberings or rebuildings?

Kyle Wyatt replied:

CP 2012 was a 4-8-0 built by Schenectady in 1895

I have a reference to sister locomotive #2010:

February 23, 1895 Kern City Standard (Bakersfield, Calif.) - #2010 arrived this week. One of two or three mammoth engines the SP recently had built. It is the object of much interest. Weighs 25 tons. To be put on the mountain [i.e., the Tehachapi run]

John Sweetser

CP-SP named locomotives

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

Table of Named Locomotives of the CP-SP World
Sorted by Locomotive Name.

Table of Named Locomotives of the CP-SP World
Sorted by Railroad Company Initials.

Table of Named Locomotives of the CP-SP World
Sorted by Builder.

This may prove handy on some occasion.

The goal was to include every named locomotive that ended up in the 1891 roster – or would have were it still around. Only one SF&NP loco is included – and that because it was first on the SF&SJ. I hope this comes through as a word document – so you can resort it at your pleasure – say by company initials. Note, several locomotives are on here more than once – either under different initials/numbers or so one can find locos with multi-word names under any word (like: Gov. Stanford or Stanford, Gov.) Elephant has no road initials because it was not on a named/incorporated railroad while it bore that name (though the same locomotive is there three other places (as C.K. Garrison, Garrison C.K., and Pioneer). And there are a few locos for which builder and/or specs are as yet unknown (if anyone had this, please respond).

Abbreviations:
CalP – California Pacific
CC – California Central
CC/Y – California Central/Yuba RR
CN – California Northern
CP – Central Pacific
LA&I – Los Angeles & Independence
LA&SP – Los Angeles & San Pedro
O&C – Oregon & California
OC – Oregon Central
S&C – Stockton & Copperopolis
SC&PV – Santa Clara & Pajaro Valley
SF&A – San Francisco & Alameda
SF&NP – San Francisco & North Pacific
SF&O – San Francisco & Oakland
SF&SJ – San Francisco & Jan Jose
SP – Southern Pacific
SV – Sacramento Valley
VV&CL – Vaca Valley & Clear Lake
WP – Western Pacific

Railroads built along ridge lines

From: wwhuffma@clan.lib.nv.us

The trick in crossing a mountain is to design enough mileage into the route to keep the rate of ascent within acceptable limits. The shortest route is rarely the best.

The Central Pacific was limited by statute to a grade of 112 feet per mile. The elevation difference between Donner and the valley is roughly 7000 feet, so the route had to run at least 62.5 miles. My recollection is that it is about 70 miles by rail from Donner to Roseville – so the CP was quite effecient. While there are countless ridges extending westward from the crest of the Sierra, few extend all the way to the floor of the Central Valley. Most end where the intervening canyons merge. The ridge the CP followed happenes to be one of the ones which runs the whole way – in this case between the American River watershed to the south and the Bear and Yuba River watershed to the north.

Nevertheless, I sincerely doubt that that remarkable ridge had anything to do with the selection of that route for the railroad. The initial goal of the movers behind the Central Pacific was to profit from the commerce then flowing between San Francisco and the Comstock Lode – and the Donner route just happened to be the one relatively direct route not yet controlled by other interests (in the form of toll road franchises). Railroads were successfully designed for other routes across the Sierra which – lacking the long ridge used by the CP – managed to fit in the necessary mileage by looping into side canyons along the way.

What Judah did was verify that one could indeed fit 70 odd miles of track between the valley and the summit along the Donner Route. I'm not sure just when – or even if – Judah realized "their" ridge was significant. Mining engineers who laid out the miles of flumes which tapped high country reservoirs to feed the hydraulic mining operations had doubtless already discovered routes with steady grades from the high country to the mines (such as those around Dutch Flat). We know that Judah's initial "survey" between Dutch Flat and the summit merely followed a previously surveyed route which Daniel Strong was trying to promote for a toll road. From Dutch Flat to the valley, Judah initially followed existing roads or railroad surveys without regard to staying on the ridge. And in the end, I'm not at all sure whether it was Theodore Judah or his brother Douglas who actually "put" the railroad onto the ridge to Auburn – rather than down in Auburn Ravine as Theodore had earlier proposed. There is just a whole lot to the final selection of the CP route that is lost to us.

Conversely, the Western Pacific required roughly 100 miles of track to make their economical descent from 5000 feet to stay within their design criteria. The ridges which extend west from their summit were considerably higher than their pass itself, and their steady descent pushed them down into the canyon fairly soon. The trick in their case was shifting from the middle fork of the Feather over to the north fork. They could indeed have followed a ridge – say between the Feather and Butte Creek – farther out into the valley, but to do so would have given them some nearly level running at a higher elevation- -where snow would have been some problem. Even so, the creation of Oroville reservoir in the 1960s forced them to relocate onto that ridge – and if memory serves, resulted in an even better grade.

As an aside, highway 50 between Placerville and the crest of the Sierra runs in the canyon of the south fork of the American River. The road is very winding. However, the little known Mormon Emigrant Trail – the first true road across the Sierra and the one followed by most overland emigrants during the gold rush – follows the ridge just to the south. Getting to it involves some twisty sections, but once on the ridge it runs relatively straight and steady for 25 miles – with some tangents running a full mile.

—Wendell

[from the R&LHS Newsgroup.]

Early San Francisco Roundhouse

From: "Larry Mullaly" lmullaly@jeffnet.org

I am trying to date the the original six-stall roundhouse at the geographic southerly end of the Harrison Street Yards, later expanded to 8 stalls with the addition of what AC Bassett describes as a “new roundhouse” in his 1873 journal. The six-stall structure was used by the SP. The two-stall addition is reported as used by CP engines switching CP freight houses along Townsend Yard.

I am beginning to think that the 6-stall structure may not have been erected by the predecessor San Francisco & San Jose road. An account in the Daily Alta California of June 4, 1865 describes the original SF&SJ engine house at this site as a “frame building two hundred feet in length,” The US Railroad Commissioners report of Feb. 9, 1866 indicates that “the engine house is capable of accommodating seven locomotives.” (one “stall” too many or too few for the SP structure). Finally a bird’s-eye view of the early 1870 shows only two long rectangular structures along the tracks, but no “round” house.

The roundhouse, may therefore by an SP structure. Its appearance suggests as much. Photos taken of the six stall + 2 stall roundhouse in the early 1900’s shows a board and batten design with a flat (sloped) roof resembling that of the original Oakland roundhouse (see Signor’s Western Division, p. 41). The flat-roof design contrasts with the gabled-roof wooden roundhouses that later appear at Tulare, Los Angeles and Yuma later in the 1870s.

Using the original Oakland roundhouse as a dating element, are there other CP wood-frame roundhouses from the early 1870s that were also flat roofed? Other suggestions on how to date this long-gone structure?

Any help will be appreciated.

—Larry Mullaly

Book: Epic of the Overland by Robert Lardin Fulton, 1924

Now available online at the CPRR Museum:

"Epic of the Overland." by Robert Lardin Fulton. San Francisco, A. M. Robertson, 1924.
(complete book, 109 pages with illustrations and map in searchable pdf format)

" ... personal reminiscences ... I spent the exciting years of construction in the Union Pacific service, crossing to the Pacific side when the heroics ended ... and serving with the Central in California, Nevada, and Utah ... and had been telegraph operator, station agent, brakeman, conductor, and train dispatcher before I could vote ... "

The Last Spike is Driven, Utah Historical Quarterly, Winter 1969

Now online at the CPRR Museum:

"The Last Spike is Driven." Utah Historical Quarterly, 37(1), Winter 1969.
"Copyright Utah State Historical Society, used by permission."
Courtesy Stan Layton, Utah State Historical Society.

The entire journal issue is online as a searchable pdf file. (Note that details in photographs included in these articles can be best seen by zooming your pdf viewer to 300% magnification.) The contents are below; two of the articles are also reproduced as web pages:

Contents

The Transcontinental Railroad and the Development of the West.
By Leonard J. Arrington ..... 3

Contracting for the Union Pacific.
By Robert G. Athearn ..... 16

Chinese Laborers and the Construction of the Central Pacific.
By George Kraus ..... 41

Golden Spike National Historic Site: Development of an Historical Reconstruction.
By F. A. Ketterson, Jr ..... 58

Rendezvous at Promontory: The "Jupiter" and No. 119.
By Gerald M. Best ..... 69

Driving The Last Spike at Promontory, 1869.
By J. N. Bowman ..... 76

Corinne, the Fair: Gateway to Montana Mines.
By Brigham D. and Betty M. Madsen ..... 102

The Undriving of the Golden Spike.
By David H. Mann ..... 124

Mid-Century Crossing by Rail.
By Jack Goodman ..... 135

Question: My great grandfather, Adolph de Jongh, was there in 1869-1870

From: RucMar@t-online.de

Rüdiger Marwede
Ingenieur
Humboldtweg 11
31535 Neustadt
Germany
Tel/Fax: 0049 5032 / 61451

We are glad to see some things about the old railway construction from the 19. Century.

The father of my own grandfather, his name was Adolph de Jongh, lived in Hamburg (Germany) and was an engineer for building railways. He received New York at the 06. June 1868 by the Hapag Steamer "TEUTONIA": As we know, he worked at a railway company on the way from San Francisco to New York.

Here we can give you some dates:

He married on the 17 of July 1869 in San Francisco his wife Elisabeth York, who was also born in Germany. His son was born at the 15 May 1870 in Bloomington.

His daughter (my grandmother) was born at the 23 February 1872 in Indianapolis.

Adolph de Jongh (my grand grandfather) died at the 25 January 1873 in Piqua, Miami Country, State Ohio. His wife Elisabeth York died before him at the 26 August 1872 of typhoid fever.

Also we have some original certificates about this time.

As you will understand the children of them were very small and had no parents in America, so their stepfather John York brought them back to Germany, to Hamburg.

Now we would like to know, if you have the name of the company in which Adolph de Jongh worked and also if you know some things about his profession at this company.

—R. Marwede

Swedish UPRR Workers

From: JMirabellaJr@comcast.net

I really enjoy your site and return often to read and learn more about some new aspect of this grand undertaking!  My great great great uncle Bengt Johan Johansson, 1837-1915, worked as a railroad builder (Jarnvagsbygget) for the Union Pacific.  I was told many times by my grandfather as a child that he was in the famous May 10, 1869 joining photograph.  I wish I knew what specific job he did or how long he worked for the Union Pacific railroad.  Are there any specific materials you could recommend that discuss Swedish workers?  

Keep up the great work!  

—Joe Mirabella, Jr.

Question: signalman pictures

From: TUTJS@aol.com

any signalman or signalgang pics?

Train ownership

From: hbcrunch1@yahoo.com

What does it take to own a C.P. Huntingdon restored engine, such as the one ... at the California State Railroad Museum? ...

—Dave Leresche

The History of Winnemucca by J.P. Marden

"The History of Winnemucca, Humboldt County, Nevada: The Central Pacific Railroad; and, The Chinese in Winnemucca" by J.P. Marden is now available online at the CPRR Museum with the permission of the author, courtesy of James Barkley.

The Nevada Humboldt Museum website has additional articles by J.P. Marden.

"The Marden Index references articles about the Chinese population from the Winnemucca newspapers (1873 - 1939)"

Returning bones to China.

Tunneling through the Sierra inch by inch by Gordon Richards, Sierra Sun

"Tunneling through the Sierra inch by inch: Echoes from the Past," by Gordon Richards, President and Research Historian for the Truckee Donner Historical Society, © Sierra Sun, Truckee, CA, October 6, 2005. (News Article)

" ... More credit for the Donner Pass route should really be given to Dr. Daniel Strong of Dutch Flat. It was Strong who invited and guided Theodore Judah to the area in 1860, when Judah was searching for a rail-feasible pass over the mountains. The shallow canyon above the south side of Donner Lake was originally named Strong's Canyon, but today is known as Lakeview Canyon. Strong went on to be a Central Pacific Board of Directors member. By 1862, Judah laid out the exact route of the summit tunnels and the traverse along Schallenberger Ridge, then known as Donner's Backbone, but other engineers, such as Samuel Montague and Lewis Clement, completed the final survey locations and construction staking for the Chinese labor crews. In the stretch from Cisco to Schallenberger Ridge, crews had to dig more than 5,150 linear feet in nine tunnels to maintain the grades engineered by Judah. Almost all of these tunnels were in granite that was stronger than steel. The 1,659-foot-long Summit Tunnel, No. 6, required the longest time, more sweat and more explosives than all of the other tunnels combined. ... the near precision engineering of tunnel engineer Lewis Clement, all four headings of Tunnel 6 came to within 2 inches of the planned alignment. ... " [More]

[Courtesy Google Alerts.]

Folsom Event

From: "Bill Anderson" bill@fedshra.org

A very exciting event will take place in Folsom, CA Saturday Oct. 15, 2005. The opening of Sacramento Regional Transit District's extension of light rail service begins. Ironically, this event is only four months away from the 150th birthday of the west's first railroad, the Sacramento Valley Rail Road (February 22, 2006).

A parade will meet the incoming train carrying 400 dignitaries! Speeches of course. Then an ice cream social. The 1875 J. W. Bowker steam locomotive will be on the historic turntable nearby, thanks to the California State Railroad Museum. Handcar rides will be available. Buffalo Soldiers, Wells Fargo Stage, Mountain Men, Chinese Herbalist, Pony Express Riders, Blacksmithing, Gold Panning, the grand re-opening of the Folsom Powerhouse, music and more.

—Bill Anderson

Question: McKeen cars

From: "Bill Anderson" bill@fedshra.org

McKeen cars ran on the Placerville Branch of the Old S.P. line from (?) to 1939. Any information on the cars, stories etc.?

—Bill Anderson

Question: SVRR map

From: "Bill Anderson" bill@fedshra.org

I have a copy of a map, "Showing the alteration in the Line of Location of the SACRAMENTO VALLEY RAILROAD."
signed: J.L. Folsom, President, SVRR Co. and Theo. D. Judah, Chief Engr. SVRR.
Station 920 to station 1044.
No topo or other identifying features.
Where along the SVRR could it be?

—Bill Anderson

Southern Pacific historical archives

From: TheKaml@webtv.net (Clifford Harwood)

The Union Pacific Railroad has moved all of the Southern Pacific historical archives from S.P. to the Union Pacific museum in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Iron rails

From: Hsweetser@aol.com

November 13, 1890 Valley Record (Ashland, Ore.) - the Southern Pacific is an all-steel rail line now. The last iron rail between Portland and Albany is being replaced by steel.

—John Sweetser

New book: "A Study of Cape Horn Construction on the CPRR, 1865-1866" by Jack E. Duncan

Summary of a new book:

"A Study of Cape Horn Construction on the Central Pacific Railroad, 1865-1866." by Jack E. Duncan, 2005.

The book is available at Big Bend Ranger Station, Dutch Flat Historical Society, Placer Sierra Railroad Heritage Society, Placer County Historical Society and Smith’s Bookstore in Auburn. It is also available from the author.

Jack E. Duncan
8555 Crater Hill Road
Newcastle, CA, 95658
530-888-6027
jcduncan@psyber.com

Retail price $13.95
plus $1.05 tax in California
$2.00 if mailed

Sacramento Placer and Nevada Railroad

From: "Chris Graves" caliron@cwnet.com

You may recall the Placer County Railroad War.

When the rails were pulled up in 1864, the town of Auburn Station disappeared – in the intervening 141 years, the old grade (with 4 exceptions) was lost to homes, orchards, roads, etc.

The lost has been found. In 1862 there was a California Supreme Court Decision, entitled Sacramento and Placer and Nevada Railroad vs C. F. Harland. Not only was the railroad mis named, but Mr. Harland's name was also, the result of which no one had a clue that this decision in 1862 revolved around the SP&N. ...

Using a Case Number, rather than a title, the case has been located in the California Archives. And in the carefully folded up packet, there is a map.

... with this map, one can quickly see Auburn Station, the Mountaineer House, Wild Wood Station, etc.

The SP & N ran between Folsom and Auburn Station between 1861 and 1864; rails were pulled up and relaid on the Placerville and Sacramento Valley Railroad in '64. Wendell could give you correct dates and places, I am most likely off a bit in dates, noted above.

It's a fantastic story, and with the map now in my hands, all interested could know.

Map measures about 12 x 18 inches, has place names, townships and range and sections marked.

Wendell knows a lot more about this than I do ... When he was here for the History Channel filming, he and I went to a few of the places where the old grade is still visible. He would be a great resource for the map. The rail that Judah bought back in 1859 for his Calif. Eastern Extension (best have Wendell validate that name) ended up on the Sac. Placer Nevada, 550 tons would go about 6 1/2 miles. I have a piece of rail from Baldwin Dam on the old grade, that computes to 50 lbs to the yard, as well as a piece from the old Griffith Quarry that computes to 52 lbs to the yard. If memory serves, Judah's rail was 52 lb., best check with Wendell on that.

The map was so fragile the Archives would not let it for reproduction ... Map was not indexed in the Archives, those folks did not know that they had it.

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Historic Railroads

From: "West Coast British" wcbr@thegrid.net

Help us protect the CPRR right-of-way across Nevada (& CA). On September 2005 we sent Nevada Governor Kenny C. Guinn a letter asking him to deem these areas Historic sites and afford them the protection of such. There are many section of the original railbed still winding its way across rural Nevada, every mile is another step in history as you move east to Promontory Summit. Please join us by contacting Gov Guinn and your representatives, as well as those local cities the railbed passes. MG

Save the Central Pacific Railroad (CPRR) that Joined a Nation.
The Off-Road Experience
190 Airway Blvd
Livermore, CA 94551
925-606-8301

SP 1899 Station Book

The complete SP 1899 Station Book is now online at the CPRR Museum:

Southern Pacific System: List of Officers, Agencies and Stations. 1899.
Courtesy of Lynn D. Farrar.

Locomotive Goliah

From: Hsweetser@aol.com

August 28, 1900 Wadsworth Dispatch – old Goliath (sic), now #1012, is at work in putting out the coal fire at Wells. Came around the Horn in 1859 with Samson of the same type.

—John Sweetse

Henness Pass

From: "Chuck Scimeca" magnarc@oro.net

Mr. Joe King writes the following on his article about the Henness Pass. I would like to know how I can review the book he refers to "a self published book about the history of Nevada County, CA covering the years 1859-1869"? There are no reference notes in the article. The title of the web site link is Nevada Survey Maps.

My research on the Henness Pass Road brings up surprises daily, and often they include the CPRR! Only today I ran across a self-published lengthy book about the history of Nevada County, California, covering the years 1859-1869.

Chuck Scimeca
Nevada City, CA
Retired State Park Ranger

Question re Vallejo-Calistoga line in 1874

From: "David Stansfield" dstansfield@charter.net

I am writing a novel based on the life of Eadweard Muybridge. I am trying to find out which railroad Muybridge took in 1874 from Vallejo to Calistoga on his way to murder Major Harry Larkyns. Was it the California Pacific or the Napa Valley Pacific? (I've heard both) Also do you know what the locomotive and cars looked like at the time? Where they painted with black enamel? What markings, lettering, etc? Was the locomotive short and squat? How different was it from the locomotives used by the Central Pacific? Who owned the California/Napa Valley Pacific Railroad in 1874? Was it Samuel Brannan? Would there have been a first-class car and a "ladies only" car on the train Muybridge took?

—David Stansfield, Malibu, CA

Emigrant Trains

From: Hsweetser@aol.com

I thought the following may be of interest to the discussion group:

November 25, 1887 Ashland Tidings [San Francisco dispatch, Nov. 16] -

"The new move in the Central Pacific, whereby the immigrant train from here eastward is made faster than the passenger train, calls attention to changes that have taken place in emigrant railroad travel during the past ten years. As late as the year ' 81 third-class passengers from Omaha to San Francisco traveled in old coaches built for the Camden & Amboy railroad, forty years before. These ancient cars were attached to slow freight trains, which made the run from Omaha to this city in nine to eleven days. About five years ago the Union and Central Pacific substituted new emigrant sleeping cars for the wornout coaches. The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe began to command a large share of the traffic by running its emigrant cars attached to express trains, and to meet this competition the Union and the Central Pacific were compelled to do likewise. This arrangement continued up to Sunday of this week, when both of the latter roads began the running of emigrant trains on fast time, beating the regular east-bound express into Omaha by fifteen hours, and the west-bound express into this city about the same time. In less than five years emigrant travel has forged to the front as the most important factor in overland passenger traffic. When it is considered that faster time is made by emigrants than by first-class passengers, the difference sinks to a mere question of preference by passengers, many of whom no longer disdain to travel in third-class cars, taking to them quite readily when they can save $10 to $15 by doing so."

(the article went on to describe current competition between the Southern Pacific and the Northern Pacific for overland travel)

—John Sweetser

"Sniglet" isn't in the dictionary

We were suprised to find (logical difficulties notwithstanding) that the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (which is also available on CD-ROM for computers) doesn't contain the word "sniglet."

Our favorite sniglet is prndl, which coincidentally is a transportation related term.

Question: How was Devil's Slide formed?

From: ypcopy1001@qwest.net

How was Devil's Slide formed? Corrosion, Earthquake, Mudslide, or Floods? Cannot find it anywhere.

The CPRR and the Feather River

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

Lynn asked the following and I thought I would share my answer with all (because it is a wonderful story).

"I have read that CP Huntington and Judah took a horseback ride up the Feather River. They may have been accompanied by others. The end result was that they felt it was too steep for a railroad and gave it no further thought. Then about 1900 the Western Pacific folks saw the potential of the North Fork of the Feather and history followed."

Judah "discovered" that the Dutch Flat-Donner Pass route was apparently practical for a railroad in late October 1860. Understand that all he was doing was comparing distance traveled by horse (with an odometer) and elevation (with a barometer). To do this rigorously one would build a fire and boil water every so often to determine the boiling temperature of water (which varies with elevation) to "calibrate" the elevation readings obtained with the barometer. Whether Judah did this very often on his two-day trip from Dutch Flat to the Summit is unknown. In any event, the initial "survey" was a fairly quick examination. However, it was enough (in light of the strong regional interest in developing a new route from tidewater to Virginia City. It was enough to induce Huntington, Stanford, and at least one of the Crockers into financing a team of surveyors (led by Judah) to conduct a more thorough survey—with transit and chain. This was accomplished during the spring and summer of 1861, following which Judah (in October)—and Huntington (in December)—went to Washington D.C. to see if they could get some federal money to build a railroad over that route.

In or about April 1862 Huntington returned to California. On 1 July 1862 Congress—with Lincoln’s signature—gave the CPRR the franchise to build the central portion of the Pacific Railroad. Judah arrived in California upon his return in mid August. On the 11th of August the Sacramento Union reprinted a note from the Mountain Messenger (of Quincy I believe) to the effect that the Feather River offered the best route over the Sierra. Oddly, the CPRR—over Hopkins’ signature—printed a notice in the Union of 22 August asking the public for information about a good route to run a railroad across the Sierra.

I think this is very interesting. It implies—if nothing else—a desire to make the best decision possible relative to route. But it also implies that some were having second thoughts about the Donner route. Between the time of Judah’s departure for Washington in October 1861 and Huntington’s departure two months later, Stanford, Huntington, and Charles Crocker had gone over to Carson City via Donner Pass. It was their first time there, and in Stanford’s testimony twenty years later, the visit was a shock. They had no idea just how rugged the country. It may well be that nothing was said (or done) at the time, pending action in Washington. But once that was accomplished, they really had to pick a route and start building a railroad.

In September 1862, soon upon the heels of Judah’s return from Washington and Hopkins’ query in the newspaper, the CPRR hired surveyor George Goddard to run up and “survey” Yuba pass (which leads between the Yuba River and Sierra Valley—on the upper middle fork of the Feather). At the same time, Judah and Huntington went to Sierra Valley (taken thence in a wagon by Congressman A.A. Sargent). I wonder just what Judah thought of all this. I think he may have been wounded that his “partners” would question “his” Donner route. Regardless, in Sierra Valley Huntington and Judah hired two local Chinese fellows to carry their gear and to cook, and the foursome commenced their examination of the Feather River to determine whether it had potential as a railroad route.

This must have been a very odd party. We can assume there was little communication between the two white guys and the Chinese. But we can only imagine what transpired between Huntington and Judah. By all accounts Huntington kept his nose to business and would rather sell liquor than drink it. One newspaper reporter described him as “the man who never laughs.” Judah on the other hand liked to drink, liked to buy people drinks, and also thought it was really funny to pass out exploding cigars. So, here we have a guy who “never laughs,” a guy who liked to pass out exploding cigars, and two Chinese with whom they could probably not carry on much of a conversation heading down the middle fork of the Feather River from Sierra Valley.

The middle fork of the Feather is still a remote and wild river. The trip took a full week. It was said later that they were the first to ever make that trip down the river. (I wonder if anyone has done it since.) In places the canyon was so narrow that they had to climb all the way up out of the canyon (apparently using rope ladders miners had used to reach the bottom) and then, after passing some obstruction, lower themselves back down into the canyon. In places the canyon is quite deep—Feather Falls (which drops into that canyon) is (if memory serves) the fourth highest falls in California. The whole experience must have been miserable—all that climbing up and down canyon walls, wadding down the river, scrambling over boulders (in black 19th century street clothes—and shoes—no doubt), probably infected with poison oak, and eating chop suey (or whatever). And IF, on top of everything else, Judah carried any pique that his route over Donner was being questioned, there might have been very little good feeling between the two by the time they reached Bidwell Bar and the stagecoach to Oroville. There is record of only one stagecoach ticket (in Judah’s journal) for travel between Oroville and Sacramento. I suspect Huntington and Judah traveled separately—perhaps with Judah taking the train to Marysville. In any event, Judah and Huntington were rarely together again—until the famous “blow up” the following July. Following the Feather River trip of September 1862 Judah remained in San Francisco until Huntington went east, and only then did Judah go to Sacramento to begin surveying on the grade—toward Donner. Quite correctly, Huntington and Judah concluded that the route they had explored was unsuitable for a railroad.

Now, the really ironic thing about this whole Feather River exploration is that Huntington and Judah went down THE WRONG RIVER!!! They went down the middle fork of the Feather—which drains Sierra Valley. The route Judah’s former partner William S. Stuart had examined in 1859, and which was subsequently used by the Western Pacific, was the north fork of the Feather. Arthur Keddie’s WP route runs up the north fork, and then jumps over to the middle fork at Spring Garden. I do not know just when that little gap between the north and the middle forks was discovered. It would also be very interesting to know just when Huntington learned of their “mistake.” Long before the CP connected with the UP in Utah, the Oroville and Virginia City was being promoted to use the Feather River route. Huntington’s nightmare was that the UP would not connect with the CP at all, but would run on to California and a connection with the California Pacific via the Feather River and the California Northern at Oroville. He must have rolled in his grave when the UP acquired the WP.

Now, having said all that, I think it unlikely that the CPRR would have used the Feather River route had they really known it. I am convinced that their primary objective was the Virginia City commerce, and the Donner route PROMISED to allow them to cut into that trade sooner than would a railroad built via the Feather. I think it was the wrong decision, but it was the only one they could have made. The men who built the CPRR knew no more about their future than we do ours. They made the best decisions they could based upon the best evidence they could gather.

—Wendell