The Freight Depot and The Diamond Match Company

An west view down High St. at Huntoon St. in 2016 reveals a crack on the sidewalk, possibly the result of an earthquake or two, or maybe something else worth exploring ...

L159-05-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 1 of 28)

Before-and-after west views, 1950 vs. 2016, left and right, respectively, provide a possible answer. The sidewalk must have been damaged when the track was removed.

L159-10-Holmes Bros. Coll., Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 100246sn and Stuart Swi, (Image 2 of 28)

Backing up to view the whole image from the left panel of L159-10, the spur in question led to a supplier of hardware and paint with “ND” as a part of the name. West view circa 1950.

L159-15-Holmes Bros. Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 100246sn , (Image 3 of 28)

Next, this circa 1935 southwest view establishes the spur is to The Diamond Match Company. This southwest view shows the only view found of the Myers St.-side of Diamond Match and the end of the SN spur, denoted by the catenary wire pole. The Western Pacific, WP, berm, set to cross Myers St., is seen along the left edge. Ref: Sc2677

L159-20-Frank Flannery Photo, Courtesy the Meriam Library, California State University, Chico, (Image 4 of 28)

Now a few steps back toward Huntoon St., and SN 405 is seen navigating the left curve into the depot area in the early 1950s. Nice view of the sign for Vaughan and Sons Seed and Feed.

L159-25-Reginald McGovern Photo, Moreau Coll., Courtesy BAERA, W. Railway Museum Archives, 117392sn, (Image 5 of 28)

Moments later, Reg McGovern caught the now parked SN 405 in a northwest view in the early 1950s, left side. The building behind the motor and what is left of the Vaughan’s sign is shown as it appeared in 2016 on the right, northwest view.

L159-30-Reginald McGovern Photo, Courtesy Janet McGovern, and Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 6 of 28)

Now turning the view to the southeast, this Apr. 3, 1940 image captures Diamond Match and the WP berm on the right side of the image. The structure just behind SN 403 and boxcar needs some explanation.

L159-35-Arthur Lloyd Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 129809sn, (Image 7 of 28)

After the combination passenger-freight depot was built ca. 1905, the Northern Electric, NE, constructed the pictured freight depot that ran parallel to Huntoon St. and up against Robinson St. on its north side. Northeast view, undated.

L159-40-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 108543sn, (Image 8 of 28)

The structure to the east of the NE freight depot, now the SN freight depot as seen in this 1937 north-oriented aerial, is the warehouse that served other customers in the area. Based on one document to be shown in a future presentation, that building was not built by the NE, but most likely by Butte County for multiple purposes. Ref: Butte County, AAX-91-42, Sept. 20, 1937

L159-45-US Dept. of Agriculture Photo, Courtesy the National Archives, Detail, (Image 9 of 28)

This southwest oblique from 1946 provides more detail to the SN freight operation. The next detail is annotated. Ref: sc20214

L159-50 Eastman's Studio Photo, Courtesy the Meriam Library, California State University, Chico, (Image 10 of 28)

This annotated detail of the southwest oblique from 1946 shows the key structures in and around the SN freight depot area. Note the final version of the SN passenger station that had paralleled Myers St. had been replaced by a gas station by this time. Ref: sc2677

L159-55 Eastman's Studio Photo, Courtesy the Meriam Library, California State University, Chico, (Image 11 of 28)

All of the previous preamble now sets the stage for this early 1950s east view of SN 405 as it sits on the left curve from High St. with the warehouse just behind.

L159-60-Reginald McGovern Photo, Courtesy Janet McGovern, (Image 12 of 28)

An image of SN 653 and caboose in the depot area along the warehouse in a northeast view harkens to the pre-1938 passenger era when any SN motor had access to Oroville via the bridge over the Feather River. Wil Whittaker, who took several images of Oroville in Nov. 1937 just two weeks prior to the devastating flood, took this image on Sept. 6, 1937, with no other images known from that date.

L159-65-Wilbur C Whittaker Photo, Courtesy Arnold Menke , (Image 13 of 28)

Next a series of south views toward Diamond Match at the freight station, starting here with SN 402 and 403 from Apr. 14, 1940.

L159-70-Louis Bradas, Jr. Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 70781sn, (Image 14 of 28)

This next south view was during WWII, 1943, evident from the light blinder on motor SN 403. The yellow arrow marks 1680 Huntoon St. According to Polk’s, Harry J. Mitchell moved his cabinet making business from 1844 Montgomery St. to here between 1940-1945. His wife Beatrice was a searcher at Butte Co. Title Co., and they resided at 2246 Hewitt Ave. It is not known if this Mitchell was related to the SN President of the same name.

L159-75-Vernon Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 106920sn, (Image 15 of 28)

Next a south view of SN 405 from May 18, 1949. The insert shows 1680 Huntoon St., now adorned with a marquee indicating that Harry Mitchell had expanded his cabinet shop to general contracting as well. The Mitchell’s had relocated north of the Feather River to Riverview Terrace Dr. by 1950.

L159-80-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, Sappers Collection, Moreau, (Image 16 of 28)

One more south view with SN 405 circa 1950 to show the full expanse of the north side of Diamond Match.

L159-85-Vernon Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 89369sn, (Image 17 of 28)

Next, to north views of the freight station, left, and warehouse, right, with SN 405 from Sept. 1949.

L159-90-Ted Wurm Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 33473sn, (Image 18 of 28)

North views at the freight station were popular. All images courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives. Starting at the top, left to right, Moreau Collection, ca. 1947; Dave Gumz Photo, ca. 1950, 102999sn; Tom Buckingham Photo, Feb. 1949, 54887sn; Arthur Lloyd Photo, Mar. 1951, 113762sn; Holmes Bros. Collection, ca. 1950, 100243sn; EK and FF Muller Collection, EK Muller Photo, Feb. 1, 1949, 113718sn ; Holmes Bros. Collection, ca. 1950, 100244sn; Vernon Sappers Collection, 1950, 89372sn

L159-95-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, Multiple Attributions, (Image 19 of 28)

Using the background of the images in L159-95, a composite image can be derived depicting the north side of Robinson St. between Myers and Huntoon Sts., the site of Huntington’s Automotive Service. Today this is an empty lot with a small structure housing Uncle Ping’s restaurant to the east side.

L159-100-Derived from Images, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, Multiple Attributions, (Image 20 of 28)

In rare cases, SN 405 was joined by other freight motors in the 1949-1953 period, here shown on Aug. 6, 1952 in northeast, left, and northwest, right, views, respectively. Documentation of the route taken by this motor to Oroville, most likely from Chico, was not found.

L159-105-Ford-Moreau Coll., Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 106907sn, l, 106909, r, (Image 21 of 28)

The SN Oroville freight service was converted to diesel engine operation once electric service was terminated on Apr. 15, 1954. No images of active freight switching using diesel engines from this date until abandonment of the line in 1957 could be found. That such a service existed is supported by these undated images of SN 147 at the freight depot, southwest view, left, northwest view, right, with no overhead wires in place.

L159-110-Arthur Lloyd Photos, Courtesy BAERA, W. Railway Museum Archives, 113761sn, l, 113759, r , (Image 22 of 28)

SN 405 and boxcar leave the freight depot for High St. in this ca. 1950 north view, heading toward the main SN yard and WP interchange location, the next destination on this trip back in time to review the SN Oroville freight operation.

L159-115-EK Muller Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 96927sn, (Image 23 of 28)

Next two images of SN 405 circa 1950 with enough clues in the background to establish the position of the motor. The first ...

L159-120-Reg McGovern Photo, Western Pacific Railroad Corporate Archives, Kenneth J. Meeker Coll., (Image 24 of 28)

... and the second, circa 1950.

L159-125-Reg McGovern Photo, Western Pacific Railroad Corporate Archives, Kenneth J. Meeker Coll., (Image 25 of 28)

Just when you think you have it all figured out, this north view of SN 650 comes along. With a purported date of Oct. 26, 1954, the overhead wires are still present, appreciating the end of electric service is stated in texts to be Apr. 1954. SN 650, the casualty of the Lisbon trestle collapse in mid-1951. It could have visited this spot in 1954 via the WP from its switching duties in Marysville-Yuba City.

L159-130-Harold Stewart Photo, Stan Kistler Coll., Courtesy BAERA, WRM Archives, 77782sn, (Image 26 of 28)

A north-directed oblique from Oct. 31, 1955 provides more documentation of the diesel era in Oroville. See detail next ...

L159-135- Copyright California Department of Transportation, 4610-2 , (Image 27 of 28)

Find the freight depot in this detail from Oct. 31, 1955 and on the track will be a striped SN 44-ton diesel.

L159-140- Copyright California Department of Transportation 4610-2, Detail , (Image 28 of 28)