The Freight Era, Oil Tanks and High Street

An east view down High St. at Huntoon St. in 2016. The view in the first half of the 20th century was quite different.

L158-05-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 1 of 39)

In the early 1950s, the same east view would have shown the SN, by then an isolated freight operation as a result of the decision not to repair the severed trestle connecting the bridge over the Feather River that occurred in Dec. 1937. Reg McGovern was sure to document the tense relationship between freights and the residents.

L158-10-Reginald McGovern Photo, Courtesy Janet McGovern , (Image 2 of 39)

This mid-1950s freight customer list provides valuable information as to where the SN had to go in Oroville to provide service. In addition to these customers, the SN provided switching between the parent Western Pacific, WP, and Southern Pacific, SP. This allowed the isolated freight operation to last from mid-Dec. 1937 until July 1, 1957.

L158-15-Western Pacific Circular No. 167-E, Courtesy Bruce Eldridge, (Image 3 of 39)

To provide an overview of the freight operation prior to dissecting its parts, this 1947 map was modified as shown on the next image ...

L158-20-Courtesy Butte County Public Works, (Image 4 of 39)

An annotated version of the 1947 map provides the freight spurs and those customers that were not served by the main spur. Note the documentation for the location of the critical WP-SP interchange along the center of the bottom or southern edge of the map.

L158-25-Courtesy Butte County Public Works and Stuart Swiedler, (Image 5 of 39)

This 1933 diagram shows the major customers, Shell Oil, Union Oil and Butte County Public Works on the two spurs that paralleled the Marysville Rd., since renamed the Feather River Blvd. The small building to the south of the SN main line through town was an electrical substation for the railway.

L158-30-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 36922 , (Image 6 of 39)

More details are provided in this pre-1938 or pre-flood diagram from the SN corporate files. See the next image for a detail of the area under review.

L158-35-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 37062, (Image 7 of 39)

Note the track arrangement for the main line relative to the two spurs in this detail of the pre-1938 diagram. The extra track served to allow freight switching without impeding traffic on the mainline, more critical during passenger service up until Dec. 1937. The action or inaction to the comments added in red have not been determined.

L158-40-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 37062, (Image 8 of 39)

Here, a comparison of north-oriented aerials of the area in Nov. 1937 prior to the washout of the trestle, in 1962 five years after abandonment of the right-of-way, and in 2017. The arrow points to an area that will agree with ground images from 1949, but not with the aerial to follow from 1952. Ref: US Dept. of Agriculture Photo, Courtesy the National Archives, Detail AAX-129-35, Nov. 27, 1937; Cartwright Aerials BUT 3-197, 1962; Google Earth 2017

L158-45-Multiple Attributions, (Image 9 of 39)

This Oct. 2, 1952 northwesterly-oriented aerial from the Oroville Reservoir Project will be used to follow a series of ground images EK Muller took in 1949. First the details depicted in the aerial. Ref: G4363.B8A4 1952 .C2; Attributed to Cartwright Studios

L158-50-Oroville Reservoir Project, Courtesy UC Davis Map Collection, Shields Library, (Image 10 of 39)

A detail of the area supplied by the SN. Although other customers are noted in the images to follow from the 1940s, only Shell Oil, Union Oil and the Butte County can be verified to be located here in 1952 based on the WP freight list in L158-15. The green arrow points to the first set or western-most poles that supported the overhead wire for the SN. The red arrow points the railway power sub-station. Ref: G4363.B8A4 1952 .C2 Attributed to Cartwright Studios

L158-55-Oroville Reservoir Project, Courtesy UC Davis Map Collection, Shields Library, Detail, (Image 11 of 39)

To begin, look closely at this further detail of the northern portion of the area where the western-most spur supplied Shell Oil and the Butte County Material Yard, Oct. 2, 1952. Ref: G4363.B8A4 1952 .C2 Attributed to Cartwright Studios

L158-60-Oroville Reservoir Project, Courtesy UC Davis Map Collection, Shields Library, Detail, (Image 12 of 39)

Start the trip across the yard by joining SN 405 and boxcar in a north view from Feb. 8, 1949. SN 405 served Oroville after WWII, and took over all freight duty in 1950 until the overhead wires were removed on Apr. 15, 1954. If you have noticed the buildings don’t exactly match with the 1937 aerial, L158-45, the red arrow in that image denotes the absence of one building, added between 1949 and 1952.

L158-65-EK Muller Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 88300sn, (Image 13 of 39)

Continue with SN 405 and boxcar in a northeast view from Feb. 8, 1949 as the crew check to make sure that the dirt road extension of Robinson St. is clear of traffic before proceeding.

L158-70-EK Muller Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 88301sn, (Image 14 of 39)

Now review this further detail of the southern portion of the area where both spurs may be seen. Ref: G4363.B8A4 1952 .C2 Attributed to Cartwright Studios.

L158-75-Oroville Reservoir Project, Courtesy UC Davis Map Collection, Shields Library, Detail, (Image 15 of 39)

SN 405 and boxcar have crossed the road, and oil storage tanks belonging to Union Oil now appear in this east view from Feb, 8, 1949.

L158-80-EK Muller Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 88302sn, (Image 16 of 39)

SN 405 and boxcar have come to a stop in this east view, completing this set of four from EK Muller on his Feb. 8, 1949 visit.

L158-85-EK Muller Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 88303sn, (Image 17 of 39)

The negative for this southwest view has not been found, but a single print indicates it was from Feb. 8, 1947, possibly a error in the date, and included FF Muller, EK’s dad, on the credits. The small shed, and the spur connection with the mainline in the background provide all that is needed to locate the scene.

L158-90-EK and FF Muller Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 116842sn, (Image 18 of 39)

Sufficient documentation indicates other customers being served by the SN in this area, such as Butte Soft Wood Moulding Co., based on these letters and contract. Follow Up 1961 in a document noted these documents from 1946, although the outcome of their business with the SN was not noted past these dates.

L158-95-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 39638, l, 39626, r, (Image 19 of 39)

This updated 1923 diagram shows the location of Butte Soft Wood by the use of a gold outline “of the two land areas westerly of the spur track serving the Butte County Material Yard” as noted by soon to retire SN President, Harry Mitchell, in L158-95. This document was labelled “1961 follow-up”, so the building and wood piles south of Robinson St. in L158-75 would correspond to half the land leased in 1946.

L158-100-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 39626, (Image 20 of 39)

Of course, the SN wanted to make sure that the customers actually needed freight service, and those that didn’t were not granted a lease as in this example of Grant and Vick's Machine Shop in Apr. 1946.

L158-105-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 39639-2, (Image 21 of 39)

Once they abandoned the right-of-way, it appears the SN was more intent on renting the land as an investment as the construction of Highway 70, not Highway 40 as stated, was initiated.

L158-110-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 39638, (Image 22 of 39)

This 2015 oblique aerial is annotated with a red arrow pointing east down High St., the path of the SN mainline freight in Oroville. The orange arrow marks the location of the spur between 3rd and 4th Aves. to the SN’s main yard in Oroville. The white fence heading southeast still provides an outline of the former route once south of High St.

L158-115-Courtesy Google, (Image 23 of 39)

Starting at the western edge of Briggs Car Care Center at 1600 Feather River Blvd. and facing east in 2016, a detailed image of the expected location of mainline prior to the split of the two spurs is shown.

L158-120-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 24 of 39)

This 1949-1950 east “before” image of L158-120 was likely taken by Richard W. Holmes, as were all photos from the Holmes Bros. Collection, based on other images to be shown in the future.

L158-125-Holmes Bros. Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 100250sn, (Image 25 of 39)

Next a southwest view of the SN substation that served this branch line east of the river.

L158-130-Holmes Bros. Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 100251sn, (Image 26 of 39)

This Feb. 2, 1947 northeast view shows SN 405 and tank car just east of the Union Oil spur. The crossbuck in the background marks the grade crossing with the Marysville Rd. and the beginning of High St.

L158-135-Arthur Lloyd Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 113756sn, (Image 27 of 39)

Another northeast view from Feb. 2, 1947, with SN 405 and tank car now further east at the grade crossing with the Marysville Rd. and the beginning of High St.

L158-140-Arthur Lloyd Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives 113757sn, (Image 28 of 39)

A view down High St. from Feather River Blvd. in 2015 begins the abandoned path of the SN. Except for the position of the fence delineating the position of the spur that follows, all that remains is cracks or lines in the asphalt and it is not known if the rails were actually removed from the road.

L158-145-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 29 of 39)

An east view down High St. circa 1940. The location of this image could not be matched with any landmarks from current views.

L158-150-Paul Smith Photo Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 106927sn, (Image 30 of 39)

Another unmatchable east view from 6th Ave. and High St., Sept. 4, 1943. The curve of the spur to the main SN yard between 3rd and 4th Aves. can be appreciated in the distance.

L158-155-Vernon Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 106917sn, (Image 31 of 39)

Here at the main SN yard spur connector, SN 405 and freight are in the acting of switching just east of 4th Ave. in this northwest view circa 1950. Finally, a scene that can be matched with one from 2016 ...

L158-160-Holmes Bros. Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 100247sn, (Image 32 of 39)

.... a matching view of a northwest view in 2016 just east of 4th. Ave. The home on the left and the pole in front match exactly save the addition of the staircase to the home’s east side. The spur right-of-way is still preserved and will be addressed in a later presentation.

L158-165-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 33 of 39)

Several blocks east to Oak St., where the track splits into two to the east, east view, 1955. Note the absence of overhead wires by this date.

L158-170-Harre Demoro Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 34 of 39)

Further east and approaching the mainline turn to the freight depot at Huntoon St., this east view from Sept. 5, 1943 also shows the spur to Vaughan and Sons on the left, and the one to Diamond Match on the right. Note the extra trackage in the left foreground used to access the Vaughan and Sons spur.

L158-175-Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives,106919sn , (Image 35 of 39)

The same east view west of Huntoon St. in 2016. The view shows several landmarks from the image from 1943.

L158-180-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 36 of 39)

Two of the wire pole supports from the freight era remain, northeast view, 2016.

L158-185-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 37 of 39)

Back to L158-10, an early 1950s east view at Huntoon St. where SN freight turned into the depot. Now to address the impact of the freight operations on Oroville residents.

L158-190-Reginald McGovern Photo, Courtesy Janet McGovern , (Image 38 of 39)

Two undated and unattributed newspaper clippings describe complaints about freight switching at night that was usually performed with daytime passenger service, suggesting that the left article was from pre-1938. The mention of the switching performed by the SN between WP and SP provides a basis for its longevity as an isolated freight line.

L158-195-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 41180, (Image 39 of 39)