The Holland Branch – Down The Levee, Where is Bermuda?, Argenta Beets, and The Tower of Babel

After a short detour off the mainline to Clarksburg, this update will begin where the main branch presentation ended last, on top of the levee on Pumphouse Rd. As Dave Stanley noted of this image, “Union Pacific GP30 863 noses across Pumphouse Rd. outside of Clarksburg with two loads on May 25, 1984.” Northwest view.

L250-05-Dave Stanley Photo, Courtesy Dave Stanley, Copyright 2018, (Image 1 of 32)

This north view from Pumphouse Rd. in 2015 of the remains of the northern ramp to the levee was a favorite place for photographers. The white structure toward the center is a very high frequency omni-directional range, VOR, a radio navigation system for aircraft that was present from at least 1957, and the large white building to the right or east was added in the late 1980s. Coming in from the left or west are electrical transmission towers.

L250-10-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 2 of 32)

These iconic images by Dave Stanley from Aug. 7, 1972 of SN 711 and freight have been published many times, and for good reason. The five ice reefers indicate a trip south to Greendale for the onion crop, while the front four cars will eventually end up at the sugar mill. This time period marked the end of service south of Clarksburg.

L250-15-Dave Stanley Photos, Courtesy Dave Stanley, Copyright 2018, (Image 3 of 32)

Moving forward in time from the last image, Stanley was also there for the final hurrah for the Union Pacific on Jan. 25, 1991, north view. As he describes it, “UP1317, ex-WP1503, tiptoes over less than stellar track behind a highrail escort.”

L250-20-Dave Stanley Photo, Courtesy Dave Stanley, Copyright 2018, (Image 4 of 32)

Six years after the sugar mill closed, a pair of excursions on June 26, 1999 gave railfans a chance to ride in a diesel-led passenger train, or as seen here, photograph a freight with former Southern Pacific 1233. Note the condition of the neglected track in these northeast views. For more on 1233, see https://www.svhr.org/1233/1233.htm

L250-25-Dave Stanley Photos, Courtesy Dave Stanley, Copyright 2018 , (Image 5 of 32)

These two images are west views from June 26, 1999 following the south-bound path of SP 1233 up the north rise to the levee.

L250-30-Dave Stanley Photos, Courtesy Dave Stanley, Copyright 2018 , (Image 6 of 32)

Dave Stanley images and descriptions, starting top left, left to right. Riding on scorched roadbed, borrowed Tidewater Southern RS1 746, eases two molasses loads north, downgrade towards Bermuda on Sept. 14, 1973. SN GP7 711 teams up with wooden bay window cab WP658 on May 7, 1973 northbound from Clarksburg. Right at home on the Holland, former WP GP9 729 sports its new UP 304 identity as it approaches Willow Point on Apr. 22 1985 with empties for bagged sugar loading. GP7 711 leads two loads of White Satin sugar and an empty gondola north through timetable station Bermuda in the late afternoon sun during 1975. WP710 cab hops up the hill at Willow Point en route to the sugar mill on Nov. 16 1976.

L250-35-Dave Stanley Photos, Courtesy Dave Stanley, Copyright 2018 , (Image 7 of 32)

Next, heading down the levee toward Bermuda with Dan Engstrom aboard the Yolo Shortline in Jan. 1991, north view.

L250-40-Dan Engstrom Photo, Courtesy Dan Engstrom, (Image 8 of 32)

Ken Meeker’s two north views from Apr. 25, 1984 provide a panoramic view toward what was known as Bermuda and Argenta. Next, to provide exact locations for these two places. The small hut along the line is a valuable marker to be cited later.

L250-45-Kenneth J. Meeker Photos, Courtesy Feather River Rail Society, (Image 9 of 32)

The map to the left that has served this review so well shows what corresponded to the the SN location of Argenta, but not that of Bermuda. Both were on the straight away north of Pumphouse Rd., their distances less than 1 mile apart as shown on the diagrammatic rendering on the right. Ref: Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives.

L250-50-Courtesy Map Collection, Shields Library, University of California, Davis, and BAERA 17084sn, (Image 10 of 32)

A commercial customer for Bermuda is absent in the 1957 Western Pacific, WP, Circular No. 167-E. This map from 1928 shows an easterly siding or run-around track with a capacity for 15 cars.

L250-55-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 64588sn, (Image 11 of 32)

Argenta also had an easterly siding or run-around track, but with a capacity for 19 cars according to the 1928 map. The 1957 Western Pacific, WP, Circular No. 167-E identifies Spreckels Sugar Co. as a customer here, with a capacity for 20 cars.

L250-60-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 64588sn, (Image 12 of 32)

To substantiate the findings on the 1928 maps, east-oriented views from 1937, left, and 1957, right, are shown. The navigation VOR is marked by a green arrow, and the small hut marked by a red arrow. The areas enclosed by the orange rectangles will be examined next. Ref: Left: ABB-49-57, Aug. 18, 1937; Right: ABB 70T-35, Sept. 18, 1937

L250-65-Courtesy Map Collection, Shields Library, University of California, Davis, (Image 13 of 32)

The higher magnified view of the previous aerial view from 1937 reveals 17 cars at Bermuda, orange arrow, while the turquoise arrow marks 8 cars at Argenta. Additional structures, possibly a beet loader, can be seen at Argenta, just to the left of the arrow. The siding should have been long enough to reach it. Although no cars are seen at either siding in the 1957 aerial, the structures at Argenta appear to still be present. Ref: Left: ABB-49-57, Aug. 18, 1937; Right: ABB 70T-35, Sept. 18, 1957

L250-70-Courtesy Map Collection, Shields Library, University of California, Davis, (Image 14 of 32)

A north view, taken from the rear of the Cal-Neva-sponsored excursion to Colusa led by SN 1009 on May 8, 1938 shows the main track and siding corresponding to Bermuda.

L250-75-Paul Smith Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives , (Image 15 of 32)

Images in the Bermuda-Argenta area are hard to identify without a marker, but here there is no question that this east view of WP GP7 710 with tank cars full of molasses are heading north on Nov. 16, 1976.

L250-80-Dave Stanley Photo, Courtesy Dave Stanley, Copyright 2018, (Image 16 of 32)

A little more subtle, the left image of the train shown earlier led by SN 711 heading to Clarksburg and Greendale on Aug. 7, 1972 can be placed by the small hut seen to the left, and, as shown soon, the faint outline of the electrical tower behind it. On the right, the top of the VOR sticking out above the last car of the freight led by UP 1317, behind a track inspector for the final UP run on Jan. 25, 1991, allows the location to be determined as well.

L250-85-Dave Stanley Photos, Courtesy Dave Stanley, Copyright 2018 , (Image 17 of 32)

If all else fails, there is always the outline of the trees and buildings as in this east view from June 26, 1999 showing GP9 131 heading south pulling the passenger excursion. Check the tree line in image L250-30 if you are in doubt.

L250-90-Dave Stanley Photo, Courtesy Dave Stanley, Copyright 2018, (Image 18 of 32)

Next a region dominated by the descendants of Sacramento-based sheep herder J.H. Glide. Kathleen Graham Hutchinson in the Dec. 6 2006, Volume 26, no. 2 Sacramento River Delta Historical Society Newsletter wrote “Frederick Babel was from Baden Germany. Born in 1817, he emigrated as a youth and lived in Missouri and Ohio. He came to California by the Overland Trail and settled in Yolo County in 1849 …. He built a home on the high bank of the overflow slough at the Sacramento River, hence named Babel Slough.” Go to http://www.srdhs.org/newsletters.html for more.

L250-95-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 64588sn, (Image 19 of 32)

Prior to climbing the grade north to Babel Slough Rd., the region to the south was distinguished by the combination of the easterly parallel road, the telephone poles, and the electrical transmission towers. This southeast view taken by Dan Engstrom aboard the Yolo Shortline in Jan 1991 provides the evidence from the ground. By several accounts, Frederick Babel was said to be the first white settler in the area.

L250-100-Dan Engstrom Photo, Courtesy Dan Engstrom, (Image 20 of 32)

These north-oriented aerial views show the position of the electrical transmission towers, orange arrows, closest to the railway right-of-way in both 1937 and 1957. Ref: Left: ABB-49-58, Aug. 18, 1937; Right: ABB 70T-36, Sept. 18, 1957

L250-105-Courtesy Map Collection, Shields Library, University of California, Davis, (Image 21 of 32)

SN 711 and freight head northbound toward Babel Slough in 1973, an electrical tower in close view.

L250-110-Dave Stanley Photo, Courtesy Dave Stanley, Copyright 2018, (Image 22 of 32)

WP 725 is pictured on a return trip from Clarksburg on June 3, 1984 with hoppers now empty of delivered coke to the sugar mill.The southeast view shows the electrical towers the train will soon be under as it heads north to West Sacramento.

L250-115-Kenneth J. Meeker Photo, Courtesy Feather River Rail Society , (Image 23 of 32)

Relative to the previous image taken by Dan Engstrom, L250-100, the Yolo Shoreline locomotive approaches the same crossing, but here it is moving to the northwest with the rise to the levee at Babel Slough visible in the distance.

L250-120-Dan Engstrom Photo, Courtesy Dan Engstrom, (Image 24 of 32)

This aerial from 1981 marks all the important landmarks seen in the past several images, the blue dot at the crossing seen in the last image. Ref: cas-81081_4-98, May 8, 1981

L250-125-Courtesy University of California Santa Barbara Library, Special Research Collections , (Image 25 of 32)

The map in L250-95 shows two spans over Babel Slough with the road intervening. The left image from the previously mentioned 1938 Cal-Neva excursion is a southeast view north of the more northerly placed trestle, and the resolution is not sufficient to view the smaller span to the south of the road. The aerial of the slough from 1937, right, shows both the northerly and southerly placed spans, orange arrow and turquoise arrows, respectively. Ref: Right, Paul Smith Photo,; Left: ABB-49-60, Aug. 18, 1937

L250-130-Courtesy Map Collection, Shields Library, University of California, Davis, and BAERA, 16082, (Image 26 of 32)

These three aerials show the trestles were filled in by 1971, with the short southerly placed eliminated by 1957. Historicaerials.com concurs, and shows the northerly placed trestle to be present in 1966. Ref: 1957, ABB 70T-37, Sept. 18, 1957, Courtesy Map Collection, Shields Library, University of California, Davis; 1962, Sept. 7, 1962, 62YOLO-2-28 Courtesy Bill Calmes, Cartwright Aerial Surveys; 1971, cas-3069_2-106, Mar. 19, 1971, Courtesy University of California Santa Barbara Library, Special Research Collections

L250-135-Multiple Attributions, (Image 27 of 32)

WP 725 rumbles over Babel Slough on its way to Clarksburg on June 3, 1984 with a full load of coke for the sugar mill, northwest view. There is no indication that the original trestle burned, and views of the fill here show possible evidence of the former structure.

L250-140-Kenneth J. Meeker Photo, Courtesy Feather River Rail Society , (Image 28 of 32)

A north view of the slough and filled in trestle in 2015.

L250-145-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 29 of 32)

A northwest view, left, and southeast view, right, the latter with an overgrown right-of-way in 2015.

L250-150-Stuart Swielder Photos, (Image 30 of 32)

North of the slough, there were no customers, and nothing of particular interest other than the name of those owners noted in the Holland Tract.

L250-155-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 64588sn, (Image 31 of 32)

WP 725 with empties crosses more farm land to the north of the slough, its meeting with S. River Rd. appears imminent in this east view from June 3, 1984. That is where this review will continue next time. Acknowledgement and appreciation to Dave Stanley, Dan Engstrom, and the Feather River Rail Society for use of Ken Meeker’s images.

L250-160-Kenneth J. Meeker Photo, Courtesy Feather River Rail Society , (Image 32 of 32)