Any railroad buffs here?

[eelgrass]

This is the railroad my father worked on from 1950 to 1983. He retired when the Southern Pacific abandoned this 150 mile line. It ran from Eureka, CA to the Bay area. It was called the Northwestern Pacific Railroad. It ran along the Eel River entirely through private property. Dad would sneak me and a friend on the train and stop and drop us off to steelhead fish in the winter. They would stop and pick us up the next day on the way north. As long as we stayed between the tracks and the river we didn't have any trouble with the ranch owners. Dad knew a lot of them. This video was taken in 2009. It brings back a lot of memories. About a 6 minute video. Turn off the sound, the music is too much.

 

[Snoopdogg]

Very cool!

 

[Homer]

I’ve ridden the steam train out of Ely a couple times…..very cool ride. Ember belching sob for sure….That one needs a fair amount of track maintanace eel…..

 

[ismith]

Interesting. My wife’s family is from Ferndale.

 

[Homer]

Interesting. My wife’s family is from Ferndale.

Were they there in 1964?

 

[ismith]

Were they there in 1964?

Well before.

 

[Homer]

Well before.

so.....they survived the flood......very interested

Great story....eel sent me a book about it.

 

[Longun]

I wouldn't take your Mtn Bike on it anymore Eel...

 

[eelgrass]

Interesting. My wife’s family is from Ferndale.

Were they there during the earthquakes in April 1992?

There are (were) about 30 tunnels along that RR line. They ran 3 trains a week, each had 100 to 150 loaded lumber cars headed south. Then bring empties back north the next day. As seen by all the rolling stock in the river it was one of the more dangerous RR in the US.

There is an effort being made to make a hiking trail where the old road bed is now. It seems like a pipe dream.

 

[ismith]

so.....they survived the flood......very interested

Great story....eel sent me a book about it.

Apparently my MIL spent some time in the rafters, she was a toddler at the time.

 

[eelgrass]

There was another flood in 1955.

"On December 20, 1955, torrential rains caused the South Fork of the Eel River to overflow to record heights. The little town of Weott, just north of the old Stephens Grove CCC Camp, sustained heavy damage."

There was a south bound train that got washed off into the river. The engineer, the conductor, and the fireman were in the engine and drowned. The next day my dad was on the work train that went there. He took some 8mm movie of the divers trying to recover the bodies. They were unsuccessful that day. I had the film made into a CD and I may be the only living person who has seen it. It's only about a 30 second video.

 

[ismith]

Were they there during the earthquakes in April 1992?

There are (were) about 30 tunnels along that RR line. They ran 3 trains a week, each had 100 to 150 loaded lumber cars headed south. Then bring empties back north the next day. As seen by all the rolling stock in the river it was one of the more dangerous RR in the US.

There is an effort being made to make a hiking trail where the old road bed is now. It seems like a pipe dream.

Her grandparents and extended family were.

 

[Snoopdogg]

There was another flood in 1955.

"On December 20, 1955, torrential rains caused the South Fork of the Eel River to overflow to record heights. The little town of Weott, just north of the old Stephens Grove CCC Camp, sustained heavy damage."

There was a south bound train that got washed off into the river. The engineer, the conductor, and the fireman were in the engine and drowned. The next day my dad was on the work train that went there. He took some 8mm movie of the divers trying to recover the bodies. They were unsuccessful that day. I had the film made into a CD and I may be the only living person who has seen it. It's only about a 30 second video.

I would love to see that footage.

 

[eelgrass]

I would love to see that footage.

Dad told me that the engineer was a young guy who had moved down from Alaska just a couple months before. He told dad he and his wife were sure glad to be out Alaska because the RR up there was dangerous.

Dad spent his entire career as a brakeman. He said riding in the caboose was the safest place to be going down the canyon in the winter.

 

[2lumpy]

I would have thought the opposite. Like being at the tip of the whip……

 

[eelgrass]

I would have thought the opposite. Like being at the tip of the whip……

They had strict speed limits in the canyon. Several sections were down to 10mph. At times they had an inspector lead the train looking for washouts or obstructions.

After Southern Pacific got out there were a couple different owners who tried to make a go of it but they went belly up. The very last train (sometime in the 90's) was headed south with loaded cars and there was a washout ahead. The crew pulled into a siding and cut the cars off, then the engine went back north. They never did fix that washout and those cars are still stuck there today. The engines are stuck in Eureka rusting away.

 

[Homer]

They had strict speed limits in the canyon. Several sections were down to 10mph. At times they had an inspector lead the train looking for washouts or obstructions.

After Southern Pacific got out there were a couple different owners who tried to make a go of it but they went belly up. The very last train (sometime in the 90's) was headed south with loaded cars and there was a washout ahead. The crew pulled into a siding and cut the cars off, then the engine went back north. They never did fix that washout and those cars are still stuck there today. The engines are stuck in Eureka rusting away.

How come the Eurekans didn't scrap them to China in 2005?

 

[eelgrass]

Eurekans aren't that smart. The city counsel still thinks the RR will start back up any day now. They were surrounded by a homeless camp for a long time.

 

[slamdunk]

My stepfather was a narrow gauge railroad buff, I grew up chasing old railroad towns all throughout Colorado and Utah.
I've got dozens of books, original blueprints, documents, etc, etc and don't know what to do with it all now that he has passed.

 

[LIK2HNT]

Very nice.
Wife and I have talked about riding the Skunk train from Ukiah to Fort Bragg for many years. Just never made the trip happen. Hopefully when we get around to it it will still be running.

 

[eelgrass]

I took a ride this morning. Here's what's left of the Railroad on the north end. 4 locomotives stranded. They might as well be on the moon.

 

[2lumpy]

Great history eel…….nothing like looking back at the good times and special things from the past. I enjoy watching YouTubes of the old steam engine trains that used to bring so many things to our little town, out in the middle of “know were” Alberta. We harassed the daylights out of the railroad employees. I’m sure they spoke poorly of us……… they should have.

Now, let’s go back a post or two and have you tell us about the fish you caught between the tracks and the nights under the stars…….

 

[slamdunk]

I know it's pretty commercialized but I highly recommend riding the Silverton Train in Durango, Colorado.
It's still the old narrow gauge steam driven engines with history and unparalleled scenery that will instil lifelong memories.

 

[eelgrass]

Now, let’s go back a post or two and have you tell us about the fish you caught between the tracks and the nights under the stars…….

We were hardly experienced steelhead fishermen at the time, but we always managed to catch a couple. Steelhead fishing is hard. We didn't know how to read the water or how to make a presentation, etc. We were mostly just lucky.

The most memorable event happened one evening. Me and a friend were done fishing for the day and it was turning dark. We picked a place to camp and built a fire. It seemed we were completely on our own as we hadn't seen anybody all day. Out of nowhere here came a guy. He had a paper sack with him and he said "Here's some food for you boys." He handed us the bag and left. There was a dozen eggs, a loaf of bread, and a pound of bacon. He never introduced himself. Dad had no idea who it was either and to my knowledge he never did find out. We sure did eat good on that trip though.

One trip it started to rain hard and we had no tent. We were supposed to stay between the tracks and the river but above the tracks was a line shack with nobody there so we crawled under it where it was dry and spent the night there. We made sure we were out of there before it got light. We never even tried to door. Don't say anything to my Dad.

Another trip we roasted some hot dogs on sticks. The sticks turned out to be dormant poison oak. I had to go to the doctor and get some shots for it. Ha!

 

[2lumpy]

We were hardly experienced steelhead fishermen at the time, but we always managed to catch a couple. Steelhead fishing is hard. We didn't know how to read the water or how to make a presentation, etc. We were mostly just lucky.

The most memorable event happened one evening. Me and a friend were done fishing for the day and it was turning dark. We picked a place to camp and built a fire. It seemed we were completely on our own as we hadn't seen anybody all day. Out of nowhere here came a guy. He had a paper sack with him and he said "Here's some food for you boys." He handed us the bag and left. There was a dozen eggs, a loaf of bread, and a pound of bacon. He never introduced himself. Dad had no idea who it was either and to my knowledge he never did find out. We sure did eat good on that trip though.

One trip it started to rain hard and we had no tent. We were supposed to stay between the tracks and the river but above the tracks was a line shack with nobody there so we crawled under it where it was dry and spent the night there. We made sure we were out of there before it got light. We never even tried to door. Don't say anything to my Dad.

Another trip we roasted some hot dogs on sticks. The sticks turned out to be dormant poison oak. I had to go to the doctor and get some shots for it. Ha!

I beeeennnn watching youuuuu…….

Naw….. those were different times.
Maybe he was living in that line shack. ?

They claim hot peppers burn twice eel. What does poison oak do?

The fish were incidental to the days out there on your own. I’m saying, it helped shaped your life eel. Part of what set you up for that solo Alaskan caribou hunt.

 

[eelgrass]

They claim hot peppers burn twice eel. What does poison oak do?

"Poison oak is no joke"

If you heat the sap up over a fire for example, it becomes active. If it gets on your hands and you touch other parts of your body, you'll get a rash there. Like if you rub your eyes or take a leak. The rash itches like crazy and if you scratch it, it will blister. The blisters will pop and spread it. You're in for about two weeks of misery. Calamine lotion is the only over the counter therapy. It helps dry it up. I'm not sure what's in the shots you can get do.

 

[LIK2HNT]

Prednisone (sp) is a steroid that helps. Interesting how you can not be allergic to poison oak (or at least it does not affect you). And later in life you can get affected and visa versa.

Another nasty plant that I just learned about is Myrtle Spurge. It’s another invasive species.

 

[2lumpy]

im thinking….. that’s a memory that stays close to the surface. A guy probably doesn’t have to do that twice to figure it out.

Seems like ever patch of paradise has its “oh sh!ts”.

 

[eelgrass]

Prednisone (sp) is a steroid that helps. Interesting how you can not be allergic to poison oak (or at least it does not affect you). And later in life you can get affected and visa versa.

Another nasty plant that I just learned about is Myrtle Spurge. It’s another invasive species.

Some people it doesn't bother too much. Kind of rare but I used to get it from the logs that were brought into our sawmill.