Power Poles, Highway 70, and the Loss of East Nicolaus to Arboga

The last update about the 1956 revision of the Sacramento Northern, SN, Reed-Pearson Branch left a big question as to the fate of track south of this junction. A quick trip to East Nicolaus was in order, a former SN stronghold since forgotten as this northeast view from El Centro Blvd. in 2019 documents.

L315-05-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 1 of 37)

The trip was catalyzed by this north view from Nov. 1962 showing the tracks ending north of the SN’s famed power substation. Note the distinctive double set of power-utility poles in the distance, a reliable marker for this northern portion of Sutter County.

L315-10-Harre Demoro Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 2 of 37)

First some background about the SN operation at East Nicolaus. This south panoramic view is an inspection photo taken south of the main station area on June 13, 1921. Note the single track sending of a short spur to Union Oil to the west or right, and the formation of a passing track. Also appreciate the side-by-side sets of very distinctive power-utility poles, complementary to what was shown in L315-10 for north of the station area.

L315-20-Vernon Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 132027sn, (Image 3 of 37)

Further north, this south panorama ca. 1910 taken approximately at the level in 2024 of Nicolaus Ave. shows the passenger station on the right, or west, the power substation on the left, as well as the end of the double-track section prior to the grade crossing a short distance behind the photographer’s position.

L315-25-Louis L. Stein Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 132029sn, (Image 4 of 37)

Once you get to East Nicolaus in 2024, it is somewhat disorienting to determine where the tracks once ran through the epicenter. This side-by-side set of aerials from June 17, 1958 versus 2024 indicate where the tracks would be found if it was still in existence using the broken white line. Davis Ref: Panel AAV-2V- 40, G4363 S9A4 1958 S8

L315-30-Aerial Collection, Archives and Special Collections, UC Davis Library, l, Courtesy Google Earth, r, (Image 5 of 37)

Popular with railfan photographers were Northern Electric, NE, General Manager A. D. Schindler’s craftsman-style stations, the one in East Nicolaus seen here in a north view ca. early 1910s. The intimidating, fully exposed third rails at the station mirrored those at the Schindler designed station at Thermalito. By 1940, the third rails at East Nicolaus would be covered, the ones at Thermalito replaced by overhead wire. Why the rails were dealt differently has not been determined. See Garth Groff’s excellent review of the four Schindler-designed stations.

L315-35-Robert L. Stein Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 229294sn, (Image 6 of 37)

Since most railfans were just passing through, the station was often photographed from inside a train making a stop at the station as in this north view ca. 1940. This image sacrifices some of the station name to document the semaphore, and the boxcar on the siding in the distance.

L315-40-Silleman Bros. Photo, Holmes Bros. Coll., Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 138455sn, (Image 7 of 37)

Richard and Jim Holmes visited the station on Sept. 20, 1959 to take some close-up images of the station, north view.

L315-45-Holmes Bros. Photo, Jim Holmes Coll., Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 176408sn, (Image 8 of 37)

Two images taken by the Holmes Bros. are featured here. They did not take any images of the inside of the building, and no photos of the interior of any of Schindler’s four structures have been identified.

L315-50-Holmes Bros. Photo, Jim Holmes Coll., Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 176395sn, l, 176395, r, (Image 9 of 37)

Two more examples from the Homes’ set. The brothers also visited the Meridian station about this time, but only photographed the front entrance of that structure.

L315-55-Holmes Bros. Photo, Jim Holmes Coll., Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 176391, l, 176393sn, r, (Image 10 of 37)

Harre Demoro took three kodachromes of the station with north, northwest and southeast views, left to right, respectively, in 1963, capturing the whole external structure. The station would only last one year later as shown next.

L315-60-Harre Demoro Photos, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 11 of 37)

Any question as to the date a fire extinguished the structure can be laid to rest with these newspaper clippings from Apr. 23, 1964.

L315-65-Moreau Coll., Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, (Image 12 of 37)

The substation, dating back to 1908, was also a draw for photographers, particularly after it was abandoned after WWII. It is seen here in a NE-sponsored photo viewed to the northeast. See Garth Groff’s detailed review of all the North End substations.

L315-70-Northern Electric Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 229225sn, (Image 13 of 37)

Two color views from 1964 show the west-facing side, left, and south-facing side, right, of the substation. The emblems seen on the left view indicate who was responsible for building this substation.

L315-75-Harre Demoro Photos, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 14 of 37)

One final point about East Nicolaus concerns its value as a freight venue for the SN. The WP Railroad Circular No. 167-E ca. 1957 lists Diamond Match Co. and Valley Warehouse Co. as customers without providing any information about freight car capacity.

L315-80-Courtesy Bruce Eldridge, (Image 15 of 37)

On October 15, 1958, the SN abandoned the track between East Nicolaus to at least Arboga. Sankey to East Nicolaus would now be a branch line. More on changes at Sankey later. The 1958 aerial marks the end of normal through service, the vestiges of the abandoned substation, orange arrow, and the former passenger station, blue arrow, remain. By 1964, the track north of Nicolaus Ave. is gone above the yellow line, and only the substation shell remains. By 1971, all the track is gone, to be explained in the next update.

L315-85-Aerial Collection, Archives and Special Collections, UC Davis Library, (Image 16 of 37)

This duplicate of the previous panel is inserted to list the references for the three aerials.  Davis Refs: Left, Davis Ref: Left, Panel AAV-2V- 40, June 17, 1958, G4363 S9A4 1958 S8;  Center, Panel Sut-1-200, May, 28, 1964, Cartwright Aerial Survey G4363 S9A4 1964 S8; Right, AAZ-1MM-58, May 12, 1971, G4363 S9A4 1971 U6 014

L315-86-Aerial Collection, Archives and Special Collections, UC Davis Library, (Image 17 of 37)

Next to account for what was lost by abandoning the line north of East Nicolaus. The 1912 NE schedule lists the names of all the passenger stops between East Nicolaus and Arboga, and provides the mileage between each point. Stolp was also known as Cornelius, which provides its location in 2024 where Cornelius Ave. crosses over Highway 70. Timetable no. 20 was the last one of the SN passenger era, and it shows the stops that had freight business, top, as well as those that served as flag stops, bottom, underlined in green.

L315-90-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 13474, (Image 18 of 37)

The map from 2024 contrasts with the one from 1935 in that the SN has been largely replaced by Highway 70. The two stops that served only as passenger flag stops by 1940, Esmeralda and Bear River, have been added to the 1935 using a map from 1914 to confirm the precise locations. The Huntington stop was already not listed by 1914 in the employee time table of that year. Also appreciate that the Bear River Branch of the Feather River is the dividing line between Sutter and Yuba Counties.

L315-93-Courtesy Google Maps, l, David Rumsey Map Collection, David Rumsey Map Center, Stanford Libraries, 6345073, r, (Image 19 of 37)

A alerted to the impending abandonment of track north of Nicolaus Ave. in East Nicolaus, the California Department of Public Works, Division of Highways, District 3 began surveying the area as shown in these two aerial photos from Mar. 7, 1958. On the left, a north view of the SN right-of-way from Nicolaus Ave. short of Stolp, and on the right, a southeast view toward Rio Oso. Next a dissection of the latter aerial.

L315-95-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 5887-8, l, 5887-6,, (Image 20 of 37)

Art Alter labeled this south view as near to Stolp on Mar. 31, 1940. Given the service road in the previous 1935 map, and the double set of distinctive power poles, Alter was probably south of Cornelius Ave. and looking toward E. Nicolaus, a mile down the track.

L315-100-Art Alter Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 162084sn, (Image 21 of 37)

Here are magnified sections of the SN taken from the previous southeast aerial taken on Mar. 7, 1958 in the right panel in L315-95. The top, right, is the southern-most portion of the SN right-of-way, and the direction heads north to the bottom, left, also the arrangement in the next set. The slough running under the right-of-way in the lower panel, red arrow, is consistent with Ping Slough, with no ground images to assess if there was a trestle there. The structures along the tracks in the upper panel would match with the flag stop Esmeralda.

L315-105-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 5887-6, (Image 22 of 37)

The top panel features a road crossing the right-of-way, green arrow, consistent with Kempton Rd. The bottom panel brings the review to the small shelter at Rio Oso, red arrow.

L315-110-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 5887-6, (Image 23 of 37)

A south view of the abandoned Rio Oso shelter on the trackless right-of-way circa 1963 confirms the location of the previous image. The distinctive power poles are in a single line at this point.

L315-115-Harre Demoro Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 24 of 37)

Another north view of the right-of-way on the left from Mar. 7, 1958, this one taken just south of the Kempton Rd. grade crossing. On the right, the WP Railroad Circular No. 167-E ca. 1957 lists a 12-car capacity team track in this highly agricultural area. Recall in the first update in this series that the WP did place some value on this spot for freight traffic in 1928. Next, some details of the aerial on the left.

L315-120-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 5887-7, l, Courtesy Bruce Eldridge, r, (Image 25 of 37)

The first detail from the previous north view of the right-of-way from Mar. 7, 1958 shows the Rio Oso area, with the switch track for the team track, and the small shelter with its sign.

L315-125-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 5887-7, (Image 26 of 37)

The second detail from the previous north view of the right-of-way from Mar. 7, 1958 shows the large trestle over the Bear River. Today the position of that trestle is replaced by Highway 70.

L315-130-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 5887-7, (Image 27 of 37)

These two images from the Bear River crossing taken by the NE are labeled and need no further comment. Suffice it to say, aa additional single image taken between these ca. 1910 views and the previous aerial from 1958 is wanting.

L315-135-Northern Electric Photos, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 229296sn, l, 229297, r, (Image 28 of 37)

The final detail from the previous north view of the right-of-way from Mar. 7, 1958 shows the  entry into Yuba County, the SN following the Plumas Canal on its eastern flank all the way to Plumas Lake. The aerial reveals the former spot of the Huntington flag stop, green arrow, at the closest point to the WP mainline. After the curve, there appears to be a trestle, red arrow, although this could not be documented. Evidence for the presence of a large trestle at Plumas, yellow arrow, and the warehouse at Arboga, blue arrow, follows.

L315-140-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 5887-7, (Image 29 of 37)

The trestle at Plumas is shown here in a south view taken from the excursion train of the Electric  Railway Historical Society of California sponsored Oakland Pier to Chico ride of Sept. 25, 1938. Images of the substation located here will be shown in subsequent update.

L315-145-Paul Smith Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 160832sn, (Image 30 of 37)

Howard T. Wolfe took this image of the large warehouse at Arboga from a passenger train. He noted the negative was developed on Feb. 11, 1942. It is possible that it was taken during the Farewell Excursion of May 25, 1941, but the date was not recorded. The large Arboga warehouse was located just north of Broadway St. on the west flank of Arboga Rd., and not south of it where Reclamation District 784 has their office. The evidence for this follows.

L315-150-Howard T. Wolfe Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 229228sn, (Image 31 of 37)

On the left, the WP Railroad Circular No. 167-E ca. 1957 lists that the warehouse at Arboga processed beans. The north-oriented aerial from May 12, 1969  on the right shows the large warehouse, red arrow, was still there in 1969, and that it was indeed north of Broadway St., green arrow. The 1956 connection to the original Reed-Pearson spur is shown in yellow to verify the location of this image. The blue arrow marks the original spur entry from the SN mainline. The question is whether the mainline, orange arrow, was still intact n 1957.

L315-155-Courtesy Bruce Eldridge, l, cas-2579_1-30, Courtesy of UCSB Library Geospatial Collection, r, (Image 32 of 37)

The SN abandoned Oliver to Alicia on July 30, 1956 when the new branch was in operation to Reed-Pearson, and between East Nicolaus to at least Arboga on October 15, 1958. The 1957 employee timetable shown here during this interval is written as if a SN train could go from Sacramento to Marysville using the new connection via the WP at Cleveland. Unfortunately, a search for any pictorial or written evidence that the new WP connection at Reed Junction left the SN mainline connected from Arboga could not be found. More to be addressed.

L315-160-Sheldon Perry Collection, Courtesy wx.4.org, (Image 33 of 37)

This summary slide is shaded where the SN mainline above Sacramento was lost by late 1958. It includes one other change that was made at that time that has not been addressed. That is, the SN crossing at Sankey was reconfigured to allow SN trains from Sacramento to use the WP mainline to head north to Cleveland and Marysville. The issue whether the mainline north of Arboga was present no longer mattered, as SN freights now had an alternate path. In the next update, the changes at Sankey will be the focus, and how it led to the next loss of SN mainline.

L315-165-Wayne Hom Drawing, Courtesy John Harder, l, and Moreau Coll., Courtesy BAERA, WRM Archives, r, (Image 34 of 37)

As a final analysis of this update, the fate of the SN right-of-way relative to the construction of Highway 70 will be examined. As Highway 70 loops around the central portion of East Nicolaus, it is possible to follow the path of the SN to about one-half mile south of Cornelius Ave. North of that area, through the Bear River crossing, on the left from Jan. 11, 1968, and flanking the Plumas Canal, right panel also from 1968, the SN right-of-way was obliterated. The railroad tracks seen in both panels coming in from the east or right are the WP mainline.

L315-170-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 14463-2, l, 14463-1, r, (Image 35 of 37)

Once the trajectory of Highways 70 shifts to the east and crosses over the WP tracks, shown in a northeast view from Jan. 11, 1968 on the left, and a north view on the right also from 1968, the SN right-of-way is easily traced beginning north of Algodon Rd., red arrow in both panels.

L315-175-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 14463-4, l, 14463-3, r, (Image 36 of 37)

The visibility of the SN right-of-way north of Algodon Rd., red arrow, all the way to the former Arboga station, turquoise arrow, remains intact in 2023, the yellow arrows pointing out the obvious path between. The only question remains as to whether it is intact at the site of the former trestle over Plumas Lake, white arrow, the lake no longer being present. Appreciation to Jeff Asay for his comments and review of the update.

L315-180-Courtesy Google Earth, (Image 37 of 37)