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Foothill Rails--Misc.--Swayne Lumber Co
Swayne Lumber Co
Butte & Plumas RR
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Swayne Lumber's Butte & Plumas RR was originally built by the Truckee Lumber company in 1911 from the mill
in Oroville straddling what is now Oro Dam Blvd, to Berry Creek. Truckee Lumber operations were discontinued later
the same year and everything sat silent until Swayne purchased both the mill and the Butte & Plumas in 1917.
Swayne later extended the mainline to Merrimac and added many miles of logging lines to harvest timber.

The Mill Site

Various images taken from 1926 fire insurance maps of the mill area.


Panoramic view of the Swayne Mill site looking west from the ex Southern Pacific line.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
1.-4. Closer views of the mill site taken from the Union Pacific(Western Pacific) right of way. WP had spurs off its mainline into the mill site.
5. The auto dealership and nearby area on Oro Dam Blvd was the site of the log pond. (Google street view)

6. 7. 8.
6. Eastward Google street view from "under" the former SP bridge. The Butte & Plumas was dual gauged here to allow Southern Pacific to access the mill.
7. This Google street view looks back west showing where the B & P / SP crossed under the SP bridge and the WP bridge (background) into the mill.
8. Looking east along High street near 4th, this Google street view shows the Northern Electric(Sacramento Northern) spur entering the mill area from the north.

Google satellite and USGS lidar views of the mill area marked with the above photo locations plus 9 and 10 from the next section.

Mill to Oroville Dam

9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.
9.-14. Google street views following the approximate location of the line through the modern streets of Oroville.
The first pair of images are taken at Lincoln St. The second pair at Myers St. The final pair and Oro Dam Blvd/ Hwy 162.
From here, the railroad soon meets up and basically follows the Olive Hwy/ Hwy 162 to a spot near Ward Ave and the Oroville Quincy Hwy/ Hwy 162.
This section will be explored in person later and updated.

Google satellite and USGS lidar views marked with the above photo locations.

15. 16. 17. 18. 19.
15. This view looking west is just off the road at the first crossing of Ward Blvd.
16. Westward view at the first Ward Blvd grade crossing.
17. Same spot as image 16 but looking east.
18.-19. After following Field Ave and the creek, the line crosses Ward Blvd for a second time. Image 18 looks south while 19 looks north.

Google satellite and USGS lidar views marked with the above photo locations.

20. 21. 22.
20.-21. This is the site of Summit Siding near Bessie Lane.
22. A small cut just north of the siding.

Google satellite and USGS lidar views marked with the above photo locations.

23. 24. 25.
23.-24. Taken from atop the penstock, image 23 looks back towards Summit Siding while image 24 looks towards the dam.
25. This section of right of way is filled with brush. Image looks back towards the penstock.

26. 27. 28.
26.-27 At this point the railroad joins the Dan Beebe Trail. 26 looks towards the dam while 27 looks towards the penstock.
28. The trail here does a small shoofly to join a side trail. This image looks back towards the penstock.

29. 30. 31. 32.
29. View at the other end of the shoofly looking back towards the penstock.
30. Same spot looking towards Oro Dam Blvd East and the dam across a pretty decent fill.
31. View from Oro Dam Blvd East, looking back towards the penstock and eventually the mill.
32. View across Oro Dam Blvd East towards the dam and the woods. At the far side of the parking area is the site of a small trestle
before the dam and lake destroyed the right of way.

Google satellite and USGS lidar views marked with the above photo locations.

Locomotive Rosters
Number Type Builder Bldr.# Built History & Notes Dispositon
Butte & Plumas
#1 0-6-0T Baldwin #4036 1876 ex Truckee Lumber #1:2,
ex Pacific Lumber & Wood #3 Dewey,
ex Ruby Hill #2 Dewey,
ex Chicago & Superior #1,
nee Madison & Portage #1		 to Swayne Lmbr #A,
to United Commercial, scrapped 1941
#2 0-6-0T Baldwin #12015 1892 ex Truckee Lumber #2,
nee Pacific Lumber & Wood #2 Tahoe		 to Swayne Lmbr #B,
to United Commercial, scrapped 1941
#3 Shay 2tr Lima #2369 1910 to Swayne Lmbr #3:2,
to Michigan-California #4:2,
scrapped 1951
#4 Shay 2tr Lima #2465 1911 ex Norman Livermore #4 to Hetch Hetchy & Yosemite Valley #7,
to West Side Lumber #7,
to West Side & Cherry Vly #7,
to Roaring Camp & Big Trees #7 Sonora
Swayne Lumber
A 0-6-0T Baldwin #4036 1876 ex Butte & Plumas #1,
ex Truckee Lumber #1:2
ex Pacific Lumber & Wood #3 Dewey,
ex Ruby Hill #2 Dewey,
ex Chicago & Superior #1,
nee Madison & Portage #1		 to United Commercial, scrapped 1941
B 0-6-0T Baldwin #12015 1891 ex Butte & Plumas #2,
ex Truckee Lumber #2,
nee Pacific Lumber & Wood #2 Tahoe		 to United Commercial, scrapped 1941
#1:2 Shay 3tr Lima #2926 1917 ex Swayne Lmbr #3,
nee Norman Livermore #3		 to Michigan-California Lmbr #1:2,
scrapped 1951
#1:3 16ton Whitcomb #11955 1925 ex Spanish Peak Lmbr #1
#2:1 Shay 2tr Lima ex Swayne #1
#2:3 Shay 3tr Lima #3078 1920 to Michigan-California Lmbr #3:2,
scrapped 1951
#3:2 Shay 2tr Lima #2369 1910 ex Butte & Plumas #3 to Michigan-California Lmbr #4:2,
scrapped 1951
#4 Shay 2tr Lima #2458 1911 ex Swayne Lumber #2:2 to United Commercial, scrapped 1941
#5 Heisler 2tr Stearns #1028 1899 ex West Side Lmbr #1 Henry J Crocker,
nee Hetch Hetchy & Yosemite Valley #1 Henry J Crocker		 to United Commercial, scrapped 1941
#6 Shay 3tr Lima #3302 1926 to West Side Lmbr #12,
to West Side & Cherry Vly #12,
to Georgetown Loop #12,
to CRRM,Golden,CO,
relettered West Side 2009

Former West Side/Swayne Lumber caboose #1 at NCNGTM in Nevada City,CA.

References

Railroads Of Nevada & Eastern California vol. 3, David Myrick
The Swayne Lumber Company, Beckstrom-Braun
Western Steam Pictorial, Dunscomb & Dunscomb

For more related photos check out my Oroville photo page.

    
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