Nostalgia & History > 120 year-old narrow gauge roundhouse still stands in CA

My earlier thread and photos of SP's Colusa Branch got me thinking of another rarely seen place: the narrow guage Colusa & Lake Railroad roundhouse at Colusa, CA. I last took photos of the roundhouse in 1994 and last visited it about five years later. To me it's amazing it's still standing ninty years after the railroad was abandoned in 1915.

For those unfamiliar with the C&L, it was a 3-foot-gauge line built in 1885 from Colusa to Colusa Junction, where it connected with SP's West Valley mainline. The C&L crossed the SP and went further West to a place called Sites. There was a slate quarry there (it can be seen today) and a rail yard at Sites. The yard area is still visible with a little imagination. The right-of-way along a creek can be traced as you drive up the small canyon between the quarry and Sites.

After the C&L stopped operations a machine shop was established inside the roundhouse, still using the overhead power belt operation from the railroad. It is not used for anything anymore and I'm waiting for a good wind to blow it over. The roundhouse doors are still there, but the wooden turntable in front was pulled with the rails and ties. - Tony J.

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Photo No. 3 gives a better view of the roundhouse doors. - Tony J.

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Looking from another angle. - Tony J.

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This shot shows one of the other buildings near the roundhouse. This and other structures more or less hide the old roundhouse from view. Now if only someone had a photo of the C&L and SP trackage at Colusa Jct. - Tony J.

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Did you take a peek inside? Maybe there are some forgotten steam locos inside...

6088 Wrote:
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> Did you take a peek inside? Maybe there are some
> forgotten steam locos inside...

No such luck! I did look inside and all there was is lots of dust, junk and old boxes from later days. - Tony J.

At one time there was some really neat iron working tools inside but the owner of the machine shop didn't want to sell them.
Bruce Petty

If you looked inside, there was an engine covered with a tarp, ready to go, right?

Well, thats the way you find an old automobile sometimes, in a farmers barn.

Nudge

steamco Wrote:
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> At one time there was some really neat iron
> working tools inside but the owner of the machine
> shop didn't want to sell them.
> Bruce Petty


Bruce,
You just jogged my memory. In an earlier visit I remember seeing those tools as I noticed the old belt power pulle overhead. - Tony J.

Where in Colusa is it located?

TIA

Got to wonder if there arent some old relics ie switch locks keys maybe a lantern or old timetable forgotten about in that building

CNW6500 Wrote:
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> Where in Colusa is it located?
>
> TIA


Here's where my memory is failing me. If you drive into Colusa on Highway 20 from either the East or the West, as you enter downtown the Highway turns down the main drag past the movie theater, banks, markets, etc. I think the roundhouse is one or two blocks (probably one) away heading towards the Sacramento River. I wish I could remember the name of the streets it's between, but we're only talking about a 10 block or so stretch to search from. From the correct street you can see a small part of the roundhouse, but certainly not much of it. You'll have to get out and walk back behind another shed/building to see all of it. Seems to me it was close behind Zumwalt's. Sorry, that's the best I can remember, even though I got to Colusa about 6 times a year to visit my oldest daughter and grandson.

Tony J.

roberthedgecock Wrote:
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> Got to wonder if there arent some old relics ie
> switch locks keys maybe a lantern or old timetable
> forgotten about in that building


It's possible I guess. The place was locked and I didn't want to look like I was breaking in. - Tony J.

TONY.......

FANTASTIC information on the old C&L RY.'S ROUNDHOUSE in
Colusa, Cal.
I have a copy of a Sanborn (1907) map that shows the RH and
depot in Colusa.......it shows six (6) stalls....the turntable
and right next to the table is this big train shed / depot
building ( 2 tracks ). Hey is the Co. store still standing at Sites ?.....

Would like to here more about the old roundhouse !!

thanks.

CHARLIE HOPKINS
TWINCOACH@AOL.COM

Here is a link to an aerial photo of the place in question. It appears the roundhouse is about 2 blocks to the East of the large rectangular building. I will stand corrected if in error.

http://terraserver.microsoft.com/image.aspx?T=1&S=10&Z=10&X=2926&Y=21705&W=3&qs=%7ccolusa%7c

BaltoJoey

ONTHESPOT Wrote:
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> TONY.......
>
> FANTASTIC information on the old C&L RY.'S
> ROUNDHOUSE in
> Colusa, Cal.
> I have a copy of a Sanborn (1907) map that
> shows the RH and
> depot in Colusa.......it shows six (6)
> stalls....the turntable
> and right next to the table is this big train
> shed / depot
> building ( 2 tracks ). Hey is the Co. store
> still standing at Sites ?.....
>
> Would like to here more about the old
> roundhouse !!
>
> thanks.
>
> CHARLIE HOPKINS
> TWINCOACH@AOL.COM


My wife and I visited Sites only once, but I seem to recall a store there. Don't know if it was Colusa & Lake or not. Any way to copy the C&L portion of the 1907 map? I'd like to see it. Photos and other documents of the C&L are rare since it was abandoned so long ago.

Tony J.

TONY......MR. J.....


I do not have a way to scan this Sanborn map at this
time.........but would be happy to send a copy via US Mail
service. So if you send me your mailing address...I will
send you a copy of same.

Also,......how many RH stalls are still standing at the
site in Colusa ?....and is the over head shafting still in place in the building ?......



CHARLIE

ONTHESPOT Wrote:
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> TONY......MR. J.....
>
>
> I do not have a way to scan this Sanborn
> map at this
> time.........but would be happy to send a
> copy via US Mail
> service. So if you send me your mailing
> address...I will
> send you a copy of same.
>
> Also,......how many RH stalls are still
> standing at the
> site in Colusa ?....and is the over head
> shafting still in place in the building
> ?......
>
> I'ce love a copy and will gladly pay your costs. My address is:

Tony Johnson
187 E. Gregory Road
Central Point, OR. 97502-9427

From memory it looked like there are three stalls remaining. When you said it appeared there were six stalls, I thought it must be something else as the Colusa & Lake only had four locomotives during their short history. Again from memory I recall the overhead pulleys in place, but no belts. I also took some video footage there in 1994 on one of my visits and I recall looking inside through a window with my camera. I'll look at the tape and see if it reveals anything.

Tony
>
> CHARLIE

TONY.........Hello......


I sent you via US Mail two copies of the SANBORN map today.
showing the RH and Depot.


Note: that the train shed is almost in the center of Main Street.


What was the name of the machine shop that used the building all those years........who are the owners now?....
Maybe they have old photos ?......


thanks

CHARLIE

Place is gone now.