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Nostalgia & History > Turn of the last century Siskiyou Line photosDate: 05/08/05 05:09 Turn of the last century Siskiyou Line photos Author: TonyJ On the south side of Southern Pacific's summit on the Siskiyou Line there once was a mineral springs and a resort called Colestin Mineral Springs. In the late 1890s through the 1920s it was very popular and they bottled their own mineral water.
For a number of years residents of Jacksonville, Oregon could would ride their little Rogue River Valley RR west to Medford. At Medford they would board a southbound (westbound) SP passenger train that would drop them off at the resort, where they would dance, listen to music, relax, hike and spend the night, returning back to Medford and Jacksonville the next day. The resort put out a little photo album showing scenes along the Siskiyou Line. There are no dates but judging from the construction photos, it was probably between 1900-1910 when E.H. Harriman was pouring money into the SP to upgrade their lines. This first photo is the cover of the photo booklet "Summit of the Siskyous" There is nothing remaining of Colestin Mineral Springs today. - Tony J.  Date: 05/08/05 05:11 Re: Turn of the last century Siskiyou Line photos Author: TonyJ Photo No. 2 shows what appears to be an ancient Bucyrus steam shovel working on a cut on the Siskiyou Line. Notice the firewood for the shovel and the fireman with it. - Tony J.
 Date: 05/08/05 05:13 Re: Turn of the last century Siskiyou Line photos Author: TonyJ Photo #3 shows a steam shovel dumping dirt fill into ancient gons. - Tony J.
 Date: 05/08/05 05:15 Re: Turn of the last century Siskiyou Line photos Author: TonyJ This photo shows the SP dumping dirt fill on one of the many trestles over Siskiyou Summit. At first I thought it might be the White Point trestle, but it probably isn't because there will be a photo later of a train on that trestle. - Tony J.
 Date: 05/08/05 05:16 Re: Turn of the last century Siskiyou Line photos Author: TonyJ Somethings things go wrong. With the aid of a steam shovel and a 2-8-0, SP rerails an old gon. Notice the "A" frame bottom. - Tony J.
 Date: 05/08/05 05:17 Re: Turn of the last century Siskiyou Line photos Author: TonyJ Another look at the rerailing process. - Tony J.
 Date: 05/08/05 05:18 Re: Turn of the last century Siskiyou Line photos Author: TonyJ Here's a couple of Espee woodburners bring a train down Siskiyou Summit and towards Ashland. - Tony J.
 Date: 05/08/05 05:20 Re: Turn of the last century Siskiyou Line photos Author: TonyJ A Espee 2-8-0 and a 4-6-0 bring a passenger train across the White Point trestle. The trestle is all filled it now. This is about 2 miles south of Tunnel 13. - Tony J.
 Date: 05/08/05 05:22 Re: Turn of the last century Siskiyou Line photos Author: TonyJ Here's the West portal of Tunnel 13. This is the location where the DeAutremont brothers tried to rob SP Train No. 13 back in 1923. In the end they murder four men and got away with nothing. This has been called the last great train holdup in the U.S. - Tony J.
 Date: 05/08/05 05:26 Re: Turn of the last century Siskiyou Line photos Author: TonyJ This is a most unusual photo for it shows Tunnel 15 from a different angle. Trains heading south (railroad west) from Ashland start the steep climb miles below near Steinman. After crossing over today's I-5 the train comes out of the tunnel in the photo (now heading norththbound), goes through a curved tunnel and become southbound again. They follow the track above the tunnel to cross the Wall Creek Trestle and enter Tunnel 13 at Siskiyou Summit. It is impossible to repeat this shot today because of tree growth. - Tony J.
 Date: 05/08/05 05:27 Re: Turn of the last century Siskiyou Line photos Author: TonyJ This is Wall Creek trestle. - Tony J.
 Date: 05/08/05 05:29 Re: Turn of the last century Siskiyou Line photos Author: TonyJ This is another unusual shot. This is looking east under the Wall Creek Trestle. Way down below you might be able to see part of the Siskiyou Line that leads up to this trestle. - Tony J.
 Date: 05/08/05 05:32 Re: Turn of the last century Siskiyou Line photos Author: TonyJ This is the last photo in the album. This is an opposite view from the previous shot. This is looking up at the Wall Creek trestle. At the bottom right of the photo a trestle has been fitted with boards to spread out the dirt fill being dumped on the trestle. - Tony J.
 Date: 05/08/05 07:45 Re: Turn of the last century Siskiyou Line photos Author: WAF "Turn of the last two centuries", Tony, its the 21st century now. You say turn of the last century and you're talking 1999. You actually beat Bob to some Siskiyou movements.
Date: 05/08/05 07:55 Re: Turn of the last century Siskiyou Line photos Author: BearCat Thanks Tony for sharing.
Some great shots....The shot of tunnel 13 is great as it has so much history then and notoriously, even now. Home of the BearCat Light at the End of the Tunnel http://www.railimages.com/gallery/michaelchristy P&W OE District MP 32.1 Date: 05/08/05 08:37 Re: Turn of the last century Siskiyou Line photos Author: TonyJ WAF Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > "Turn of the last two centuries", Tony, its the > 21st century now. You say turn of the last century > and you're talking 1999. You actually beat Bob to > some Siskiyou movements. When you're very old you kinda forget which century it was. I thought I was there before Photobob but then I saw his horse run in front of my camera, causing it to fall over and break the glass negative inside. He yelled out something about I was in his camera's view. - Tony J. Date: 05/08/05 18:17 Re: Turn of the last century Siskiyou Line photos Author: roustabout Hey Tony,
Thanks for sharing these postcards. I especially enjoyed the rerailing views - no hardhats, safety vest, eye protection, etc, etc... Railroading back in the days when they carried their, uh, tools around in a wheelbarrow. Roustabout out Date: 05/08/05 18:24 Re: Turn of the last century Siskiyou Line photos Author: TonyJ roustabout Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > Hey Tony, > Thanks for sharing these postcards. I especially > enjoyed the rerailing views - no hardhats, safety > vest, eye protection, etc, etc... Railroading > back in the days when they carried their, uh, > tools around in a wheelbarrow. > > Roustabout out And they probably got cars rerailed in less time because of their lighter weight. - Tony J. Date: 05/08/05 19:55 Re: Turn of the last century Siskiyou Line photos Author: SurflinerHogger > And they probably got cars rerailed in less time
> because of their lighter weight. - Tony J. And because they knew what they were doing without 15 managers standing around getting in the way of the work. Date: 05/08/05 23:53 Re: Turn of the last century Siskiyou Line photos Author: sphogger White Point trestle 2 miles south of tunnel 13.....
Tony, I recall a curve we called "Dollarhide curve" which was built on a filled tressle or so I was told. Somewhere I read that curve had to do with a toll road operator by the name Dollarhide. Could this be the same spot? Seems like it might have been further east of tunnel 13 than 2 miles, but it's been awhile since I've been up there. Hope you've tried Callahan's on you explorations in the Siskiyous. Great place to eat. Wasn't unheard of for a crew to go to beans there in the good old days. sphogger |