Nostalgia & History > The "Mole" at Nordin Ca.

My father-in-law told me a story of a place called the "The Mole" at Nordin Ca., just west of Donner Summitt? His brother was hogger for SP back in the day. Anyone have any info on this place?

cates625 Wrote:
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> My father-in-law told me a story of a place called
> the "The Mole" at Nordin Ca., just west of Donner
> Summitt? His brother was hogger for SP back in the
> day. Anyone have any info on this place?

Spelled "Norden". SF Chronicle did a story on Norden in February, 1982 and used the term " mole people" to describe those who lived at Norden.

The person your question should be directed to is "JLY" He spent quite a bit of time around Norden in his SP career.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/02/10 20:29 by WAF.

>
WAF just said:

> The person your question should be directed to is
> "JLY" He spent quite a bit of time around Norden
> in his SP career.

Actually Bill did not like to stay at Norden. I cannot remember his ever doing so while I was on the Sacramento Division. He undoubtedly did have to spend many days there before 1977 and that knowledge of the place probably drove his intense disaffection for it. As soon as he was in position to do it, he leveled the place.

rdb

You might check the archives for pictures that Photobob has posted of Norden over the years, both inside and out.

RollinB Wrote:
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> >
> WAF just said:
>
> > The person your question should be directed to
> is
> > "JLY" He spent quite a bit of time around
> Norden
> > in his SP career.
>
> Actually Bill did not like to stay at Norden. I
> cannot remember his ever doing so while I was on
> the Sacramento Division. He undoubtedly did have
> to spend many days there before 1977 and that
> knowledge of the place probably drove his intense
> disaffection for it. As soon as he was in
> position to do it, he leveled the place.
>
> rdb

RDB;
I managed to escape RRR and House 8 to Truckee in 1968. This is also and interesting story better left un chronicled in the archives.
If you and the other "railfans" would like to recite their wonderful and magical times spent at Norden as a guest of "Snowman" ( in more ways than one) HH and the "Tunnel Troll" (MLB's tag not mine) of A.D. Shorty T.
I have not been able to conger up any fond personal memories of the "Mole People" at Norden.
Maybe the interlopers that were there can cough some up and then I will respond to them.
At one time I considered writing up my memoirs of the "Mole People" but reconsidered and would only consider it now as a vocal history.
I still consider one of the best days in my career was when I instructed Jim Dobbas to start his dozers at house 15 and don't stop until the Woolworth Building and the head house were demolished.

Well, then the Norden Weathernman will have to check in for this then. From what I have heard, if Disneyland is the most magicial place on earth in a kid's eyes, then Norden in winter was the worst in the eyes of those that were forced there.

There are some photos of the Norden turntable and snowshed here:


http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,865822,2221272#msg-2221272

There was a small rotunda right next to old US 40 which had a 12-12 pitch. It was a stairway tunnel, made out of wood that went down the side of the hill to the station. It was completely covered and as you walked towards the office, there were door ways in the side and signs hanging from the rafters telling you whose house the door led to, like "Joe Doaks, Signal Maintainer", etc. These were also covered to the house. In winter you had many feet of snow on top of you.

Way back they had a diner for the crews. The operator had a small Interlocking plant and his window looked right out on one of the main lines that were in the dark snow sheds. There was only about 4 feet from the glass and the side of a box car. When it was clear, you could walk out a door and walk over to the turntable that was also covered.

You never saw the sun until you got out of the snow sheds, that's why they were nicknamed "Mole People". Right behind the operator on a raised area were two stuffed easy chairs and radios where the the officers would direct snow removal on the hill.


Nudge

WAF Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well, then the Norden Weathernman will have to
> check in for this then. From what I have heard, if
> Disneyland is the most magicial place on earth in
> a kid's eyes, then Norden in winter was the worst
> in the eyes of those that were forced there.

Not only in the wintertime but was a PITA year around.
Was a wonderful place to study the worst in people.

So I gather it was the "arm pit" location of the SP or in other words like being stationed in the military at the North Pole?

Did the cast-offs get stationed there or was it just the luck of the draw for the most part?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/03/10 12:07 by wabash2800.

wabash2800 Wrote:
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> So I gather it was the "arm pit" location of the
> SP or in otherwords like being stationed in the
> military at the North Pole?
>
> Did the cast-offs get stationed there or was it
> just the luck of the draw for the most part?

All jobs, except the Assistant Supervisors (B&B ,Signal who were moved elsewhere) in 1968, were bid in union protected jobs.
These were premium jobs as all living quarters were furnished and maintained by the SP. This feature did not always attract the best employees.
My opinion of Norden was not always shared by other members of the management team.