Butte County Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Butte County Railroad was a 31.5 miles (50.7 km) class II railroad
that ran from a connection with the Southern Pacific Railroad
at Chico, California
to the Diamond Match Company
lumber mill at Stirling City
. The railroad operated from 1903-1915 and then became the Southern Pacific's Stirling City Branch.
The Butte County Railroad was granted a franchise on November 11, 1902 and incorporated
on February 24, 1903 or March 2, 1903. Construction of the line commenced in April 1903 and seven months later (November 1, 1903) service commenced between Barber (1 mile south of Chico) and Magalia
. The line was built using 75# rails and with grades as steep as 3.75%.
Within a month (November 27, 1903) of reaching Magalia
the line was sold to
the Southern Pacific Railroad
via SP's non-operating subsidiary holding company
the Chico and Northern Railroad
. SP's Chico and Northern Railroad immediately lease
d the line back to the Butte County Railroad for operation. A year after commencing construction the line was operating all the way to Stirling City
and completed on April 15, 1904.
The Chico and Northern Railroad was finally dissolved into SP on February 29, 1912. The Butte County Railroad's lease with SP expired on November 30, 1915. The Butte County Railroad was dissolved two months later on January 21, 1916 at which point the line became the Stirling City Branch and was operated by the Southern Pacific Railroad.
According to Union Pacific Track Charts, the ICC authorized abandonment of 26 miles (41.8 km) of the branch from Milepost 189.0 (east of Chico) to Milepost 215.46 (end of the line at Stirling City) on December 3, 1977. The ICC again authorized abandonment of 3 more miles of track at Chico between Mileposts 185.69 and 189.0. Today, what remains of the branch is now known as the Stirling City Industrial Lead and runs from the junction with the mainline at Chico (MP 185.0) and ends at 185.69, running next to the Diamond Match Company.
The grade is still visible between Magalia and Stirling City in several places, including where it crosses the Skyway. The up-bound side of the Skyway from Chico, (right around Bruce Rd.), sits on the old right of way, until where the bike trail picks up at Neal Rd. in Paradise. The current bike trail to the top of Paradise is also on the old right of way, and can be seen crossing the respective streets in town where tracks sat. The bike trail runs past the depot as well, a mere reminder of what once was. The Magalia Southern Pacific Depot (an SP Common Standard No. 22 design)http://webpages.charter.net/altalair/sp_cs22_depots.html remains at its original location and was a restaurant, (Lovin' Oven Bagel Cafe at 6818 Depot Lane), until recently. The restaurant now appears closed, and the status of both the restaurant and the depot are unknown. The Paradise depot, (Butte County Railroad, later Southern Pacific), also remains at its original location, and is now operated, maintained, and staffed by the good folks of the Gold Nugget Museum, (http://goldnuggetmuseum.com/depot_museum.php).
Edited 9-27-10, MBSIV.
Class II railroad
A Class II railroad in the United States is a mid-sized freight-hauling railroad, in terms of its operating revenue. , a railroad with revenues greater than $20.5 million but less than $277.7 million for at least three consecutive years is considered a Class II railroad...
that ran from a connection with the Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
at Chico, California
Chico, California
Chico is the most populous city in Butte County, California, United States. The population was 86,187 at the 2010 census, up from 59,954 at the time of the 2000 census...
to the Diamond Match Company
Diamond Match Company
The Diamond Match Company was the largest manufacturer of matches in the United States in the late nineteenth century. Jarden is the current owner of the Diamond brand.-History:...
lumber mill at Stirling City
Stirling City, California
Stirling City is a census-designated place in Butte County, California, located on Paradise Ridge in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Contrary to its name, Stirling City is an unincorporated community. Its ZIP Code is 95978 and area code 530. It lies at an elevation of 3570 feet...
. The railroad operated from 1903-1915 and then became the Southern Pacific's Stirling City Branch.
History
Incorporation (business)
Incorporation is the forming of a new corporation . The corporation may be a business, a non-profit organisation, sports club, or a government of a new city or town...
on February 24, 1903 or March 2, 1903. Construction of the line commenced in April 1903 and seven months later (November 1, 1903) service commenced between Barber (1 mile south of Chico) and Magalia
Magalia, California
Magalia is a census-designated place in Butte County, California, United States. The population was 11,310 at the 2010 census.-History:...
. The line was built using 75# rails and with grades as steep as 3.75%.
Within a month (November 27, 1903) of reaching Magalia
Magalia, California
Magalia is a census-designated place in Butte County, California, United States. The population was 11,310 at the 2010 census.-History:...
the line was sold to
the Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
via SP's non-operating subsidiary holding company
Holding company
A holding company is a company or firm that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow...
the Chico and Northern Railroad
Chico and Northern Railroad
The Chico and Northern Railroad was a non-operating subsidiary holding company of the Southern Pacific Railroad that was created to acquire a 32.31 mile line from Chico - Stirling City from the Butte County Railroad. Upon acquiring the line the Chico & Northern immediately leased the line back to...
. SP's Chico and Northern Railroad immediately lease
Lease
A lease is a contractual arrangement calling for the lessee to pay the lessor for use of an asset. A rental agreement is a lease in which the asset is tangible property...
d the line back to the Butte County Railroad for operation. A year after commencing construction the line was operating all the way to Stirling City
Stirling City, California
Stirling City is a census-designated place in Butte County, California, located on Paradise Ridge in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Contrary to its name, Stirling City is an unincorporated community. Its ZIP Code is 95978 and area code 530. It lies at an elevation of 3570 feet...
and completed on April 15, 1904.
The Chico and Northern Railroad was finally dissolved into SP on February 29, 1912. The Butte County Railroad's lease with SP expired on November 30, 1915. The Butte County Railroad was dissolved two months later on January 21, 1916 at which point the line became the Stirling City Branch and was operated by the Southern Pacific Railroad.
Route
The Skyway from Chico to Stirling City loosely follows the route of the entire railroad line.- Barber (1 or 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Chico)
- Butte CreekButte CreekButte Creek may refer to:*Butte Creek, California, former town in Butte County*Butte Creek , a Sacramento River tributary at **Little Butte Creek , a tributary of Butte Creek at...
- ParadiseParadise, CaliforniaParadise is an incorporated town in Butte County, in the northwest foothills of California's Central Valley, in the Sierra. The town is considered part of the Chico Metropolitan Area. The population was 26,218 at the 2010 census, down from 26,408 at the 2000 census...
- Optimo
- Magalia, California (SP MP 203.2)
- DoonDoonDoon can refer to:Geography and places:*River Doon, Scotland*Loch Doon, Scotland*Doon River, New Zealand*Doon, Iowa, USA*Doon, County Cavan, Ireland*Doon, County Offaly, Ireland*Doon, County Limerick, Ireland...
- Stirling CityStirling City, CaliforniaStirling City is a census-designated place in Butte County, California, located on Paradise Ridge in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Contrary to its name, Stirling City is an unincorporated community. Its ZIP Code is 95978 and area code 530. It lies at an elevation of 3570 feet...
Motive Power
The Butte County Railroad used four steam locomotives to run on the line- BaldwinBaldwin Locomotive WorksThe Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
2-8-02-8-0Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels...
Consolidation Type (Builder No. 20192) built in March 1902 and was later SP #2503 - BaldwinBaldwin Locomotive WorksThe Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
4-4-04-4-0Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels...
American Type (Builder No. 9711) built in December 1888 that was later SP #1304 - BaldwinBaldwin Locomotive WorksThe Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
4-4-04-4-0Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels...
American Type built in 1887 - SchenectadySchenectady Locomotive WorksThe Schenectady Locomotive Works built railroad locomotives from its founding in 1848 through its merger into American Locomotive Company in 1901.After the 1901 merger, ALCO made the Schenectady plant its headquarters in Schenectady, New York....
2-8-02-8-0Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels...
Consolidation Type (Builder No. 29704) that was built new for the Butte County Railroad in April 1904 and later became SP #2502.
Abandonment and the line today
The last regular service by the Southern Pacific over the line was in 1974 and the tracks were removed in 1979.According to Union Pacific Track Charts, the ICC authorized abandonment of 26 miles (41.8 km) of the branch from Milepost 189.0 (east of Chico) to Milepost 215.46 (end of the line at Stirling City) on December 3, 1977. The ICC again authorized abandonment of 3 more miles of track at Chico between Mileposts 185.69 and 189.0. Today, what remains of the branch is now known as the Stirling City Industrial Lead and runs from the junction with the mainline at Chico (MP 185.0) and ends at 185.69, running next to the Diamond Match Company.
The grade is still visible between Magalia and Stirling City in several places, including where it crosses the Skyway. The up-bound side of the Skyway from Chico, (right around Bruce Rd.), sits on the old right of way, until where the bike trail picks up at Neal Rd. in Paradise. The current bike trail to the top of Paradise is also on the old right of way, and can be seen crossing the respective streets in town where tracks sat. The bike trail runs past the depot as well, a mere reminder of what once was. The Magalia Southern Pacific Depot (an SP Common Standard No. 22 design)http://webpages.charter.net/altalair/sp_cs22_depots.html remains at its original location and was a restaurant, (Lovin' Oven Bagel Cafe at 6818 Depot Lane), until recently. The restaurant now appears closed, and the status of both the restaurant and the depot are unknown. The Paradise depot, (Butte County Railroad, later Southern Pacific), also remains at its original location, and is now operated, maintained, and staffed by the good folks of the Gold Nugget Museum, (http://goldnuggetmuseum.com/depot_museum.php).
Edited 9-27-10, MBSIV.