Keddie Wye
Encyclopedia
The Keddie Wye is a favorite railfan
spot at a wye
along the Feather River Route
, located at Keddie, California
, named after Arthur Keddie. Mr. Keddie purchased the survey rights and the right to build a railroad through the Feather River Canyon from George Jay Gould I
, the son of Jay Gould
. The west and north legs of the wye are on bridges over Spanish Creek, and the southeast leg runs through a tunnel (Tunnel No. 32). Just to the northwest, where the bridged legs join, is another tunnel (Tunnel No. 31).
(now part of the Union Pacific Railroad
) built the tracks along the Feather River
in 1909 to complete a San Francisco Bay Area
- Salt Lake City, Utah
, route competing with the Southern Pacific
's route over Donner Pass
.
The Feather River route was preferred over the Donner Pass
route (elevation about 7,000 feet / 2,133.6 m) over the Sierra Nevada Mountains because the Feather River route's pass (Beckwourth Pass
) is at a lower elevation (about 5,221 feet / 1,591 m) and most of the route follows a more gentle grade along the Feather River.
In 1931 the branch running east and then north to Bieber, California
was completed, along with the north and southeast legs of the wye. This allowed the Western Pacific to diverge from its east-west route (along the west leg of the wye) and go north to Bieber, California
, where it interchanged with the Great Northern Railway (now BNSF Railway
) and its traffic from the Pacific Northwest
.
Railfan
A railfan or rail buff , railway enthusiast or railway buff , or trainspotter , is a person interested in a recreational capacity in rail transport...
spot at a wye
Wye (railroad)
A wye or triangular junction, in rail terminology, is a triangular shaped arrangement of rail tracks with a switch or set of points at each corner. In mainline railroads, this can be used at a rail junction, where three rail lines join, in order to allow trains to pass from any line to any other...
along the Feather River Route
Feather River Route
The Feather River Route is a rail line that was built and operated by the Western Pacific Railroad. It was constructed between 1906 and 1909, and connects the cities of Oakland, California, and Salt Lake City, Utah...
, located at Keddie, California
Keddie, California
Keddie is a census-designated place in Plumas County, California, United States. The population was 66 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Keddie is located at ....
, named after Arthur Keddie. Mr. Keddie purchased the survey rights and the right to build a railroad through the Feather River Canyon from George Jay Gould I
George Jay Gould I
George Jay Gould I was a financier and the son of Jay Gould. He was himself a railroad executive, leading both the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad and the Western Pacific Railroad ....
, the son of Jay Gould
Jay Gould
Jason "Jay" Gould was a leading American railroad developer and speculator. He has long been vilified as an archetypal robber baron, whose successes made him the ninth richest American in history. Condé Nast Portfolio ranked Gould as the 8th worst American CEO of all time...
. The west and north legs of the wye are on bridges over Spanish Creek, and the southeast leg runs through a tunnel (Tunnel No. 32). Just to the northwest, where the bridged legs join, is another tunnel (Tunnel No. 31).
History
The Western Pacific RailroadWestern Pacific Railroad
The Western Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was formed in 1903 as an attempt to break the near-monopoly the Southern Pacific Railroad had on rail service into northern California...
(now part of the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
) built the tracks along the Feather River
Feather River
The Feather River is the principal tributary of the Sacramento River, in the Sacramento Valley of Northern California. The river's main stem is about long. Its length to its most distant headwater tributary is about . Its drainage basin is about...
in 1909 to complete a San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
- Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
, route competing with the Southern Pacific
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....
's route over Donner Pass
Donner Pass
Donner Pass is a mountain pass in the northern Sierra Nevada, located above Donner Lake about nine miles west of Truckee, California. It has a steep approach from the east and a gradual approach from the west....
.
The Feather River route was preferred over the Donner Pass
Donner Pass
Donner Pass is a mountain pass in the northern Sierra Nevada, located above Donner Lake about nine miles west of Truckee, California. It has a steep approach from the east and a gradual approach from the west....
route (elevation about 7,000 feet / 2,133.6 m) over the Sierra Nevada Mountains because the Feather River route's pass (Beckwourth Pass
Beckwourth Pass
Beckwourth Pass is the lowest Sierra Crest mountain pass and is located at the Sierra Valley's eastern edge near Chilcoot-Vinton, Plumas County, California. Beckwourth Pass is east of Beckwourth, California, in the Sierra Nevada, and is northwest of Reno, Nevada. The pass carries California State...
) is at a lower elevation (about 5,221 feet / 1,591 m) and most of the route follows a more gentle grade along the Feather River.
In 1931 the branch running east and then north to Bieber, California
Bieber, California
Bieber is a census-designated place in Lassen County, California. It is located on the Pit River north-northwest of Susanville, at an elevation of 4124 feet . Its population was 312 at the 2010 census. The ZIP Code is 96009. The community is inside area code 530.-History:The settlement sprang up...
was completed, along with the north and southeast legs of the wye. This allowed the Western Pacific to diverge from its east-west route (along the west leg of the wye) and go north to Bieber, California
Bieber, California
Bieber is a census-designated place in Lassen County, California. It is located on the Pit River north-northwest of Susanville, at an elevation of 4124 feet . Its population was 312 at the 2010 census. The ZIP Code is 96009. The community is inside area code 530.-History:The settlement sprang up...
, where it interchanged with the Great Northern Railway (now BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
) and its traffic from the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
.