Jeff Moore Wrote:
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> As stated, Loyalton branch is still intact, though
> no traffic has moved to or from Loyalton since
> Sierra Pacific shuttered their sawmill there in
> the early 2000s. UP has only used it for storing
> cars from time to time, it would be interesting to
> know why they haven't salvaged it...my guess is
> something to do with either environmental
> remediation, or potential right-of-way issues.
>
> The "Almanor Branch" was not a branchline, but the
> independent shortline Almanor Railroad, owned by
> Collins Pine Company. Collins operates the large
> sawmill in Chester and was Almanor's only shipper.
> The line was in decent shape, but had fairly
> significant weight limitations due to light rail.
> The beginning of the end for the Almanor came in
> the early 2000s when Collins imported some logs
> from southern California that arrived by rail, but
> instead of trying to bring them into Chester
> Collins built a rail to truck reload at Almanor
> Junction to unload the logs there. BNSF shortly
> thereafter offered Collins a much better rate to
> load lumber at that reload rather than continue to
> divide revenues with the Almanor, and that was the
> end of the shortline. BNSF still switches the
> reload at what once was the Almanor interchange,
> the rest of the grade is slowly being turned into
> a trail.
>
> Jeff Moore
> Elko, NV

All the crossings of County Road A24 have been paved over.