...Location was also known as Rattlesnake Cut.

When the railroad was building the Sierra Branch, they started piecemeal drilling and blasting work on the rock escarpment. Things like coordinated multiple detonations were not even in McCloud's dictionary. They were not making any real progress on that cut until an explosives salesman showed up and offered to help them if they bought a the explosives from him. McCloud took his offer, and he directed the drilling and placing a whole series of explosive charges that cleared the cut in one giant blast. I have seen some pictures of the blast taken by one of the guys who worked on the project- truely spectacular.

Thanks for sharing the photo, Drew.

Jeff Moore
Elko, NV