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| Samoa site question https://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=22020 |
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| Author: | bobyar2001 [ Wed Jan 03, 2007 2:59 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Samoa site question |
How far is this site from the former NWP trackage? Was it ever rail connected or was it an isolated logging line? http://www.times-standard.com/local/ci_4924980 |
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| Author: | JDLX [ Thu Jan 04, 2007 1:50 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Samoa site question |
The old Hammond Lumber Company roundhouse is not far away from the NWP trackage. This site sits on the north spit that separates Humboldt Bay from the Pacific Ocean. Several large forest products plants, including the Hammond sawmill and a couple paper mills, filled most of the available land from Samoa south to the harbor entrance. The Hammond logging railroad and the NWP branch on the penninsula actually crossed each other at grade near the small community of Manila, on the extreme northwestern corner of Humboldt Bay. The Hammond line went more or less due north from the crossing, hugging the coastline up through McKinleyville to the mouth of the Little River where it turned eastward towards their timber; the NWP line went due east of the crossing across the tidal marsh flats to Arcata, where it joined with the NWP branch that runs north from Eureka to Arcata. South of the Manila crossing the two railroad closely paralleld each other, with a good part of the Hammond railroad running on trestlework in the bay. In later years Hammond obtained trackage rights over the NWP branch from Manila to Scotia. The rail lines entered Scotia from the north- the Scotia Cookhouse is near the north end of this community, right above the sawmill. North of the cookhouse the two railroads split, with the NWP branch turning slightly inland to the penninsula while the Hammond railroad continued south along the waterfront to the sawmill complex. Somebody with a good throwing arm could almost hit the old Hammond roundhouse from the NWP tracks, but the Samoa Cookhouse sits in the way and there is a slight elevational difference as well. I hope that I have explained it good enough. You might get a better idea of what I am talking about if you scroll around the Samoa area on one of the topo map sits...try this link: http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=40. ... -124.18528 Jeff Moore Elko, NV |
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| Author: | bobyar2001 [ Thu Jan 04, 2007 12:13 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Samoa site question |
Many thanks for your complete description, about as good as one could get without going there. When did rail activity at this site cease? I seem to recall that one of the so-called Minaret 2-8-2Ts (that still exists) was left in the woods for some years after a fire. Though I haven't been there yet, the Samoa site seems to have lots of potential for becoming a historically accurate museum. I can envision working logging equipment, a steam train ride, and a big rough and tumble loggers meal in the old cookhouse, perhaps with a similar bunkhouse for volunteers. The thresherman groups seem to be able to do something like that, hopefully we can too. Something here on Hammond 16: http://www.sunnyfortuna.com/railroad/engine_16.htm Was this the one that was left in the woods? |
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| Author: | JDLX [ Fri Jan 05, 2007 3:05 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Samoa site question |
Bob- You are welcome. The Hammond Railroad operated until 1960. Hammond bought an Alco S-1 to replace their steam power, with an EMD SW-900 coming along a few years later to replace it. The 1945 fire which you mention eliminated all of the logging railroad trackage beyond Crannell, which is up the Little River north of McKinleyville...after the fire the railroad ended at a reload at Crannell. The fire trapped Hammond's 2-8-2T #17 at a place known as The Gap, which lies in the mountains east of Big Lagoons. The locomotive sat there for quite a few years before a railfan bought it and hauled it out. It first went to the Klamath & Hoppow Valley railroad, where it ran for a few years before going to the Mt. Rainier Scenic, where it continues to operate to this day. I found on Google Maps a sattelite photo that shows where things are... http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&z=17&ll ... 3&t=k&om=0 Due to the length of the link you might have to copy and paste it into your browser to get it to work. This should bring up a sattelite photo of the Samoa area...the long building with the parking lot in front of it in the middle of the photograph is the Samoa Cookhouse. Immediately to its right you can see the unmistakable curved shape of a roundhouse. The NWP branch enters the picture at the upper right corner and then curves around the cookhouse...it can be a little indistinct, but you can switch back and forth between the satellite images and map using the buttons on the upper right, and that should help you pick out the railroad. If you scroll down to the left you will find the old site of the Hammond sawmill, and if you go to the upper right you will find where the two railroads used to come together for the run along the bay to Manila. I hope this helps you out as well. Jeff Moore Elko, NV |
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