Very impressive pictures, are they actually pictures around showing that line/bridge/tunnel before the dam build?
As I understand it, the visitor center at the dam has several albums available to look at of images taken before, during and after construction.
Matt, I can't wait to see your site! I'll definately trade links with ya! You might try to hit up Tim Stricker to donate his Anderson & Bella Vista stuff too.
Sounds like a plan John, I have all kinds of stuff to put on that site. Actually Tim is kinda my partner in crime on this stuff We have a whole list of abandoned railroads we are going to check out in the off season of the Yreka Western. We did explore a bit of the A&BV in Anderson last month and found some real good stuff. Now we just have to get photos from the rest of the line. Let me tell you this has been a whole lotta fun so far.
There are a couple of books that have photos. John Signor's "Shasta Division" book had photos I believe and also from Arcadia Publishing "Shasta Dam" (I believe that is the title.) has numerous photos of the area before, during, and after the construction of Shasta Dam. I am sure you could find these on Amazon.com or something.
Matt - on the first photo of Tunnel 4, there is a cylindrical object in the water near-by. Do you know what that is? Also, could you see if the rails, or ties were still visible, underwater coming out of Tunnel 5 and on the bridge?
Bill, It was just a wooden post of some kind, nothing special, probably just floated over to that spot. No did not see anything below the water level. At the bridge the water was really dirty and inside the tunnel the water reflected the top of the tunnel. However, when SP tore out the line, I believe they took all the track with them.
I'd always heard rumors that you could find engines left sunken in Shasta Lake. Also in Lake Oroville. This is amazing stuff.
I've heard this rumor of a SP locomotive at the bottom of Shasta several times. I guess the story goes that when SP was tearing up the track one of the work trains derailed and the lake was rising so they couldn't get the locomotive out. I've had people say that they've seen it when the lake is really, really low, and another story places it inside a tunnel, which was the reason why they couldn't get it out. But I've never come across anything to verify these rumors. Matt, did you come across an SP locomotive while you were in Tunnel 5?
Fascinating pictures, Matt. Thanks for posting them. By the way, do you know how many feet the water level had dropped from its maximum? BGosch
Thanks BGosch, I believe the lake is currently down some 155 or 160 feet from normal. The lowest in quite a while.
