Howdy all, I'm looking for histories of these stations on the Southern Pacific over Donner. Especially in reference to the Towle Bros railroad or PG & E railroad used for building the Drum Forebay. A recent trip found an abandoned right of way that leads from Drum Forebay to a "Forebay" on both my railroad atlas and google earth though this line is not shown on the atlas. Another source seems to indicate a station called "Orel" was involved. Both stations are supposedly between "Midas" and "Blue Canon" approx at mileposts 163 to 165. Ok, here is the basis for my interest. The Towle Bros railroad supposedly ran from Towle up Canyon Creek, where I-80 is now, and turns northward over the ridge at Drum Forebay. I've located the Towle right of way north of the freeway just east of the Drum Forebay exit. I've been trying to find any remnants of the Towle Bros between Towle and Drum Forebay. In doing so I found an abandoned line that ran from the freeway just east of Drum Forebay exit southward to the Southern Pacific at this place called "Forebay". There it either ends or is lost. There are some flat areas at "Forebay" that could have been buildings or staging lots. This "southern" portion lines up directly with the old Towle Bros on the north side of the freeway. Other information indicates that PG & E rehabilitated part of the old Towle Bros narrow guage to standard guage for hauling equipment to be used in the construction of Drum Forebay and its penstock. Station "Orel" is mentioned in this info. I'm trying to determine whether the line south of the freeway was Towle Bros at one time or completely new build railroad by PG & E and was "Orel" renamed "Forebay" and used as the materials staging area on the Southern Pacific for transfer to the PG & E. Thanks for any help one can provide.
From what you write, both were rather close together, for ever having such as a passing track. Perhaps temporary block stations during construction?
Not sure but from a photo I found online, Orel had a nice sized depot type building but there was no town there.
Could have once been a train order office. Isolated, it might have been large enough to house the operator and family. Or more than one trick of telegraphers.
Finally found a map that does indicate that indeed, Orel and Forebay are the same place. Orel lost its station during the double-tracking of Donner Pass. Later when PG&E needed a jumping off spot to bring in supplies and materials for the Drum Forebay project, they renamed this spot Forebay and built a new line over to the old Towle Bros and up to the site of the penstock.
