We are about a week away from our volunteer weekend for the Nevada-California-Oregon Railway. We look forward to having N-C-O fans up to Alturas for the weekend! In planning this event, we are keeping the physical labor light, though plan on getting dirty as these cars have not been cleaned for quite some time. We are also pleased to be working with the Alturas Garden Club, owners and caretakers of the Alturas passenger depot. Below are details for the weekend. If you have any questions or wish to attend, please reach out.
Saturday, May 15th
Work Day
9:00am start time
Directions: We will be meeting at the old Alturas mill site west of town. There is no official address, and the street is not recognized on Google Maps, so follow these directions: As you drive down Main Street (Hwy 395), head west on 4th Street, (left if traveling from the Niles Hotel). Follow this street through town until you see the old mill site on your left (past the airport). Turn left onto the gravel road heading into the mill. The gate will be open. Drive all the way to the south end of the mill where you will see an N-C-O banner on the side of the building. We will be there to greet you.
Itinerary: We will start the morning with introductions, a quick overview of who we are as the historical society, of the weekend’s activities, and safety recommendations. We have a new hospital in town but would appreciate you all not visiting it.
The morning will consist of cleaning passenger cars No. 22 and 72, along with the 500 series reefer. At noon we will break for lunch at Shane and Laura Starr’s home. After lunch, we will take the group to visit one of our local ranches, home to two Florence & Cripple Creek boxcars. Here we will spend some time documenting and photographing the cars in some detail for our records.
Around 4pm, we will call it a day, allowing each of you to return to your room to freshen up before dinner.
Group Dinner
6:00pm Seating
Directions: 395 Lake View Drive, Alturas, CA 96101. The Brass Rail is located on the highway east of town as you head to Lakeview. It is located on the right hand side of the road. You can’t miss it!
Itinerary: We will gather for dinner at our local Basque restaurant, the Brass Rail. Please come early, and for those who enjoy libations, there is a great bar inside. Dinner served is family style, with a few courses of soup, salad, side dish, and your choice of meat. We ask that you cover the cost of your meal, approx. $35.
Sunday, May 16th
Choring at the Depot
9:00am start time
Directions: Located on N East Street, between 3rd and 4th Streets. From Main Street (Hwy 395), turn east onto 4th Street (right if coming from the Niles Hotel), and then right again onto N East Street. The depot is next to the tracks so if you get lost, follow the tracks!
Itinerary: We have offered to help the Alturas Garden Club with some light chores to assist in maintaining the original N-C-O Depot. During our time there, members of the Garden Club have offered to give a tour of the depot interior. This is a great opportunity to see what is normally not available to the public.
We also have an Alturas local attending to tell the story of her grandfather who was a conductor on the N-C-O Ry. and share some photos of him. Documenting the men and women who worked on the N-C-O Ry. is an important part of our mission, so we look forward to this opportunity.
We plan on wrapping up around 11:00am and sending you home after a great weekend of work and good company.
Be Prepared: bring work clothes to get dirty in, work gloves, eye protection, mask as there will be dust, old but clean paint brush or two to donate. Dress in layers as it is still chilly in the morning in Alturas. And, bring a camp chair if you have one for the lunch break.
What's in Your Collection: We would love to document your photos / papers / stories relating to the N-C-O Ry. so bring them along if you have them and let us train nerds geek out!
A Place to Stay: If you have not stayed in Alturas before, may we recommend the historic Niles Hotel. Call and get your reservation in at (530) 233-3773. Visit their website to learn more [
nileshotel.com]. The Niles also has a coffee shop for those caffeine addicts. F
Breakfast in Alturas: if you need a little more than coffee to start your morning, I’d recommend the Wagon Wheel Cafe. Head north on Main Street and turn left at the four corners. The restaurant is down Hwy 299 (heading towards Redding) a short distance on the right hand side.
Again, if you have any questions, or changes in your schedule, please let me know by replying to this email. Until then, have a good weekend, and see you soon!
Shane Starr
President
N-C-O Ry.
530-520-2471
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/07/2021 11:57PM by DezignGuy.
