Rebuilding the SVRy Circa 1937

By 1937, the effects of the Great Depression were waning for most people, and businesses that had survived could begin to have a bit of optimism. Sumpter Valley Ry. began an ambitious program, to replace the mostly 45lb rail on their 60 mile mainline with 70 and 75 lb. rail leased from the Union Pacific. Some of the still serviceable 45 steel rail was used to replace even lighter rail on sidings and spurs. SVRy built their own tie treating plant in South Baker producing enough ties to further upgrade the mainline. Progress did not stop there. The railroad built up a rock crushing plant at a quarry just above where Mason Dam is today in order to re-ballast the mainline. All of these projects took many extra hands, so the railroad built up six "portable houses" for men to bunk in that could be moved along the line as work progressed. Here we see one of the new portable houses that was constructed in 1937, loaded on a flat car at South Baker. The scan is from the SVRR Archive.