Clio Trestle

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Clio Trestle
Union Pacific freight on the Clio trestle, May 1994.jpg
A freight train on the trestle in 1994
Coordinates39°45′13″N 120°34′03″W / 39.7535°N 120.5675°W / 39.7535; -120.5675Coordinates: 39°45′13″N 120°34′03″W / 39.7535°N 120.5675°W / 39.7535; -120.5675
CarriesCanyon Subdivision (Feather River Route)
CrossesWillow Creek
LocaleClio, California
OwnerUnion Pacific Railway
Characteristics
Total length1,005 ft (306 m)
Height172 ft (52 m)
Rail characteristics
No. of tracksSingle
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
History
Constructed byWestern Pacific Railroad
Opened1909
Location

The Clio Trestle is a railroad trestle on the historic Feather River Route of the Union Pacific Railroad. It is located in the Sierra Nevada near Clio in Plumas County, California. The trestle is 172 feet (52 m) high and 1,005 feet (306 m) long.[1]

History[]

The Western Pacific Railroad (now part of the Union Pacific) built the Feather River Route across the Sierra Nevada in 1909 to complete a San Francisco Bay Area–Salt Lake City route, competing with the Southern Pacific Railroad's line over Donner Pass. While significantly longer, the Feather River route was chosen by the Western Pacific because its high point, the Chilcoot Tunnel under Beckwourth Pass, is at an elevation of only 5,000 feet (1,500 m), as opposed to 7,000 feet (2,100 m) over Donner Pass, and also because most of the route follows a gentle grade along the Feather River. However the river's many tributaries running through narrow canyons necessitated the construction of some fixed spans. The Clio Trestle is the longest and tallest bridge along the route.

The bridge appears in the 1960 film Guns of the Timberland.

Railfanning[]

The Clio Trestle is a favorite railfan spot and is part of the Plumas County and Western Pacific Railroad Museum's "7 Wonders of the Western Pacific Railroad World" exhibit and tour. History and railfan access are described in two travel guides.[1][2] The trestle can be reached via Clio State Road 40A, either north 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from State Highway 89 at Clio, or south 3.7 miles (6.0 km) from State Highway 70.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Tour 7 - Wonders of the Railroad World" (PDF). Plumas County Visitors Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  2. ^ "7 Wonders of the Railroad World" (PDF). Plumas County Visitors Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-18. Retrieved 2008-08-26. Guide: 7 Wonders of the Railroad World

External links[]

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