N-C-O Ry. Acquires First Passenger Cars

The Nevada-California-Oregon Railway is pleased to announce the acquisition of Baggage and Mail car #72 and Mail Express car #22. These are our first rolling stock acquired by the historical society, located here in beautiful Alturas, California.

Mail express car #22 was purchased from the City of Alturas where it spent two decades outside after a previous attempt to preserve it. Baggage and Mail car #72 is owned by the President, and will be on permanent loan to the N-C-O Ry. In the coming weeks, both cars will be moved to a new location where they will be properly placed off the ground and under a roof here in Alturas, California.

Mail Express Car #22

Built in 1891 at the N-C-O Ry shops in Reno, Nevada as combine #4. Rebuilt into a mail-express car in 1892 and renumbered #22.

Baggage & Mail Car #72

Built in 1897 by the St. Charles Car Works for the Florence & Cripple Creek Railroad. Purchased by the N-C-O Ry in 1915 and used until the end of service, the body was sold in 1929.

Research Objectives

With the assistance of research volunteers, the focus of the N-C-O Ry. will be on the following objectives:

1. 1. Build history along with documentation of unique construction characteristics.
   2. Service history along with where it ended up after 1929.
   3. Photographs and other visual depictions of each passenger car.
   4. Original Paint Schemes documented for future paint production.
   5. Engineering and Visual Schematics for future preservation

As work begins on this endeavor, we will be updating the public with progress, along with providing our findings to members through 2021.  We look forward to new discoveries and being able to share them with you.

Preservation Objectives

At this time, it is the objective of the N-C-O Ry. Board of Directors to ensure both cars are stabilized from further decay, and prepared for eventual preservation work in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. As time and resources permit, it is our goal to have these artifacts available to other organizations, institutions, and academics to study as preservation and restoration work is completed. Once much of the historical research objectives are done, the Board of Directors will evaluate the work necessary to restore mail express car #22, including to what specific time period.