(530) 283-2225
6162 Hwy. 70
Tobin, CA 95980

Back in 1909, the Western Pacific Railroad pounded the final spike into the Keddie Wye Bridge, accomplishing Arthur W. Keddie's dream and completing the route through the Feather River Canyon. The bridge at Tobin was part of the line, minus its lower counterpart for the highway, which completed construction in 1936 when the Feather River Highway, now Highway 70, opened.

Trains abound!!! A train comes through the canyon on the average of every half hour. Add that up and there are almost fifty trains per day! They come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from freight to passenger trains and from five cars to over one hundred. The line has been this busy for over ninety years and shows no sign of slowing down.

During the Gold Rush era, many people came to the Feather River Canyon and Quincy areas in search of riches. The existing small railroad of the time in the area, the Quincy Railroad, continuously asked the large railroad companies to build a route over Beckworth Pass, through Quincy and then on through the Feather River Canyon. If such a line was created, it would allow people to access the area more easily, thus improving the economy. Then came the call that everyone was waiting for: George Gould, owner of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, decided that he needed to push out to the Pacific. He saw the opportunities that a route from Oroville to the Nevada state line would pose. So with the help of the famous local surveyor, Arthur W. Keddie, the track was laid.

From 1910 until 1982 Western Pacific reigned over the west's railroad lines. Then, Union Pacific bought out Western Pacific and began to run their trains up the Feather River Route. Now, Western Pacific lives on only through pictures and the Union Pacific, which occasionaly runs Western Pacific trains through its old territory.

When the California Zephyr made its inaugural run from San Francisco to Chicago on March 20th, 1949, every female was given a corsage of silver and orange orchids to sybolize both the colors of the Zephyr and Western Pacific. Its route brought it right up the Feather River Canyon, where its domed passenger cars amplified the beauty of the area. The train was scheduled to travel through the Canyon during the daylight hours to exploit the many vistas, and it would later reach the Nevada state line around dark, as it continued through the night. Sadly, on March 22nd, 1970, the original Zephyr line was teminated after operating for barely over twenty years. Amtrak operates the current California Zephyr, which still runs up the canyon.

When the railroad was the only form of transportation, Tobin had its own depot and several hundred people living here. The lodge in Tobin was even built to resemble a train car, which when the Feather River Highway opened, was moved from up near the railroad down to its present location next to the highway.

Throughout the mountainous canyon, the trains and highway travel up and down in elevation. Sitting at only 2000ft above sea level, Tobin Resort is at the halfway point between the lowest and highest altitudes travels before arriving at the Nevada border. During the winter, snow will generally fall in this area in moderation, while the higher altitudes get much more.