CASTELLA TRAIN STATION   

The City of Dunsmuir, California, 6 miles north of Castella became the center of the railroad business in northern California. The railroad was the single most influential force in the upper Sacramento Canyon. Gold, cinnabar, chrome, lumber and other products were shipped to market by rail. During the poplar period of the resorts most of the visitors arrived by train. Local people relied on the train for their transportation. Many local towns were build on lands which were owned and subdivided by the railroad land division, the Pacific Improvement Company (Mt Shasta) were such towns.  

The first railroad station was located at Soda Creek, Sims, Sweetbriar, Castella, Castle Crags and Dunsmuir. Although most of the stations were operated on only a seasonal basis, Castella and Dunsmuir were open full time.  Then in 1902 a new deport was opened in Castella. Most of the people who stayed at Crag View Resort and other resorts in the area came by the Southern Pacific Passenger train. . The resorts were so poplar with the public, the Southern Pacific railroad named one its passenger trains the

" Castella Flyer."  In 1907 the railroad changed their passenger schedule so that the " Dunsmuir Express" stopped at the Castle Rock Station., one and half miles to the north. People would get on the in the valley during the hot summer months and spend the day in the cool mountain canyon returning home in the evening. 

In 1940 the roads had improved in the canyon and the resort business had declined so significantly that The Southern Pacific closed the seasonal station at Castella. In 1943 the station was torn down, thus ending a colorful segment of Castella history.