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July 20, 2011     Indian Valley Record
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July 20, 2011
 
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IOA Wednesday, July 20, 2011 Indian Valley Record Former WP employee named RR Days grand marshal The Portola Railroad Days committee nominated Ronald (Ron) Christensen as grand marshal for the 29th annual Portola Railroad Days Golden Spike Parade on Saturday, Aug. 20, in Portola. The event kicks off with a community barbecue, music and a carni- val Thursday, Aug. 18, and ends Sunday, Aug. 22. Christensen was born in Oroville on April 20, 1952, and about a month later the family moved to Portola, where he was raised. After graduating from Portola Junior-Senior High School in 1970 he headed to San Jose State for a two years. During the summer months after graduating high school Christensen worked as a "gandy dancer" (laborer) for Western Pacific, starting with the Chilcoot and Portola section gangs. After two years of college he hired out full-time with Western Pacific as of June 5, 1972, continuing as a gandy dancer. Shortly after starting full- time with Western Pacific he met Marilyn. Being a Reggie Jackson and Oakland A's fan, he took note of the fact that she was the prettiest girl wearing an Oakland A's shirt with Reggie Jackson's No. 9. It was love at first sight and they were married, now going on 38 years. Over the next 10 years he held the positions of assistant foreman, relief foreman, track rider and track inspec- tor before accepting an offi- cer's job: the assistant road master at Keddie. Ron and Marilyn moved to Quincy in 1982. Also in 1982, during the first Portola Railroad Days event, he was encouraged to participate in the spike- driving contest. In Christensen's own words, "It was just myself, my wife and two daughters out for the day at Railroad Days when one of the guys from work came up and began encouraging me to par- ticipate in the spike-driving contest. After awhile I conceded and I won. I think it took about 20 seconds and I won $250. I beat out a world record holder that I just happened to work under at the time. Things didn't go well after I beat him." Western Pacific was bought out by the Union JUNIOR mLIVIITOC[ AUCTION SUNDAY, JULY |4TN 8:30 AM Robbtns  be dosed lm mm m | I Imummm mm mmm m m m mm mm mm mm u nm m um m mm mm m m umm m m m m mmmu m m m m mm ummm mm mmmmm| m mm am m mm m mmu mm mmm m m mm m m mm | m mm am m | m m| | | m m  N m ' Here's a $20.00 Robbins I I I I , Buck you can spend at ,F.,12o I I i Robbins this week when i I I I I , you buy $100. O0 or I .m.,  I i more...cut it out and use =,_ ' I .. I ' it as cash! , I I I I IN mmlmlmu am mmlm mm m mm am mm i m m m am am mmmmm am m m mm iN mm mmmm m m m m am mn m mmqmm mmm m m m m mm m m m m m m m m m m  m m m m m m m m m m m m m  PLATINUM PLUSH FIRM SCULPTED FOAM, OVER 390 €OILS. S YR NPR/S YR PRWARRAHTY TWm ,,, .... Re0249 'M 28e TWm,,, ..... .oo o ;, 348. IIUI.L liE, .... Reg. 299. dll 268. FULL SET ..... Reg. 439. 'A 3980 ou,,,,,, .,oo ,  338. CHABLIS LUXURY ' 448. FIRM 12" THICK 0UEEN SEt .Reg 4s9. ,,,, ,,,.. , €. 498. 1o vR WArn., .°,,, .... oo  €, 648. SIMMONS BEAUTY SLEEP i. 10 YEAR WARRANTY VmN SET... ............................. Reg. 399.  358. FULL SET .... . ............................ .,398. OU="R SET ........................... o,,,, .448. KING SET ......... , ................... m,,. ',, 748. GENTLE NIGHTS SUPREME FIRM, 1S YEAR NON-PRORATED WARRANTY. THICK FOAM OUlLT TOP irwmN EmIr ...Reg. 4991 II 458. ou.,,,, eo 9o € 548. .°,,, ...,eo ,,o €,, 848. 2830 MAIN STREET, SUSANVILLE Z 257-7788 • CA LIC s2s Pacific in 1983 and Chris- tensen became a track super- visor, traveling all Over the former Western Pacific route on tie gangs and rail gangs. He walked every inch of the former Western Pacific rail lines from Oakland to Salt Lake City. It took six years and he covered 911.32 miles. Chris- tensen went back to being a track inspector in 1989 and worked on the Bieber and Canyon subdivisions. From 2007 to the present day Christensen has been a construction coordinator for the Information and Tech- nology Department, super- vising the construction and protections of the fiber optic lines running along Union Pacific rights of way. His territory runs from Stockton to Salt Lake City. He plans to retire June. 5, 2012, after acquiring 40 years of service. The theme for the 29th annual Portola Railroad Days Festival is "Gandy Dancer -- Pride of the West." The hard-working gandy dancers built the Western Pacific through the Feather River Canyon and spiked the rail into place. Special events at this year's Railroad Days Festival will demonstrate the fine art of driving spikes into wooden ties and will honor the gandy dancers. The Feather River Express will again travel through the scenic Feather River Canyon bringing folks to Portola from the Bay Area and Sacra- mento Valley for Portola Railroad Days. This year's excursion passenger train will honor the gandy dancer. On Friday, Aug. 19, the train will depart EmeryviUe at 8 a.m. and will pick up additional passen- gers in Martinez, Davis, Sacramento and Oroville before arriving in Portola at 5 p.m. New to this year's schedule is a stop in Oroville to pick up folks living in this area. On Sunday, Aug. 21, the train will depart Portola at 8 a.m. for the westbound five-hour journey down the spectacular Feather River Canyon, with a stop at Oroville scheduled for 1 p.m. Folks who wish to ride the Feather River Express train should purchase their tickets soon, because the charter is filling quickly. For a full range of prices and availability, visit traintrips.biz or call toll-free (800) 359-4870. The Portola Railroad Days event includes an outdoor art and crafts show. City crews close Commercial Street to automobile traffic so that vendors and pedestrians can have free rein of the entire street for the weekend. Many local merchants host special sidewalk sales. There are many activities planned for the whole family to enjoy including live bands. Vendor applications for the outdoor art and crafts show are still available. For infor- mation regarding vendor applications, including food, visit PortolaRailroadDays. corn or call Lorraine Wake- field, for arts and crafts, at 832-0446 or Pat Bridge, for food vendors, at 836-0164. Need help REPI L If it's ing we can'tJll find somemmJulao can. CONSTRUCTION IilNC I¢ 1884 mmmm General Building Contractor Calif. Lic. #453927 (530) 283-2035