39° 30' 08"N, 119° 02' 34"W - HAZEN quad

Larry writes in and says: " Bango was a railroad section station.  Crews worked from this station (section hands)  Bango was in use until about 1960. A number of the childen still live in the Fallon and Reno area.  The one I hunted ducks on the canal with is around 72 years old.

What is the origin and deep meaning behind the name Bango? None. It was most likely an arbitrary, random choice choice by the railroad. However, it was later referred to as Diatom due to the diatomaceous earth mined nearby. What's that, you ask? It's the fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled microalgae, that have accumulated over millions of years. It's a multitasking fossil used in

Household Uses (Pest Control, Odor Absorber, Carpet and Mattress Cleaner, Oil Spill Cleanup, Dehumidifier, Non-Toxic Cleaner)
Gardening and Agriculture (Soil Amendment, Pest Control in Gardens, Seed Storage, Livestock Feed Additive)
Health and Beauty (Toothpaste Additive, Facial Scrub or Mask, Hair and Scalp Treatment, Detox Supplement)
Industrial and Other Uses (Filtration, Abrasive, Thermal Insulation, Catalyst Support, Animal Bedding)



Some newsy items referring to Bango....

Sheriff Sharkey of Hazen arrested four youthful toughs at Bango Tuesday night, where they had forced an opening into the section house. District Attorney Hart of Fallon held a preliminary hearing of the case at Hazen Wednesday and the prisoners were bound over to the supreme court. They are lodged in the county jail at Fallon.
-Reno Evening Gazette, June 13, 1913

T. & C. SECTION HAND MEETS TERRIBLE DEATH Ground Beneath Wheels of Train
While Asleep on the Track Last Sunday Night.
James F. Kelly, a section hand employed at Bango, five miles south of Hazen was found dead three miles south of that place last Monday morning. The body was lying between the rails of the track and had evidently been run over either by No. 24 Sunday night or by a freight train that had preceded it out of Hazen. The head was crushed and the body badly bruised and both hips dislocated, but the limbs were intact. A small memorandum book containing the man's name with a Chicago address was the only thing found on the body. Kelly, with a Mexican companion, also employed on the section had been in Hazen Sunday afternoon and had left there about 8 o'clock to return to Bango on a railroad speeder. At the coroner's inquest the Mexican testified that Kelly had got off the speeder when about half way home and announced his intention of returning to Hazen. This was the last seen of him alive. As both men had been drinking heavily during the afternoon, the presumption is that after leaving his companion, who went on to Bango, Kelly went to sleep on the track and was struck by a train, but whether by a freight or the passenger, both south bound, could not be determined. The train crews knew nothing of the accident and could throw no light on the occurrence. A coroner's jury was empaneled by Judge L. B. Mason and found, a verdict in accordance with the above facts, as there was nothing to indicate foul play or that anyone was to blame for the accident.
-Fallon Standard, July 19, 1916

Julios Ratti, president of Sparks Lodge No. 85, Brotherhood of Maintenance Railway Employees, was recently slected by the lodge to represent the group at the 27th regular convention. Mr. Ratti has been employed by the Southern pacific company for the past 18 years and for the past 11 years he has been the foreman at Bango, west of Fallon,
-Nevada State Journal, July 11, 1940

At a simple wedding ceremony at St. Patrick's Church Friday morning, Miss Victoria Leyva of Wadsworth became the bride of Reno Ratti, with Father Francis mikula officiating. A family dinner at the Ratti home at Bango, a gardenspot on the desert, followed the ceremony.
-Nevada State Journal, June 17, 1949

Southern Pacific Sues for $9,300 Damages As Result of Canal Break
As result of a canal break three years ago, the Southern Pacific Railroad has filed a $9,367.60 damage action against the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District. The railroad alleges that negligence resulted in the Truckee Canal's breaking near Bango on December 10, 1951. The water washed out a considerable section of track ballast, leaving it suspended in mid-air, the Fallon Standard reports.
-Nevada State Journal, December 18, 1954

The remains of some concrete foundations and various rubble and small dumps. As you can see in the picture, diatomaceous earth is apparently still loaded from this point, As last time I checked the Celite company was still mining d.e. in the area. There is also a large oil recycling plant is at this location operated by Saftey-Kleen,and a university-run weather station.