Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Bridge #33



Train crossing brige #33 on the MB Line on the down grade.  Alan Loebsack photo.  Date 1984.  Other pictures from this area of the line.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

North Portal End



Late 70's look of the Tunnel in Douglas Creek.  Picture by Alan Loebsack

Monday, November 7, 2011

Braking on the Down grade


BN GP9's #1743 (lead engine) and #1713 bring loaded box cars down the Mansfield Line near Douglas Creek Falls area.  The box cars are still exiting the tunnel on the south portal.  These locomotives are probably using heavy dynamic braking to control the load.  This picture was taken in August of 1983.  Photo provided by John Rust.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Mini Fake Photography


1983 photo of train coming around bend having just crossed Bridge #9 on the downgrade ready to enter the tunnel.  Taken by John P. Henderson




Where Bridge #36 used to cross the creek.  See original photo.




Looking on the down grade south of Bridge #36.  See the series of photos along with the orginal.



I was playing around with Mini Fake Photography on Photoshop and thought these turned out pretty cool.  They almost look like they are taken from a model layout.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Bridge #25



1985 photo showing Bridge #25 on the Mansfield Branch.  This was taken the same day as this photo on our family snowmobile ride along the line.  Photo was taken on the west side of the creek looking on the down grade.



Thursday, October 6, 2011

Bridge #14





Looking east on the down grade across a damaged bridge #14 caused by a massive summer rain storm.  Date 1948.  Photo provided by the Skykomish Historical Society




Looking south at bridge #14 after the repairs.  Date 1949.  Photo provided by the Skykomish Historical Society.




Nov 2007 of the same view as photo above

Friday, September 2, 2011

GN Steam Locomotive #748



This 1949 picture shows GN Steam Locomotive, #748 resting on the mainline in Palisades on the down grade.  This locomotive was a G-3 Class 4-8-0 (twelve wheeler).  The locomotive is pulling two coal tenders and a mixed train.  The structure in the middle of the picture is the water tower, the building on the right is one of two cold storage warehouses used to store fruit, and the track on the right is the siding.  This particular locomotive was scrapped in 1953.  Thanks to Bob Kelly for providing the photo.

Monday, August 1, 2011

Riding the old ROW


The first part of this video shows me riding on the old road bed between Bridge #10 (near McCue) and #9 (near the old tunnel) on the down grade.  Make sure you set the video to HD.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Douglas in 1984



This picture taken by Alan Loebsack in the late winter/early spring of 1984.  These BN locomotives are pulling the unit grain train through the Douglas Siding and on pass the depot which was retired 9 years prior in 1975.  To the right of the train are piles of grain doors used to seal up the box cars before being filled with grain.  About one year later, the depot would host the site of the "last train" (additional photos) ceremonies on March 2, 1985.  Here is a picture of the same train crossing Highway 2 in Douglas.  Aerial photos of Douglas Siding over the years.  Here is map of where Douglas was located on the Mansfield Line.

Here are some more photos (1) (2) (3) (4)  showing BN era action in Douglas

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Bridge #25 then and now

 Pictured above is bridge trestle #25 on the Mansfield Branch.  This picture was taken in the spring of '49 after the repairs to it were completed.  This bridge, along with many others, were severly damaged in the June '48 flood and was closed 9 months for repairs.  The frame bents are still resting in place today.  This bridge was orginally constructed 137.5' long and consisted of 9 trestle bents and 2 mud sills.  It was also built on a curve. .  2006 photo of bridge  1949 aerial of bridge  Photo provided by the Skykomish Historical Society.

November 2007 of the same view as above

Friday, June 24, 2011

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Kelly Davis Crossing 5-27-11

Checked out the line between the Kelly Davis Crossing and Bridge #36 (this location about 1 mile south of Alstown, WA). Found and old alignment on the other side of the creek with ties still laying in place. Probably abandoned after the '48 flood, my guess. Nice and wet on the Waterville Plateau with beautiful looking wheat. Happy for the farmers!





Cut looking on the down grade just south of Bridge #35


Old tie and plate still in the ground on the old alignment (see map for location)



Old ties on the old alignment




old ties





Looking across Bridge #36 on the down grade




Rock cut at south end of bridge #36 on the down grade




Rock cut at the south end of Bridge #36 on the up grade





Kelly Davis County Road Crossing. Mansfield Branch Line Bridge #33 was just to the right of that crossing. Pilings still visible.





Grade between Bridge #36 and Bridge #35. Looking on the down grade.




Looking at where Bridge #36 use to cross the creek. Hoppers derailed here in '84



Rock cut at south end of Bridge #36. Looking on the down grade.






Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Bridge #17


Bridge #17 on the Mansfield Branch that was washed out in June of '48. The view of this photo is looking up stream. About a mile up stream is where Duffy Creek enters Douglas Creek. Photo provided by Skykomish Historical Society.




Friday, March 18, 2011

Fun times...

My brother (left) and I standing next to a hopper car that derailed a little south of Alstown on the MB line. This was one of 3 cars that broke loose from Douglas. On this day my dad, mom, brother and I rode snowmobiles from Alstown all the way down to the Tunnel on the tracks. I remember crossing over the bridges and riding through the tunnel. We never touched snow the whole way. Fun memories!  1985 photo.

Check out the wreck photos here

Monday, January 31, 2011

The Wenatchee Daily World: May 17, 1952






Accident map from the Interstate Commerce Commission



Accident location 2010 photo looking northeast




Accident location 2010 photo looking southwest
Accident occured on May 16th, 1952



Bucking the snow

Waterville Railway Co. Locomotive 4-6-0 #299 plowing its way through the heavy snow near a cattle guard crossing. The photographer was Chester Lockwood, a local man. C. 1914. Photo provided by Harold Badten.



Saturday, January 22, 2011

Bon Spur/Appledale

This picture taken in 1983 by John P. Henderson. This train is between Bon Spur and Appledale headed on the up grade with about 40 empty boxcars in tow.

Monday, January 10, 2011