Tuesday, December 31, 2013

HO Scale Station Sign

Gearing up to to start an HO scale layout loosely based on the MB Line with my brother.  So I see this blog serving a different purpose in the next several years.  My goal is to use this blog to post our progress on how it will be coming together.  Or maybe I start a new one.  This station sign I guess is a start to what will come.  I have already built the Douglas Depot and one trestle.  We have about a 25'x50' space that will house this layout.  We are ready for the adventure and share with our kids the enjoyment of model railroading.  




Difference of 75 years

Bridge #11 then and now.




Monday, December 30, 2013

Rock cut between bridges #25 and #26 looking on the down grade.  Early morning photo taken on 12-28-13 with a GoPro 3 black edition camera.




Friday, December 27, 2013

Douglas in 1956

Spring runoff in the spring of 1956 running under the US 2 bridge in Douglas.  Box cars litter the siding on the right.  Looking north up Douglas Creek.  Harold Badten Collection.





Blown-up picture of the railroad.



Mansfield Depot Drawing

July 1917 GNRY drawing showing some proposed work to be done within the depot at Mansfield.



Thursday, December 19, 2013

Alstown in 1984


Waterville native David Loebsack hangs off the side of BN GP-9 #1805 in Alstown in the early spring of '84.  David never worked for the railroad.  The BN crew let him pose on the train while his cousin Alan Loebsack took the picture from atop of boxcars parked on the siding.


Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Crossing @ Supplee

At Supplee the remaining rails that cross Rd F NW are covered by asphalt now.  Looking northeast towards the direction of Withrow.  May 2010 photo. 




Friday, December 13, 2013

April 1, 2006 photo of the grade between bridges #16 and #17.  Looking on the up grade with the road bed just to the right of center.  The picture is taken where the west end of bridge #16 abutments were.




Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Proposed Spur at Mansfield

Plans for a proposed  450' spur to serve the Columbia Valley Lumber Co.  Plans are dated August 25, 1923.  Here is a drawing showing it completed in December of that year.




Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Douglas Falls Area in 1983

Having just exited the tunnel, this short train is on the up grade headed for Alstown.  The Douglas Falls are to the right of the train.  The falls are a fun destination for people during the summer months.  Oct 28, 1983 photo by the late John P. Henderson.  Here are some more pictures of this area the same day Picture 1, Picture 2, Picture 3




Monday, December 9, 2013

Hi-Rail on the MB Line


BN Hi-Rail parked on the down grade at a rock cut just south of bridge #36.  Photo from the Chuck Shrawn Collection.  Here is a picture of bridge #36. 




Aerial of the location.  These bridges are south of Alstown about a mile. 

Withrow Depot

C. 1909 picture of the Withrow Depot superimposed on a 2010 picture with the same view.  



Thursday, December 5, 2013

Tunnel

c. 1908 ROW drawing of bridge #8 and tunnel at Douglas Creek Falls area.  Bridge #8 was removed during the 1920's.  According to the plans a road went underneath the bridge.  North is in the direction of the upper right corner.  Here is a picture of the south portal and of the north portal entrances.  




Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Mansfield Wye

1968 GN drawing showing the wye in Mansfield.  2013 aerial underneath.  North is in the direction of the upper right corner.  Here is a shot looking back towards the grain elevators from the position of the northeast leg of the wye. 




Standard Oil Spur at Mansfield

1916 drawing showing the proposed Standard Oil Spur being installed at the end of the southwest leg of the wye.  Today the site is occupied by Coleman Services LLC out of Lewiston, ID a fuel Company.


Mansfield Siding


1923 drawing showing the proposed spur track for the Columbia Valley Lumber Co.




1948 drawing overlaid on aerial 



Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Touhey Siding


1968 GN drawing superimposed on a 2013 aerial showing the entire Touhey Siding.




Blow-up of the southern end of the siding.




Blow-up of the northern end of the siding.




Blow-up of bridge #42 at the northern end of the siding.  This bridge crossed over a county dirt road.


Monday, December 2, 2013

Withrow Siding


1938 drawing of the western end of the Withrow Siding.  Overlaid on a 2013 aerial .




1915 drawing showing the depot area.




1918 drawing of a proposed Standard Oil Co. Spur with current aerial.  Located at the eastern end of the siding.