Friday, February 27, 2015

Palisades Abandoned

Abandonment track plans for the Palisades section.  These plans were revised in 1986 to reflect the line being nonoperational.

Sheet No. 4 of abandonment set.  Milepost 11.5 to 16.5.



Below is a blow-up area of the sheet above showing ROW or easment the railroad secured for water usage out of Skookumchuck Spring.  Today this parcel no longer exists.




Thursday, February 26, 2015

Tracks Abandoned at Appledale

Revised plans from the year 1986 showing the track to be abandoned in the area formerly known as Appledale in Moses Coulee.  The siding track at Appledale was retired and removed back in 1940.  Official abandonment of the line was effected on May 10, 1985.

  
Sheet No. 3 of abandonment drawing set.  Milepost 7.5 to 11.5.




Blow-up area of above sheet




Below is a drawing from 1930, revised in 1986, showing all track abandoned within the existing ROW.  Yellow highlights and red wavy lines litter the drawings making it seem even more official on paper.





Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Moses Coulee / Bon Spur Abandoned

Revised plan indicating that the track within the former ROW for Moses Coulee Siding (abandoned in 1938) was non operational as of Jan 1986.  In 1952, Bonneville Power built a spur off from this section of track to service their power station.  This connection is not shown on this plan.  The ROW still exists today, but is no longer is owned by the railroad.

Sheet No. 2 of abandonment drawing set.  Milepost 3.5 to 7.5.



Blow-up of above sheet




Monday, February 23, 2015

Touhey Abandoned

Revised plans showing abandoned tracks at Touhey, WA.  The last revised date on these plans show January 1986 and few months later the tracks would be taken out.  The name Byron was changed to Touhey in 1911.  The Right-of-Way still exists today, but is no longer owned by the railroad.  Here is link to the abandonment documents for the Mansfield Branch Line.

Sheet No. 14 of abandonment drawing set.  Milepost 53.5 to 58.







This drawing below shows a 32' x 100' warehouse constructed along the Touhey Siding.  First time I've seen any evidence of this structure.




The elevator belonged to the Waterville Union Grain Co. and the Warehouse was owned by the Seattle Grain Co.






Thursday, February 19, 2015

Bridge #1

1965 aerial showing bridge #1 of the Mansfield Branch Line situated between the Columbia River and SR 28 Highway at the mouth of Moses Coulee.




Drove the Last Train

George Mengelos drove the last train on the Mansfield Branch Line.



Monday, February 9, 2015

Great Book!

Great book put together by Dan Bolyard.  Dan is a blogger of history of the Big Bend Area Railroads and has now put it in a book.  You can find it on Amazon.com here