Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Supplee, WA

Current aerial overlaid with 1968 track plans of Supplee, WA.

Overview sheet




Blow-up of south end




Blow-up of middle section




Blow-up of north end






Monday, March 30, 2015

Alstown, WA

Current aerial overlaid with 1968 track plans of Alstown, WA.

Overview sheet




Blow-up south end




Blow-up middle section




Blow-up north end





Friday, March 27, 2015

Withrow, WA

Great Northern Railway Track Plans showing a proposed spur for the Standard Oil Co. at Withrow, WA.  Date May 1, 1919.  Below is the same plan blown-up at different zoom levels for better viewing. 







Thursday, March 26, 2015

Mansfield Depot

Great Northern Railway Depot at Mansfield, WA. in the spring of 1917.




Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Douglas Depot

South side of the Ex-Great Northern Depot at Douglas, WA.  By the time this photo was taken it was under Burlington Northern ownership.  1973 photo by Doug Nighswonger.




Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Douglas Depot

1973 photo showing the east side of the Depot in Douglas, WA.  Two years later this depot would be retired.  On Dec. of 1993 it would be burned down.  Here is a write-up about the depot before it was burned down.  Doug Nighswonger photo.





Monday, March 23, 2015

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Douglas Depot

Looking at the west side of the Douglas Depot with the #68 transfer/house track along side.  This track was installed in August of 1912 for the Waterville Railway Co. to unload freight and probably passengers.  It remained there until 1986.  Photo taken by Doug Nighswonger in 1973





Track layout around the Douglas Depot.  Drawing is dated 1915.




Locomotive parked on transfer track in 1942





Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Waterville Railway Wye at Douglas

Current aerial with 1930's track plans of the Waterville Railway Co. Wye.   This wye was just on the south edge of Douglas.




Waterville Railway Wye

Current aerial with a 1942 map overlaid on  top showing wye, engine house, and part of the siding leading to the depot.




Waterville Industry Siding


Current aerial with 1942 track plans superimposed on top




Blow-up of western end of siding




Blow-up of eastern end of siding




1949 aerial of the grain facilities




1915 advertisement from the Standard Atlas of Douglas County.


The Difference of 103 years


Men finishing up track building along Rainier St. on June 27, 1910.  Looking south towards the county courthouse.  Photographer Witter.  Photo provided by Doug Nighswonger. 




Same view as above.  2013 Google Street View photo.




Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Looking from high above the tracks at the north tunnel portal in the year 1973.  The county road is just to the right.  Doug Nighswonger photo.  





Same view as above 36 years later in 2009





Monday, March 16, 2015

Ellensburg Daily Record: June 23, 1982




Waterville Railway Co. Boxcar Grain Fill

Elevator with an open pit used to fill boxcars in Douglas.  This grain unloader, as it was called on track plans, was built in 1950 by the Waterville Railway Co. to handle the wheat being trucked from Waterville.  The Waterville Railway Co. used trucks to haul wheat from the Waterville Elevators to Douglas when the line washed out in 1948.  In 1974 the Waterville Railway Co. was dissolved and assets sold off.  This unloader was sold to Central Washington Grain Growers.  The elevator tower was removed in the mid 90's.  The platform and pit are still there.  1973 photo looking north by Doug Nighswonger.



Plan view of the grain unloader from a 1968 set of track plans. 





Friday, March 13, 2015

Columbia River Area

1986 abandonment track plans.


Sheet No. 1 of abandonment set.  Milepost 0 (start of line) to 3.5




Mansfield Area

1986 abandonment track plans.


Sheet No. 14 of abandonment set.  Milepost 58 to 60.62 (end of line).




Blow-up of Mansfield from above sheet.





Track and ROW highlighted as being abandoned and nonoperational.  Base drawings used to show revisions below, date back to the 1930's and 40's.    




Between Withrow and Touhey

 1986 abandonment track plans.


Sheet No, 12 of abandonment set.  Milepost 49.5 to 53.5.




Blow-up of bridge #41 from above sheet.




Thursday, March 12, 2015

Mansfield Overlay

 Current aerial with old Mansfield track plans superimposed on top.



Siding area




Wye and engine house area.  The engine house and coaling platform/tower were removed in 1932.  The stockyard was removed in 1956.




Withrow Area

1986 abandonment track plans.


Sheet No. 11 of abandonment set.  Milepost 45.5 to 49.5.





Blow-up of Withrow from above sheet.





Track and ROW highlighted as  being abandoned at Withrow.  Base drawing used to show revisions date back to 1934.




Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Supplee Area

1986 abandonment track plans.


Sheet No. 10 of abandonment set.  Milepost 40 to 45.5.





Blow-up of Supplee from above sheet.





Track and ROW highlighted as being abandoned at Supplee.  Base drawing used to show revisions date back to 1930.  




Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Douglas Area

1986 abandonment track plans.


Sheet No. 9 of abandonment set.  Milepost 35 to 40.





Blow-up of Douglas from above sheet





Track and ROW highlighted as being abandoned at Douglas.  Base drawing they marked-up dates back to 1936.