1984 Derailment

Photos showing the damage caused by a derailed hopper car in the fall of 1984. This scene happened at mile post #24 while the train was moving on the down grade between bridge #17 and #16.  One of the mid-train hopper's trucks jumped the tracks and scarred several hundred yards of ties and busted some rail in the process. Photos by David Loebsack.

Aerial photo of derailment location.

David's cousin Alan standing near mile post marker #24 just up from bridge #17.

Tie damage on the deck of bridge #17 looking on the up grade.

Looking on the down grade across bridge #17 with a BN Caboose #10340 parked in a rock cut.

Damaged track between bridge #17 and #16.  Bridge #16 is in the background.

Alan inspects the damage to the rail.

The hopper that caused all the damage.  This picture shows the hopper just before bridge #16.  The crew caught it before it did damage to Bridge #16.

Bridges 14, 15, 16 and 17

Great Northern Railway Right-of-Way drawing (c. 1907-1908) overlaid on a current aerial in Douglas Creek.  Here are some pictures of each of these bridges.  #14, #15, #16 and #17.  

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.

New alignment

After the '48 flood bridge #18 and #19 were taken out and the line relocated. Today you can still see the old grade between these two bridges.

2007 picture looking on the down grade