Fighting the grade

June 14, 1981 photo.  This train is bucking quite a grade as it is ready to enter the south portal entrance of the tunnel.  Tim Repp captured this great shot.  2009 photo of same location.  Here is a 2009 view taken about where the locomotives are in the above photo looking back at the south portal entrance.

A few words

L to R: Philip C. "Scotty" Watson (Central Washington Grain Growers' Manager at the time), Alice Jacobsen (local farmer) and Edna Slusser George (local historian) say a few words about the line on the front of a locomotive.  "Last Train" ceremony taking place in Doulgas, March of '85.  Anita Sprauer photo. 

Last train to leave Withrow

This March 2, 1985 photo by Anita Sprauer shows the last train on its way out of Withrow

Tunnel Location with 2011 Aerial

Started construction on this tunnel 1908.  It was 770' in length built through solid rock and was timber lined.  In 1945 the timbers were replaced.  In 2000 a part of the tunnel collapsed.



Bridge Loations with 2011 aerial

Bridges 4,5,6,8,12,13,18,19 and 28 not shown.  Bridges 4,5,and 6 were still in use when the railroad was abandoned.  Their waterways have since be filled in.  Bridge 8 just south of the tunnel was removed in the 30's.  Bridges 12 and 13 were removed after the flood of 1938.  They were located at the base of Slack Canyon.  Bridges 18 and 19 were removed after the flood of '48.  Bridge 28 was removed after the flood of '38.  The track was realigned to the other side of the creek. 

March 2, 1985 in Douglas

Burlington Northern Crews are seen here backing the train up and maneuvering their caboose onto the Douglas Siding so it can be lashed up on the end.  Locals are seen along the Highway 2 grade crossing watching the last bit of railroad action before this train leaves, never to return.  Tim Repp captured this “Last Train" shot on March 2, 1985.  The locomotives that they used on this last run were GP39-2 #2730 & #2738.  Here are some more "Last Train" pictures from March 2, 1985. And a couple more.  2009 photo of #2730.  2010 photo of #2738

1909 ROW track plans of Bridge #1

This is a 1909 Great Northern Right-OF-Way track plan showing bridge #1 on the MB Line.  From my research, ROW acquisition began as early as 1906 to obtain all the property needed to build the line.  This bridge was located 2.5 miles from the start of the branch line at the Columbia River Siding on the main line.  To see more ROW plans on this line click here.  

Map of Mansfield Branch Line

This is a map I created in AutoCAD

On the down grade at old McCue Siding

June 14, 1981 photo showing BN low nose GP-9 #1741 and BN high hood GP-9 #1805 holding back a load.  This train's rear end is just passing over bridge #10 on the old McCue siding with bridge #9  up ahead and then the tunnel.  McCue siding was abandoned in 1965.  Photo taken by Tim Repp. 

2010 photo of same location as above

Quad-City Herald: Oct 27, 1983

Quad-City Herald: May 6, 1982

On the up grade near SR28

Two geeps pulling empties up the grade near the SR28 overpass.  These locomotives had just crossed Bridge #1 and is ready to past under the highway overpass.  Picture taken in 1983 by John P. Henderson.  This picture is taken about halfway between the Columbia River Siding and the Bon Spur Siding.

Brewster Herald: October 16, 1909

Quad-City Herald: January 21, 1982

Waterville Railway Company: Resolution of the Board of Tustees 1974

Bridge #25 in 1938

Provided by the Skykomish Historical Society

West End of Mansfield Siding

John Henderson photo.  1983

Bridge 11 wiped out

1938 photo showing washed out bridge.  Provided by the Skykomish Historical Society.  Check out this 2010 photo of Bridge #11 taken on the other side looking south. 

Withrow in 1977

My dad and brother playing on a Great Northern Box car in Withrow.  July 1977

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.

North Portal End

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

Between Supplee and Douglas

Aerial photo of train location

Here is what that section of abandoned ROW looks like today.  Photo by Alan Loebsack

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.

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.

Spokesman-Review, Sunday, December 26, 1948

Joseph Ritner "Shorty" Hosler ( 1893-1977)

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.

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

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.

Douglas Depot

Date unknown

Riding the old ROW

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20R59Dke2Vw

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.

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

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