The Wenatchee Daily World: October 20, 1959

John D. "Jack" Brady   (1894-1969)

Finishing touches

Mrs. O. Allmendinger (far right), and two other women, are shown here hanging up the Palisades Depot sign in 1909.  The town-site of Palisades was platted in April of 1909.

Tri-City Herald: November 9, 1984

Bridge #11

Damage to bridge #11 from the June 1948 flood

Bridge repaired

2007 photo of the exact same location as the photos above.  Bridge photos provided by the Skykomish Historical Society.  

Waterville Railway Co. Depot in 1968.  Shown here 20 years after the line was washed out and 14 years after the line was abandoned.  Converted to a residence in this picture.  And as of 2013 it is still the home of Jim Horton.  Here is a picture of the depot when it was brand new in 1911.

Tim Repp snapped this picture from off the SR28 Overpass as the "Last Train" rolls down the rails.  The train is crossing over the last bridge (#1), and ready to merge onto the mainline located just around the bend.  This is the last picture taken of operations on this line.  March 2, 1985.

The Wenatchee Daily World: September 4, 1909

Here is a picture, probably about the same time this article was written, showing one of the first trains reaching Dougals.

The Wenatchee Daily World: October 23, 1909

Speeder on Bridge #9.  Looking on the down grade.  Ryan Reed photo March 8, 1986.

The Wenatchee Daily World: November 6, 1909

1942

"Last Train" shot in Douglas.  March 2, 1985. Tim Repp photo

Section crew stops work to pose for this picture while working on a leg of the engine wye in Mansfield, WA.  The man second from the right, is holding a railroad track jack used to lift rail into place.
Picture taken April 11, 1914.

Bridge #26

June 1948 flood damage to bridge #26.

Bridge repaired.  1949 aerial of this bridge.

Pictures provide by the Skykomish Historical Society.

Supplee in 1983

Supplee in 1983.  Siding full and leftover box cars getting pushed on into Withrow.  Blair Kooistra photos

1942 look at the Waterville Railway Co. Engine House.

Here is a couple pictures of the engine house as of August 2012. 
70 years later.

October 1983 photos.  Taken from the SR 28 Overpass looking north up Moses Coulee in the early morning.  Photo by John P. Henderson.

Douglas in 1942

The Wenatchee Daily World: October 23, 1909

Picture of Contractor John Mohr and his crew starting work on the line.

October 28, 1983 pictures taken by the late John P. Henderson showing the train on the down grade between the tunnel and Palisades where the Douglas Creek Canyon opens up into Moses Coulee.  Dust litters the air around the box cars.

1942 Seattle Times photo

Walter Holmes (1890-1957)

John Sekavec (1879-1964)

The Wenatchee Daily World: November 27, 1909

Bridge #15

Aftermath of what the June 1948 rainstorm did to Bridge #15.  Photo provided by the Skykomish Historical Society.

Bridge repaired in 1949

2007 picture of same view as picture above.

  1986 picture of this bridge.  2011 aerial.

The Wenatchee Daily World: April 10, 1909

Bridge #25 flood damage

Bridge #25 damage after the June 1948 flood.  Looking on the down grade.  More on this bridge.  1938 damage to this bridge.  Photo provided by the Skykomish Historical Society.

The Wenatchee Daily World: October 18, 1909

"Last Train" on the down grade just ready to pass under the SR 28 Overpass.  Photo by Tim Repp.  

March 2, 1985.

The Wenatchee Daily World: April 8, 1909

The Wenatchee Daily World: Sept. 22, 1909

The Wenatchee Daily World: Date 1916

Quad-City Herald: July 22, 1982

Quad-City Herald: August 13, 1981

Train on the down grade.  June 14, 1981.  Photo by Tim Repp

Aerial of photo loction

Herald-Reporter: May 27, 1948

Station Sign Detail

Walter Holmes (1890-1957) is seen here picking a chopping away at the ice on the grade crossing on Highway 2 just east of Waterville.  Walter wore many hats while he worked for the Waterville Railway Co.  He was the fireman on locomotive 949, conductor, brakeman, switch-man as well as section gang.  Picture taken in the winter of 1942.

Seattle Times Photo showing steam locomotive 949 about a half mile south of Douglas, WA.  Picture is looking south taken in Feb. 1942.

Bridge #9

This picture taken one year after abandonment, shows some people playing around on bridge #9.  Ryan Reed photo.  March 8, 1986.

Early '80's

Train on the down grade about a mile south of Douglas.  You can see the steeple on the Douglas Church in the background.  Picture by Alan Loebsack 

Sounds of the MB

Local historians gather to say goodbye

Waterville area locals pose for a picture in front of Burlington Northern Locomotive, GP39-2, #2730 during the “Last Train” ceremonies on March 2, 1985 in Douglas, WA.  Some of these people were on the Douglas County Historical Society at the time.  L to R:  Forrest Barnes (1912-2002), Alice Jacobsen (1925-2013), Roxanne Viebrock (1912-2004), person unknown, Edna Slusser-George (1907-2003), Glorian Eggers (1925-2008) and Nadra Betcher.  The cameraman was from 27 News, a now defunct Wenatachee TV Station.  I have tried to track down footage they shot of the last train, but all the the 27 News archive film was destroyed years ago.  Picture provided by Anita Sprauer.