Built by the Great Northern Railway in 1909, the 61 mile line branched off the mainline at the Columbia River and snaked its way up across Douglas County, WA to its terminus in Mansfield. In 1985 it was abandoned, thus closing the book on railroading on the Waterville Plateau. This blog is dedicated to preserving the history of the Mansfield Branch Line and Waterville Railway Co., as well as showcasing my scratch built HO scale models.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Bridge #21
Duffy Creek is in background. Photos were taken by the Great Northern Railway looking on the down grade.
Bridge damage caused by 1948 flood
Bridge repaired
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Sept. 18, 2009 trip down through Douglas Creek
Snapped a few pictures of the old MB Line while riding my Honada XR650L motorcycle down through Douglas Creek. It was a beautiful hot afternoon with not a soul around. The following pictures are of the line between Slack Canyon and about 2 miles north of Palisades. Enjoy!
Down grade about 1/2 mile south of the tunnel
Up grade view looking at the south tunnel portal entracne. You can still see a little bit of timber from the tunnel that is exposed out the the hillside.
Standing on top of the tunnel looking on the down grade at the south tunnel portal entrance. Notice the sink hole at the bottom of the picture.
Looking across bridge #9 on the down grade
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Aug 2009 photos on the MB Line
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Snow Plow Wreck
Frederick D. Kelsey (standing with his hand on the gondola car), a Great Northern Railway Superintendent on the Spokane Division from 1915 to 1917, inspects the wreckage of a train near Supplee, Washington. This photo shows a wrecked wedge snow plow, gondola full of coal and a steam locomotive. This train was plowing snow on Great Northern Railway's Mansfield Branch Line when it derailed. Date of photo c. 1915. Bob Kelly provided photo.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
1917 panorama of Great Northern operations in Mansfield, WA
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Bridge #7 at Palisades
This was three separate photos that I stitched together using Auto Stitch. Photo provided to me by Bob Kelly (date unknown). Aerial of this bridge from 1949Sunday, March 15, 2009
GN Steam Locomotive #1147

Henry Gallaher standing next to GN loco #1147 in Mansfield around 1947. This locomotive now sits at a park in Wenatchee Wa.

#1147 blowing steam near the Mansfield Depot. 1947
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
The Wenatchee Daily World: October 11, 1909
Waterville Railway bid awarded and ready to start construction.Waterville Railway Co. Ticket and depot photo
Douglas: Then and Now
You can see the depot in the 1949 and 1990 aerials. This depot was one of the last Burlington Northern structures on the line until it was burned down in Dec. 1993. It lasted almost 9 years after the line was removed. The structure just the the right of the depot on the 1949 aerial was used as an automobile ramp. It was removed in the early 70's.Tuesday, December 30, 2008
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