Black diesel smoke rolls out of the locomotives as the 'Last Train' ceremonies come to a close in Douglas. The gentleman in the middle of the picture holding the young boy was Herbert "Herb" Witten. He was the Waterville School's Grounds Keeper for many years. He passed away in September of 1993 at the age of 63. Herb's uncle, Henry A. Witten, a wheat farmer, was killed in the flood of 1948 between Waterville and Douglas when he drowned attempting to cross rushing waters. Photo by Antia Sprauer, taken on March 2, 1985.
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.
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