Monday, December 29, 2014

Friday, December 19, 2014

1966 McCue Map

1966 USGS Topo Map of McCue.  The siding was where the highlighted area is shown.  It was removed in 1961, 5 years prior to this map being made.




Thursday, December 18, 2014

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Monday, December 15, 2014

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

1910 Map

Here is a 1910 Railroad Commission Map of Washington State showing the Mansfield Branch and Waterville Railway Co. Lines. 




Monday, December 8, 2014

1908 Map

1908 Railroad Commission Map of Washington State.  This map shows the proposed routes of the Washington & Great Northern Railway and the Northern & Southern Railway through the heart of Douglas County.


Friday, December 5, 2014

1907 Map

1907 Railroad Commission Map of Washington State showing Douglas County area only.  This was a preliminary route laid out by the Washington & Great Northern Railway.  Map provided by Bob Kelly.




Thursday, December 4, 2014

1966 Map

Here is a 1966 USGS Topo map at the mouth of Moses Coulee near the Columbia River.  Highlighted in the map is the Bonneville Power Spur (Bon Spur) which was added in 1952.  This split off from the Mansfield Branch to serve a power station (Columbia Substation as it was called) until the line was abandoned in 1985.  




Tuesday, December 2, 2014

1928 Map

Portion of a railroad map of Washington State showing the MB Line.  Issued in 1928 by The Department of  Public Works of Washington.  At the time this map was issued, Great Northern RY had 1157.09 miles of steam road and 25.96 miles electric in the State of Washington.




Monday, December 1, 2014

Replica Railroad Station Sign

Finished aluminum sign.  Here are the plans for it.  Lamoine was never a place along the railroad.  Just a place I grew up.





Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Replica Railroad Station Sign

In the process of building a replica station sign for my place.  The sign is painted and letters will be going on tomorrow.  Pictures to follow.  Probably will have to wait until spring to put it in the ground.




Bridge Signs

Completed my bridge number and stream signs for my golf cart/ATV bridge. Based on GNRY 1950's standard plans for bridge and stream signs. The dimensions are scaled down from the original railroad specifications to keep them proportional to my bridge.  Here are the details for these signs.



1950's Great Northern Railway Standard Plans for Bridge and Stream Signs.




Monday, November 24, 2014

Between the Tunnel and Palisades

This railroad grade is where Douglas Creek Canyon opens up to Moses Coulee.  Palisades is about 3.5 miles ahead on the down grade and the tunnel is about .75 miles up behind.  From this point it's about a 300 ft. drop in elevation to Palisades.  September 18, 2009 photo.  




Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Building a Bridge

I'm in the process of building a golf cart/atv bridge at my farm.  I was given some very big timbers to work with so I decided to draw up some plans.  I was given (4) 12" x 24" x 25' timbers.  I don't think I will have any problems with it collapsing anytime soon.  I know this is not really railroad related, but I did try to incorporate into my design a bridge sign from GN standard plans.  I wanted to get a railroad type of feel.  



Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Columbia River Station Sign

Columbia River Station Sign located along the Great Northern Main Line at the start of the MB Line near the mouth of Moses Coulee.  Gus Christ Photo form the 1950's.  Collection of the Wilson Creek Museum. 




Monday, November 17, 2014

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Off to War

From The Douglas County Empire Press.  Date of print unknown.  Date of picture is October 6, 1919.




Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Waterville Railway Construction in 1910

Workers finish up construction on the WRY.  The Douglas County Courthouse is on the left.


Photo from The Douglas County Empire Press:  February 12, 2009


Douglas in 1984

Train coming into Douglas, WA.  Alan Loebsack photo.




Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Great Northern Railway Section House Plans

Shown here are Great Northern Railway Section House Plans originally dated 1904 and revised up until 1916.  Provided by Bob Kelly of the Skykomish Historical Society.  Two of these structures still remain from the MB Line.  One sits next to the Mansfield Museum and the other resides in Alstown.









Monday, November 3, 2014

Moses Coulee in the 1950's

Looking south down Moses Coulee with Palisades in the background.  This 1950's snapshot of the coulee was taken by Gus Christ from the railroad tracks.  Now in the collection of the Wilson Creek Museum.  




Friday, October 31, 2014

Workers at Camp

Four young men at a work camp for the construction of the Mansfield Branch Line.  This camp was located on the Cavanaugh Ranch just south of Alstown.  Date 1909.  Collection of Richard Karschner.  




Wednesday, October 29, 2014

1913 Train Wreck

The following write-up was provided by Lois Garrett and Harold Badten.




Train at Douglas Depot

Image from the The Spokesman Review April 26, 1914.




Plowing snow on the MB

A wedge snow plow doing work along the MB Line.  My guess is that this photo was taken somewhere near Supplee by the position of the Cascade Mountains in the background.  It also appears that the main line has been cleared of snow and the plow is on the siding.  Gus Christ photo taken during the 1950's.  Collection of the Wilson Creek Museum.