The Wenatchee Daily World: October 28, 1948

The Wenatchee Daily World: Feb 14, 1949

Pile driver is working on bridge #15 in the above photo.  Picture of almost the same view.

Here is what is remains of bridge #33 today.  

The Wenatchee World: July 21, 1986

Old Douglas Creek Railroad Grade

Looking on the up grade at the large rock cut along Douglas Creek.  At the other end of this cut is where bridge #25 used to stand.  May 2014 photo.    

The Wenatchee Daily World: November 5, 1954

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Camp Tent

Men working on the construction of the railroad, rest in a camp tent near Douglas in 1908.  Photo by Aaron Shimer.  Collection of Richard Karschner.

Picture of a freshly carved rock cut through solid basalt looking on the up grade.  From the looks of the terrain this location is just south of Alstown.  Rock ballast and rails have yet to be laid.  1909 photo by Aaron Shimer. 

Looking on the down grade at the newly constructed railroad tracks in the heart of Douglas Creek.  This location is just across the creek from Slack Canyon, with bridge #12 just behind the cameraman.  The homestead in the background belonged to J.M. Barb, a local rancher.  Date 1909.  Richard Karschner photo.

Dec 27, 2013 photo taken about where the buildings are in the above photo.

Aerial of photo location

Bridge #19

Newly constructed bridge #19 in the year 1909.  Photo by Aaron Shimer collection of Richard Karschner.  Here is a picture of the bridge damaged in the 1948 flood.

Track Laying

Track laying crane of Carey Baxter & Kennedy Co. working on the Mansfield Line.  From the looks of the terrain they are working a little south of Douglas.  Date 1909.  Photo by Aaron Shimer.

Surveying the Line

Surveyors checking grades with a transit.  Photo taken on the Mansfield Line by Aaron Shimer in 1909.  Collection of Richard Karschner.

Bridge Work

Workers driving piles for bridge #40 just south of Douglas in the year 1909.  Photos provided by Richard Karschner.  

Aaron Shimer standing next to pile driver.

Workers pose next to pile driver.

Complete view of pile driver

Here is a 2010 picture with same view as above images.  Just 101 years difference.

Douglas in 1909

Looking at the south end of Douglas, with the newly constructed bridge #40 and railroad tracks in the middle of the picture.  Picture is taken about where Hubert Bourton’s house stands today. 1909 photo.  Here is a 1983 picture of a train about in the same spot just south of Douglas.

GNRY Engineer

A. Hill, GNRY Engineer, sits in his camp tent near Douglas in 1908.  Picture by Aaron Shimer.  Aaron Shimer was an assistant engineer to Mr. Hill between the years 1908 and 1909 while working on the MB Line.

Work Train in 1909

Great Northern Steam locomotive #1140 south of Douglas lashed to a work train in the year 1909.  Photo taken by Aaron Shimer.  Collection of Richard Karschner.

GN Steam Locomotive #1140

People pose for a picture on the Great Northern Railway Steam Locomotive #1140.  It is shown here on the Mansfield Branch Line near Douglas, WA in the year 1909.  Photo provided by Richard Karschner.  

It was built by the Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works in August of 1902. A Class F-8 with a 2-8-0 wheel arrangement.  It was scrapped in 1932.  Roster info obtained from www.greatnorthernempire.net  

Living quarters

Railroad workers tent camp along Douglas Creek south of Douglas.  1909 photo by Aaron Shimer.  Collection of Richard Karschner.  

Aluminum Flanger Signs

Found these two flanger signs out between Douglas and Supplee.

Aaron Boyer Shimer was the youngest of the seven children. He attended a private “preparatory” school, where he concentrated on his mathematics skills. He graduated from Lafayette College with a degree in Civil Engineering; he decided to gain his first experience working on the Great Northern Railway in the state of Washington. Aaron began his work in 1908 on the Mansfield Branch as an assistant to A. Hill, who was the resident engineer in Douglas, WA. He later moved to Omak WA in 1910 where he was the resident engineer for the new Oroville Branch along the Columbia and Okanagan Rivers. The following series of upcoming pictures were taken with his folding (TB 100) Kodak camera in the years 1908 and 1909 while working on the Mansfield Line.  Photos and info compiled/provided by his grandson Richard Karschner.

Mr. Shimer at his camp tent located just south of Douglas. Date 1909.  Photo provided by Richard Karschner.  Photo captions say the camp was located on the Cavanaugh Ranch.

Flanger Sign

Found this aluminum flanger sign with steel post out between Douglas and Supplee back in 2010.  

Piece of Rail

Cut this piece of rail with a torch out of a longer section at Withrow.  I then had Barnes Welding in Waterville cut clean ends.  I ran the brush grinder over it to clean all the rust off.  Tie plates and spike heads are all from the MB Line as well.  I will go back out and cut some short pieces of ties to finsh the dislplay.  This is 68 lb. rail manufactured by the Illinois Steel Co. in Oct. 1891.  Here is rail display I made a few years back and donated it to the Mansfield Museum.