Great Northern Rwy's Mansfield Branch Line (1909-1985) and the Waterville Railway Co. (1910-1974)

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.

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

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.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

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.

Thursday, May 8, 2014

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.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

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.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

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.

Monday, May 5, 2014

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.

Friday, May 2, 2014

Flanger Sign

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

Thursday, May 1, 2014

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.

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Aluminum Railroad Crossing Sign

Real nice crossing sign from the MB Line given to me by a Waterville native a few years back. He acquired it back in the late 1970's and had been hanging in his family's barn.

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Glass Bead Crossing Sign

This gem was giving to me by a lady that lives near Withrow. She had told me that her late dad, a railroad buff, had obtained it years ago possibly from the MB Line. This could not be confirmed, but a great piece of railroad memorabilia nonetheless. This sign is made out of thick steel and very heavy. And only one glass bead is missing.

Picture with camera flash off

Picture with camera flash on

Monday, April 28, 2014

Between Withrow and Touhey

I rode the old abandoned rail line grade between the Dutch Henry Draw (bridge #41), eastward to RD A NE a total of 3 miles. The route ended 1 mile south of Touhey. Pictures taken April 25, 2014. Really fun little ride on the quad. The Maxxis Bighorn Tires eat the sagebrush. I had permission from all landowners to access this area.

Map of route.

Looking west across the Dutch Henry Draw where bridge #41 once crossed.

Looking east and standing on the east bridge approach embankment at Dutch Henry.

Looking eastward towards RD A NE.

Found this old steel flanger sign still on the post next to one of the grade crossings out there. Railroads switched to aluminum signs in the late 1940's and early 50's.

Crossing Sign

Found these signs in a cattle pasture between Alstown and Douglas. The owner of the property said I could have this set, along with another set that my brother has. These two signs belonged on the same post. The post was too long to deal with so I cut it as you can see here. The post was pretty rotten on the bottom anyhow. The landowner was pretty sure they came from Alstown.