Tight Fit

The train makes its way past ice and rock just south of bridge #25 in the heart of Douglas Creek.  Photo by Gus Christ in the 1950's.  Collection of the Wilson Creek Museum.   

Below is a 2007 photo of the same location as above.  Here is a 2014 photo of the exact same spot, but looking on the up grade.

Men clear rock that has fallen onto the tracks about a quarter mile south of the tunnel.  1950's photo by Gus Christ.  Collection of the Wilson Creek Museum.

Below is a picture taken roughly 50 years later at the same spot on the line.  It appears at some time the rock cut was carved back at a slope to reduce mishaps as shown above.  

Supplee in the 1950's

Railroad workers idle the wedge plow to manually clear snow away from the switch stand at Supplee, Washington.  The top of Badger Mountain can be seen in the far distance.  Gus Christ photo.  Collection of the Wilson Creek Museum.

Great Northern in Mansfield during the 1950's

GN ALCO RS-1 diesel locomotive #184 moves cars along the siding track at Mansfield.   Looking northeast down the main line with the retired depot on the left.  The locomotive was built the same year the depot was retired in 1944 and then scrapped in 1960.  The depot was sold and removed in 1961.  Gus Christ photo and collection of the Wilson Creek Museum.   

Douglas in the 1950's

GN railroad workers perform switching maneuvers in Douglas on a cold winter’s day. Gus Christ photo looking south.  Collection of the Wilson Creek Museum.

While making its way through ice covered rock cuts, this Great Northern Alco RS1 locomotive #184 works in cold weather to pull its load through Douglas Creek Canyon. The build-up of ice and snow on the rocks made for tight tolerances between the walls and the freight cars.    Photo by Gus Christ, a former GN/BN employee from Ephrata.  Collection of the Wilson Creek Museum.  Most likely a 1950's photo since this locomotive was scrapped in 1960.     

Bridge #15

Looking on the upward grade at bridge #15. Gus Christ photo. Date unknown.  Photo credit to the Wilson Creek Museum.  

Ready for Departure

A young lady stands on the Mansfield depot platform ready to depart on the passenger train. Date unknown.  Photo credit Mansfield Museum.

Palisades WA in 1985

A small gathering of people greet the last train to run the Mansfield Branch Line at Palisades on March 2, 1985.  

Mansfield in 1952

Looking southwest down the tracks with the Mansfield Depot on the right.  Picture taken in 1952.  Photo Credit Mansfield Museum.

Between Douglas and Alstown

Photos showing train on a curve between Douglas and Alstown.  The late John P. Henderson took these pictures on the afternoon of October 28, 1983 while the train was making its return trip back to Wenatchee.  Next and last stop will be Alstown to pick up a few box cars filled with wheat.  Daling Farms is just across the creek from this train.  

Aerial of photo location

 

GN Steam Locomotive #1163

This Mansfield Local rests in the early morning hours next to the Wenatchee Depot ready to make the trip up on the plateau. In about 4 to 5 hours this small mixed train will reach Mansfield and make the return trip in the afternoon. 1945 photo.


This locomotive #1163 was built by Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works in September 1902 and scrapped in 1954. Classed as an F-8. After 1908 it was classed and F-8S once it was equipped with a superheater. 2-8-0 wheel arrangement.  

GN Steam Locomotive #553

Caption on photo reads:  

First engine on the new Waterville R.R.  

H. V. Francis Eng.  

Hugh Andrews fireman.  

June 27, 1910

No. 553 was a Class F-1 locomotive with a 2-8-0 wheel configuration.  This engine was built in September 1896 by the Brooks Locomotive Works and placed into service by the Great Northern Railway as No. 487.  GN later changed its number to 553 and then 899.  This locomotive was used only for the construction of the Waterville Railway and never place into service.  It was retired in Feb. 1930 and scrapped in 1932.  This engine was never owned by the WRY Co.   Information from the Great Northern Railway Historical Society Reference Sheet 108.  Great Northern's Mansfield Branch and the Waterville Railway.

Photo from the Douglas County Empire Press

Collection of Station Signs

Collection of station sign pictures from the MB Line.  Station signs not pictured are Moses Coulee, Appledale, and McCue. 

Mansfield Station Sign

I was able to acquire this great piece of MB Line memorabilia over the past weekend. This station sign from Mansfield had been residing in a trailer park in Waterville and was just recently visible from the road. I contacted the owner of the park within hours of my brother discovering the sign, I purchased it.   This sign is of Great Northern Railway design and most likely dates back to the 1950's or 1960's .  Great find to add to our collection. 

Below is a Great Northern Railway Standard Plan for a typical station sign.  Drawing is dated 1960.  Drawing was then revised in 1964.  

Moses Coulee in 1983

Click link below:

April 1983 photo of Mansfield local approaching bridge #3 and the Palisades Rd. crossing.  Palisades is 3 miles ahead, and then after that its steep grades for these GP9's until Douglas.  One an ex-Great Northern GP9 and the other an ex-Northern Pacific.

The Wenatchee Daily World: August 10, 1909

The Wenatchee Daily World: July 31, 1906

The Waterville Railway Co.

Collage of newspaper headlines about the Waterville Railway Co. ranging in dates from 1909 to 1975.   All of these headlines are from The Wenatchee Daily World, The Wenatchee World, The Spokesman Review, The Waterville Empire Press, and The Seattle Times.

The Wenatchee World: October 23, 1981

The Wenatchee World: October 26, 1983

Page 1

 Page 2

The Wenatchee World: October 18, 1981

I found only page one of this article in the archives.  Page two was not available.  

The Mansfield Branch Line

Collage of newspaper headlines about the Mansfield Branch Line ranging in dates from 1907 to 1994.  All of these headlines are from The Wenatchee Daily World, The Wenatchee World, The Waterville Empire Press, The Withrow Banner, The Republic and the Quad-city Herald.  

The Wenatchee World: Article Date early 1970's

Nash two-ton truck with 4-wheel "pony truck".  Modified to haul 17 passengers, mail and express.  Purchased by the Waterville Railway Co. in May of 1920, retired in October of 1936, and scrapped in 1939.  Info from the Great Northern Railway Historical Society (Reference Sheet No. 108) 

Section House in Mansfield

16' x 24' two room section house built in Mansfield by the Great Northern Railway in 1909.  It was labeled on the GNRY track plans as 'Jap Ho' (Japanese House).  It was retired, along with several other buildings, in 1956 and removed off site in 1958.  It was one of two section houses built in Mansfield by the railroad.  It was most likely occupied at one time by this man, who was killed between Withrow and Supplee in 1952 while working on the Mansfield Branch Line.  It now resides in an undisclosed location.  

For more on that accident click here.  

June 2014 photo of section house.  Bob Kelly photo.

1917 photo of section house.  The larger section house is just the the right.

1949 plans

1956 plans showing the building being retired.

1958 plans showing the building removed.

The Wenatchee World: September 16, 1981

The Wenatchee World: August 14, 1985

The Wenatchee World: August 5, 1984

The Wenatchee World: January 22, 1982

The Seattle Sunday Times: August 21, 1960

The Wenatchee World: July 16, 1982

Page 1

Page 2

The Wenatchee World: August 29, 1984

The Wenatchee World: April 19, 1985

The Wenatchee World: April 9, 1975

Muriel Horton passed away in 2010, but her husband Milas James 'Jim' Horton still resides in the home as of 2015.  He is 82 years old.

The Wenatchee Daily World: August 4, 1948

The Wenatchee World: January 7, 1973

The train in the picture is on the track wye in Waterville with the locomotive pointing northeast.  The building on the far right behind the locomotive is the engine house.  Here is a picture of the engine house today.