1980 Davenport View

Photo courtesy of Blair Kooistra.

Blair says:

"And because I've always got "just one more" vintage photo to show, here we are at Davenport, Washington, in the predawn hours of October 11, 1980, when I dragged my buddy Brian Elchlepp with me across the mountains to chase an A-A-A-A-Geep-B-Geep set on the Coulee City local. We just drove east along the railroad until we found the train tied down at the depot, then waited for the crew to show up. The headlight is on dim, cab lights are on as the crew readies their workspace, and numberboards and rooftop gumball flasher is on. 

"What a day! We made a full day of it, chasing all the way west to Coulee City and then back to Spokane. It made for a long day of driving, and I know I'm an old man now (I was only 20 at the time!), but if something like this were to happen today. . .well, I can guarantee you Brian and I would be hot-footin' it no matter how much sleep we'd be losing."

Tunnel Construction Scene

Courtesy of the NMAC.

1935-36 timeframe. 

This tunnel was built on a 5% grade, It's located adjacent to the Coulee Dam city hall.

Milwaukee Clawing At Cohasset

Courtesy of Blair Kooistra.

Blair says:

"Here's one from August, 1978: Milwaukee Road Westbound freight (likely a #205 symbol) claws its way up the 2.2% Saddle Mountain grade near old Cohasset Pit, Washington. Two SD40-2's cut in behind a couple dozen grain loads. Loud. Smoky. Sand in the air. Incredible to experience."

 

BN CW local At Medical Lake

Courtesy of Tom Carver.

October 1980

"BN's CW local, a.k.a. the Coulee City Turn, is westbound at Medical Lake, Wash., after diverging onto the branch at Cheney. BN's numbering scheme placed A units with even numbers and B units with odd, so the chances of lead F9A 818 being paired with trailing 817 were only fair at best. Covered hoppers were starting to take over by this time in October 1980, but there is still a good sized cut of 40-foot grain boxes entrained as well. It's harvest time, so the seven-unit mix of Fs and Geeps will be needed on the return trip the following day."

ERDA 3730

Photo by RR.

R says:
"ERDA 3730 at the North Richland yard in September 1977. The Hanford Plant Railroad (located on the Hanford site in southeastern Washington State) was always one of my favorites and is the subject of a project layout I'm working on. I wish I could have chased it though. In the late 1980s, I photographed this RS1 getting scrapped along with its sister 3732."

Don't Tell

Courtesy of RR.

Marengo Meet: MILW 22 East should be passing MILW 144 West in the passing track, but the passing track is in such bad shape by 1978 crews began asking the UP operator if they can use the Washy. Note MILW 144 West in the background happily parked on the UP mainline - with no authority or knowledge from division brass.

Little Power On The Move

Photos courtesy of the Grant County Historical Society's BPA photo archive.

1945

Locomotive moving by truck due to the track being temporarily out of service due to construction work.

Burlington Northern Station Under Discussion In Ephrata

From the "Grant County Journal."

December 13, 1976

Mainline Derailed For Day

From the "Grant County Journal."

March 1, 1976