Sunday, April 6, 2025

Minding The Gap On The Milwaukee

Guest post by Ryan Reed.

Traveling way back in Gap lore, 4-6-2 "F engines" as they called, were the workhorses from Othello, to Avery, Spokane, and beyond. One such F engine, CMStP&P 849, seemed to work the Mosey local a little more often than other engines. Here we see the 849 rolling the Mosey westbound out of Warden, Wash. late day in 1950 or '51. Accompanying form 19s from August 12 and 13, 1949, documents the 849 on its homeward trek to Othello - with short visit from FT 40A East. It was all just a day in the life...








Saturday, April 5, 2025

The Lind Hole Track These Days

Guest post by Ryan Reed. 

The Lind Hole track these days... The first picture is in-between the mainline junction and Jantz Road. The town of Lind itself is off in the distance. Walking the grade from Jantz Road to Lind is effectively impossible because it's become so overgrown. I attempted to walk it a few years ago and found the culvert EE921. Funny thing, I thought I was bushwacking down the grade, saw the culvert, and realized I was actually off by 15 or 20 feet. 
At the end of the track, there is indeed some forgotten rail left. It's the only Milwaukee rail left in the entirety of Lind Coulee.