1903 Excerpts From Building The Adrian Cutoff

 Some years ago John Phillips III and I hired a research assistant at the Minnesota Historical Society to go through their NP paper and make copies for us. Among the thousands of documents I received, were the papers relating to the extension of the Central Washington branch from Coulee City, WA to Adrian, WA, about 20 miles. Most is rather mundane day-to-day stuff, but the contract to complete the line stated it was to be done by August 1, 1903, and NP Chief Engineer W.L. Darling seemed to be having fits about getting the line completed in time. These 3 telegrams from June of that year give a bit of a glimpse of him trying to get the work done, and the pressure he had to put on his crews to make that happen. 

Bridge 3 was renamed Bridge 118, for the milepost it corresponded to, as measured from Cheney, WA. Photo was also received from JP3, and is now part of the NPRHA collection.

This location is about 4 miles from my house.

1973 Wheeler Trainorder

 

1957 Ephrata Trainorders

 

1981 CW Chase Scene

Photo by Blair Kooistra.

Blair says:

"In action view: Michael Douglas Sawyer, still a relative sprout railroader with Burlington Northern, but growing an awesome early 80's set of sideburns, gets the shot while steering my Toyota Corolla with his knees, pacing the BN's CW Local westbound into the late afternoon sunlight approaching Davenport, WA in September of 1981. That was quite a cool week of rail photography we enjoyed, nearly all of it spent on BN mainlines expect for a couple of forays with the CW and its F-units. I don't like to think what OTHER cool stuff was in the area we didn't bother with. . . "

First Light

Courtesy of Tom Carver.

September 1980

"The CW (Central Washington) local has gone to work in Coulee City, Wash., just after sunrise. Situated in a geologic formation known as the Grand Coulee, the "City" is about 25 miles southwest of the famous dam on the Columbia River by the same name. F7 #712, former SP&S 802, then BN 9752, was originally a passenger unit before being relegated to freight. The 109-mile-long Central Washington branch was officially the 8th Sub. of the Spokane Division. Today the 712 has an F7B and 5 Geeps to haul what will become a long and heavy train of 40-foot grain boxes as loads are picked up on its eastward trek to Spokane. September 1980."

Great Northern Trainorders

 

1982 Wenatchee Trainorders

 

1974 Harrington Trainorders

 

1980 Fairchild Trainorders