Bridge Model and Toy Trains Help Devise Work Program At Grand Coulee

From the "Spokane Chronicle."

June 3, 1938

Tourist Train Toots Its Own Horn

From the "Spokane Chronicle."

June 27, 1948

Train Memory Stays

From the "Spokane Chronicle."

November 28, 1979

Beet Refinery Station Name Honors Official

From the "Ellensburg Record."

October 21, 1953

GN 1940 Spokane Division Stock Circular

Mansfield Branch Snowplow Wreck

Courtesy of the Oroville Historical Association.

Darrin Nelson, who maintains the Mansfield Branch blog, adds the following:

Frederick DeForest "Fred" Kelsey was the Great Northern Railway Superintendent for the Spokane Division from Feb. 1915 to May 1917, Fred Kelsey is pictured with his hand touching the gondola.

Wharf Pilings At Wenatchee

Courtesy of Chelan County PUD.

Milwaukee 251 At Othello

Courtesy of the Othello Community Museum.

Charles Davidson, the roundhouse foreman in Othello, checks the 251 at the roundhouse.  Steam was largely used on the section of tracks from Avery, ID to Othello.  At Othello, the steam engines were switched out for electric locomotives.  The 251 was the only 4-8-4 type locomotive constructed by the railroad, others having been built by commercial builders.

First Official Train On Royal City Branch

Courtesy of the Grant PUD Photo Archives.

The first official train on the branch to Royal City was on June 10, 1966. The Milwaukee washed and waxed two locomotives and cleaned up a few of their newest type cars that would represent the type of cars that the products from the new branch would be shipped in and brought them out on a special train and had a Grand Opening ceremony. It had been decades since any new branch lines had been built on "Lines West" so it was quite an occasion and the Milwaukee Road traffic department probably milked it for all the public relations they could get out of it. The next day they probably started switching the line and brought out their usual beat up cars for spotting to load products at the various industries.  

The Milwaukee Road sent out three of its named business cars for the opening train. Seen here are the “Milwaukee,” the “Montana,” and the “Washington.” All were likely stuffed full of railroad officials, invited guests, and stakeholders from the Royal City area.