Ross Sterling Mystery Photo-Burlington Northern At Wheeler

Photo by Ross Sterling.

Scan attempts made by numerous people. Thanks to all that tried to help.

The late Ross Sterling of Moses Lake had a couple of poorly exposed photos in his collection. Here is the first one:

 I could tell this was taken outside of Moses Lake at Wheeler, and likely in the 1983 timeframe, as there were a few photos also at Wheeler from that timeframe. Could I get help from some of my friends to pull more details out of this negative?

1892 Douglas Creek Bridge Construction Photo

Photographer unknown. Thanks to Mac McCulloch for pointing this one out.

Enough details can be observed to give one an educated guess that this is the original bridge over Douglas Creek, between Columbia River and Vulcan.

This line was replaced in 1902 by the current line, still in use by BNSF.

See this location today.

Mac McCulloch suggested the following:
"I agree that a switchback as drawn is consistent with the photo.

"Why do that? Need construction materials to base of the bridge. Perhaps but seems like a lot of effort compared to a wagon road.

"Expect a long delay to build the bridge and want to leap frog materials to a point just above Rock Island dam or to Wenatchee. Getting material to Wenatchee makes sense. Needed a steamboat landing at South Wenatchee anyway and if got supplies there GN could start West without having to wait for this small bridge to be built at Douglas Creek and for the time to build 15 miles or so of line along the east bank to opposite South Wenatchee. Hill was in a hurry, but that big a hurry??

"Either option required passing Rock Island with steamboats, a high risk operation. For enough money I suspect some captains would have tried it, particularly if traffic to the Okanogan mines was slow.

"Supplies to Wenatchee would be my guess. Perhaps Ellensburg papers of the day have an article that would explain it."

 

Ted Curphey figured the spur below the bridge in the center, and then in the creek behind the bridge in the left of the image was a switchback. He put together a map:

1953 USGS Ritzville Map

1925 Schrag USGS Map

Dry Coulee Bridge No. 118

Vintage pictures courtesy of the NP Telltale.

Bridge No. 118  was formerly numbered 12.4. It crossed a ravine and had 33 wooden trestle bents. It was the largest bridge with 522 feet of length and 63 feet tall over the deepest part of the ravine. It was partially renewed in 1935 and 1931. It was on a 3 degree curve but was on the level.

1936 Grand Coulee Cement Boxcar Unloading View

1902 AFE Creston Siding Extension

Courtesy of the NPRHA.

1915 AFE Spur Track Near Mondovi

Courtesy of the NPRHA.

Dry Coulee Bridge No. 117

Vintage photos courtesy of the NP Telltale.