First Official Train To Grand Coulee

This may have been the only passenger train to traverse the newly constructed railroad between Coulee City and Grand Coulee Dam. With Governor Clarence D. Martin at the throttle, the special train marked the grand opening of the new railroad line between those two cities. 

Dam Switchbacks

 Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Reclamation.

Construction of the Dam hinged on the railroad bringing in supplies. The depth of the dam below the mouth of the coulee above made it difficult for a traditional railroad to be built. Grades of 5% were accepted for the project, including a number of switchbacks, due to the limited room in the construction zone. Note here the few different switchbacks the railroad used. The highway, still in use today, curves through the image at the right. This view, from about 1937, shows the east side coffer dam still in place.  The famous “frozen landslide” was just behind this portion of the dam. 

Electric City Yards

 Photograph by the Bureau of Reclamation; courtesy of the Grant County Historical Museum.

A yard at Electric City was constructed to further sort construction materials and build certain parts of Grand Coulee Dam before shipping to the actual site.  This view, on December 15, 1937, is now completely under water. The photographer was standing in between today’s Coulee Playland and North Dam Park, and they were looking northwest across the Grand Coulee. 

Beet Acres Due At Moses Lake

From the "Spokane Chronicle."

October 1, 1948

Last Crew On US Construction Railroad

 Photograph by the Bureau of Reclamation; courtesy of the Grant County Historical Museum.

Veteran crewman work on the Government Railroad which “delivered” Grand Coulee Dam, and which the Bureau of Reclamation announced on August 4, 1950 will be removed under bids to be opened  August 31, 1950. Floyd Craig, left, conductor, had been with the road since the first spike was driven in 1934. Engineer Haskell Finch joined up about the time the hauling started. Fred A. Warren, center, has been superintendent all but two years since the Government took charge of running the road from the Consolidated Builders, Inc.,  after the dam was completed. The Bureau would continue to operate the switchyards at Odair after the track removal.  The “IDBR” on the locomotives stands for “Interior Department Bureau of Reclamation.” 

Hundreds Will Inspect New Sugar Beet Plant

From the "Spokane Chronicle."

October, 22, 1953

1944 Grand Coulee Dam View

It’s quite impressive what has changed since this photo was taken on May 31, 1944. While the dam is essentially the same, most everything on the dam side of the road through town has changed.  Notable is the Green Hut restaurant, just above the crossing of the railroad tracks and the highway, is now the site of the Visitor’s Center. Also note the railroad tracks bordering the water just opposite of the spillway. They were removed after the floods of May 1948, ending a popular tourist train ride. 

From The Coast To Coulee City--An Extension Of The Monte Cristo Railroad

From the "Spokesman Review."

June 26, 1903

Coulee City Mail Will Be By Train

From the "Spokane Chronicle."

May 14, 1940