Dam Road Grader

Photograph by the Bureau of Reclamation

While construction of the grade was done with a minimum of major equipment, the recently invented road grader was used. Here is an example being steered by the guy on the back while being pulled by the tractor. This very grader was recently discovered sitting near a pile of scrap metal outside of the locomotive maintenance shed at Odair and was removed for preservation.

Top Basin Crop Is Sugar Beets

From the "Spokane Chronicle."

January 2, 1951

Christening First US Construction Railroad Train At Odair

Courtesy of Mike Denuty.

Opening of the Construction Railroad was a big deal, as it meant that supplies flowing to the building of Grand Coulee Dam could begin in earnest. Part of the festivities of the opening of the railroad was Washington State Governor, Clarence Martin, of Cheney. He’s the one dressed up as the engineer. Miss Mary Cole with bottle of christening water; Rufus Woods the Publisher of the Wenatchee Daily World with his hat in his left hand; Mrs. Clarence Dill, Rosalie Gardiner Jones, standing to the right of Woods, whose husband pushed for the Dam in Congress; James O’ Sullivan, near the right with glasses, was a driving force to get the Dam built.

Queen Columbia Fete All Ready At Site Of Dam

From the "Spokane Chronicle."

December 7, 1934

Rivalry Is Good--When Rivals Are Friends

From the "Spokane Chronicle."

November 19, 1934

Rail Traffic Almost At A Standstill

From the "Spokesman Review."

May 18, 1971

Ring Seal Gates At Grand Coulee Dam

Courtesy of the Grant Historical Society Museum.


The railroad brought in many premade parts to the dam site. This load of ring seal gates for the 102-inch diameter outlet works, on top of the construction trestle along the face of the dam, will be lifted off the flatcar by the crane in the background.

First Official Train To Grand Coulee Dam

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

Washington Governor Clarence Martin was at the throttle of the first train to Grand Coulee on July 29, 1935. That’s him alighting from the cab in full engineer’s garb.  The locomotive itself is new to the line this day, having previously served on the Southern Pacific since being built in 1903. It must not have been in the best shape, as in two years it will be set aside out of service. MWAK stood for the initials of the construction companies involved in construction of the Dam at the time; Silas Mason Co. from Louisville, Kentucky, Walsh Construction Co. of Davenport, Iowa and New York and Atkinson-Kier Company of San Francisco and San Diego.

Rail Line Now Entering Coulee

From the "Spokane Chronicle."

December 5, 1934