The North Coast Near Ritzville

From the "Spokesman-Review."

April 12, 1907

World's Shortest Full-Scale Railroad at Waterville Gone

From the "Spokesman-Review."

November 9, 1954

Burlington Northern Drops Service As Grain Elevators Burst At Seams

From the "Spokane Chronicle."

October 29, 1984

Ephrata AFEs

This is a summary to the "Applications For Expenditures" (AFE) files which were project files for all purchases, construction or removal of facilities or equipment from Great Northern property. These files sometimes contain correspondence, invoices, blueprints and other project information, and often contain insight into events or changes in a specific area at a point in time.

As a summary, it does give a look into the changes made over the years.

From the GN-NP Archives.

1893    Construct 100x100 stockyard

1898    Extend passing track 531 feet

1899    Construct 700 foot industry track

1900    Replace 2 foot water pipe line with 4 foot

1900    Erect mail crane

1900    Equip mail crane with bag clamp

1900    Grade driveway

1901    Construct temporary stockyard

1901    Place 8 ton standard stock scale at stockyard

1901    Extend industry track 1550 feet

1902    Erect 24x48 station facility

1902    Construct public crossing

1902    Renew water pipe to stockyard

1903    Widen banks on road bed

1903    Install rain gauge and instruments for measuring rainfall

1903    Build an additional 98x99 foot pen to stock yard

1903    Install mail crane

1906    Construct private crossing

1906    Construct standard section house and standard laborer house

1907    Construct passing track

1909    Construct passing track

1909    Move water closet to new location

1909    Change outlet fixture on water tank from 7 inch to 10 inch diameter

1909    Install ROW fence

1910    Move station water closet

1911    Install 5700 feet of ROW fence 2 miles west of Ephrata

1912    Install electric crossing alarm bells at Pacific Ave

1912    Place public crossing 2 1/2miles west

1912    30x52 addition to depot, place flush toilet in each waiting room, rearrange for freight house and warm room, extend platform

1913    Remove stockyard scales

1914    Construct 400 foot extension to industry track for Standard Oil Co.

1914    Replace signals

1914    Construct 1064 foot extension on east end and 400 foot extension on west end of passing track

1914    Move public crossing 250 feet east

1914    Install ROW fence

1915    Install feed racks in stockyards

1915    Install sheep loading chute

1916    Install ROW fence

1916    Deep well and pump

1916    Relay passing track with 85# rail

1916    Pipe connection to city water
1916    Install culvert at bridge 344.1
1917    Install ROW fence

1917    Cess pool at depot

1918    Pump house for water tank

1919    Replace water tank

1920    Purchase lawn mower

1920    Extend drain from standpipe

1920    Enlarge pump house & replace pump

1920    Pipe from water tank to section house

1921    Bunk houses from Adrian and Columbia River
1921    Move 8x12 hand car house from Quincy to Ephrata

1922    Construct public crossings

1922    Bunk house from Circle

1922    Replace motor at pumping plant

1923    Install 11200 feet of ROW fence 4 miles west of Ephrata

1923    Ephrata to Quincy: Relay present 85# rail with new 100# rail from present end of 100# rail at station 6736-22 about 1/2 mile west of west switch Ephrata to west end of 90# rail near west switch Quincy station, a distance of 16 miles, providing 7x10 1/2 inch new tie plates and 5/8x6 inch spikes out of face. Relay rail lighter than 75# with second hand 85# rail in passing tracks at Naylor, Winchester, and Quincy; also tie plate curves in passing tacks with second hand tie plates and relay 68# turnouts with #9 turnouts, using second hand switch material recovered from main line. Provide curve number and elevation boards. Place 13000 cubic yards ballast out of face from Adrian pit charging 40% to capital account, balance to operating expense, provide for track bonding in connection with signal department. Extend passing track at Quincy to connect with east wye switch

1923    Electric lights in depot
1923    Move section house from Chopaka to Ephrata

1924    Electric lights in section house

1924    Construct Union Oil spur

1924    Install car body building

1924    Install cut-out for alarm bell

1925    Place oil drums

1925    Connect to city water
1925    Fill bridges 344.1, 344.2 & 362

1926    Deepen well

1928    Auxiliary telephone in depot warehouse

1928    Replace 100# passing track switches with 110# material

1929    Extend passing track

1931    Private crossing at Cyrus Ave

1932    Enlarge signal maintainers cottage

1934    Extend public crossing at Pacific Ave

1934    Move gas engine from Lyons to Ephrata pumping plant

1935    Highway underpass

1935    Air compressor for pumping plant

1935    Extend public crossing

1936    Add bedroom to section house

1937    Remove private crossing at Cyrus Ave

1937    Retire bunkhouse

1937    Install bunkhouse from Quincy

1939    Replace engine at pumping plant

1939    Water hose connection

1940    Assessment for sewer

1941    Shingles on roof of depot

1941    Loading platform

1942    Replace pump

1943    Remodel 29x100 station

1943    Sewer pipe

1943    Extend industry track

1943    Turnouts for Army tracks

1943    Grading for west leg of wye
1943    Fit up four 2689' capacity arch bar cars for use as bunk cars to house employees

1944    Relay through turnouts of passing tracks with 112# rail

1944    Remove mail crane

1945    Install spring switches

1945    Construct tool house

1945    Place derail on lead to Army Air Depot track

1945    Basin Concrete spur

1946    Griswold signals on Division and Third Ave

1946    Sewer line

1947    Assessment for streets-8th

1947    Pave platforms at depot

1947    Remove switch and connect industry tracks

1947    Purchase billing machine

1947    Purchase adding machine

1947    Install toilets in laborers houses

1947    Construct sidewalk on Third Ave

1948    Pave and repair crossings and relay 253 feet main line

1948    Improvements to company house
1948    Install shoo-fly tracks for canal crossing

1949    Morrison-Knudson siding

1949    Remove Union Oil spur

1950    Extend depot platform

1950    Purchase property

1950    Morrison-Knudson spur

1950    Irrigation pipe
1950    Dedicate part of station grounds for road

1951    Hand throw at Columbia Concrete Pipe spur

1951    Remove Morrison-Knudson track

1951    Install metal tool houses

1951    Temporary timber bridges Ephrata to Winchester

1952    Construct roadway and fence

1952    Partitions in depot

1952    Easement for street
1952    Retire water tank

1953    Purchase property

1953    Improve depot platform

1953    General Tractor spur

1954    Sale of property

1954    Midstates Supply spur

1955    Retire & remove stockyards

1955    Crossing gates

1955    Easement for highway

1955    House track

1956    Assessment for sewers

1956    Sun Basin Lumber spur

1956    Signal timing circuits

1957    Easement for BPA

1958    Assessment for streets

1958    Easement for over head highway bridge

1960    Sell section house

1963    Sale of property

1965    Extend loading platform 80 feet

1965    Wheel change truck

1966    CTC Ephrata to Columbia River

1968    Retire stockyard facility

1968    Purchase truck
1970    Install CTC with 4th aspect Lamona to Ephrata

Downs AFEs

This is a summary to the "Applications For Expenditures" (AFE) files which were project files for all purchases, construction or removal of facilities or equipment from Great Northern property. These files sometimes contain correspondence, invoices, blueprints and other project information, and often contain insight into events or changes in a specific area at a point in time.

As a summary, it does give a look into the changes made over the years.

From the GN-NP Archives.

1901    Construct 60x160 grain storage warehouse

1901    Rip rap at bridge #310

1902    Construct public crossing

1902    Construct 24x48 station facilities

1902    Extend passing track 3000 feet

1902    Install mail crane

1902    Construct private crossing

1903    Construct sidewalk at station grounds

1904    Install ROW fence

1905    Install ROW fence

1906    Install ROW fence 1/2 mile west

1907    Change switch at yard track

1910    Place culvert 2034 feet west of bridge #310

1913    Install steel at bridge #310

1913    Install steel at bridge #311

1914    Relay 2418 track feet of passing track

1915    Construct private crossing 2 miles west

1918    Install steel mail crane

1919    In passing tracks, relay all rail lighter than 75#, with second hand 80# rail

1920    Tool house destroyed by fire

1921    Retirement of tool house

1921    Move bunk houses from Bluestem & Downs

1924    Construct private crossing

1926    Install ROW fence

1926    Move 24x48 depot to Marlin

1931    Install ROW fence

1931    Remove 2 mail cranes

1940    Install gates in ROW fence

1940    Relocate public crossing from station 3473+82 west and extend 16 feet.

1941    Remove public crossing at station 3479+54

1947    Relay passing track with second hand 100# rail, also secondary tracks

1949    Remove public crossing

1949    Improve drainage at bridge #310

Douglas AFEs

This is a summary to the "Applications For Expenditures" (AFE) files which were project files for all purchases, construction or removal of facilities or equipment from Great Northern property. These files sometimes contain correspondence, invoices, blueprints and other project information, and often contain insight into events or changes in a specific area at a point in time.

As a summary, it does give a look into the changes made over the years.

From the GN-NP Archives.

Douglas

1910    Construct 48x48 one pen stockyard

1912    Construct public highway 1090 feet long

1912    Transfer track to Waterville Railway

1913    Construct road crossing

1917    Install ROW fence

1917    Extend industry track

1919    Install culverts Columbia River to Mansfield

1919    Waterville Railway turnout

1920    Bridges and culverts

1921    Assessment for roads

1923    Repair flood damage

1924    Rip rap

1926    Widen public crossing at Washington St.

1928    Move private crossing

1928    Rip rap Alstown to Douglas

1935    Rip rap

1937    Auto unloading platform

1938    Move public crossing

1938    Repair flood damage

1941    Driveway around depot

1946    Electric lights in depot

1947    2 wire telephone circuit mp 35 to 37

1949    Extend Centennial Mills spur

1950    Repair flood damage

1956    Acquire Waterville Railway tracks

1956    Move section buildings

1960    Well for depot and section

1961    Install culverts

1962    Purchase pick-up truck

Difference of Decades Moses Lake Depot

The older photo was taken in 1976, the later photo in 2010. Note the buildings on the very right have not changed, except for paint, and that the siding in the old photo is now the only track. Beyond the grade crossing with Alder Street there is a jog in the tracks where the siding goes to the right and catches up with the main track. In the old photo there is a silver grain building in the background, which is still there, but in the later view is obscured by a tree. The depot sign is in a private collection in town.

The grassy area was a project by the town fathers to beautify the area:

Moses Lake Trainorder and Clearance Form

Courtesy of Allen Miller

Moses Lake Depot

The following is from Allen Miller, regarding operations in Moses Lake, who also supplied the photo:

     "I did a little research on Moses Lake (Neppel) depot. The new depot was completed and the agent's job bulletined in December, 1912. H. L. Johnsrud, the first agent at Warden, bid in the new job and opened the station in January, 1913. He didn't stay long and promptly bid in the vacant agency at Kittitas in March and L. G. Graham, from the agency at Ewan, took over the Neppel agency next.

     "When the Marcellus and Moses Lake lines were built they were not connected to the main line via telegraph. Messages to and from the branch line agencies had to be relayed by phone through the agency at Warden. This resulted in a lot of extra work for the Warden agent, essentially making it a small scale relay office.

     "In March, 1916, repeaters were installed at Warden to connect Marcellus Neppel and Ruff to the main line telegraph. It was said that the boys on the branch were so rusty after several years of not using their Morse skills that their call letters, NP - Neppel, MR - Marcellus and RU - Ruff, had to be sent to them by mail. For the first few weeks there were some strange things heard over the Morse on the branches as the boys struggled to re-aquire their former skills.

      "A fish business developed out of the numerous Carp that abounded in Moses Lake. I read in a newspaper article about Elsie Rudloff, wife of the station agent, that the fish were shipped to Jewish rituals in New York City. In September, 1917 there is mention that J. G. Vickers, Milwaukee agent at Warden, was in Neppel looking after the fish business. In April, 1919 there is another mention that fish were now moving from Neppel to eastern markets. Again, in June, 1919 Agent Vickers was again in Neppel looking after his fishing interests.

      "Emil E. Rudloff, formerly the original agent at Ralston, became the agent at Neppel around 1920-21 I believe. Next was Frank M. Sever. He was there as early as August, 1943 when the accident happened to the troop train at Warden. George LaValley was agent in the 1950's and '60's and I have attached a scan of a train order he copied there in 1954. This is the only order I am aware of from Moses Lake. I once had two copies, but traded one set to Ken Secrest, of Kalispell, Montana.

     "The last agent was Marv B. Williamson, there by 1970 and until the station was closed."