Arbuckle Flats

View dates from about 1948.

This early view of Summer Falls, south of Coulee City, is out of place on this page, right? Not entirely.

The canal, built in 1947, which caused the water to flow over the falls, created a need for a bridge over the canal. This bridge, number 114, is seen near upper left of the image.

Not many know that this flat area is called "Arbuckle Flats" for a pioneer sheep rancher who lived near the upper right of the photo. Near the upper right of the photo is a clump of trees, known as "Deadman Springs." The story, best told in the book "Forgotten Trails" by Ron Anglin, is of an early traveler having been killed by this spot by some native folks.

If you were to recreate this view today, you would be disappointed. Most of the water now flows through a power plant constructed around 1984. A lined canal now brings the water all the way to the power plant, but an overflow/emergency release gate is nearby, allowing water to flow over the falls when the powerplant is out of service.

Mosey Local At Warden

Courtesy of Blair Kooistra.

Blair says:

"Tamping down weeds on the Mosey Local, leaving the mainline at Warden on august 29, 1979:

left to right, Mark Wilson, Neil Morgan, Wes Nevitt. Engineer was Dick Donneley. GP9 299, two insulated boxcars, a mechanical reefer, and a caboose."

1973 BN Consolidated Annual Station Earnings-4

Courtesty of Aaron Schwarz.

1973 BN Consolidated Annual Station Earnings-3

Courtesy of Aaron Schwarz.

1973 BN Consolidated Annual Station Earnings-2

Courtesy of Aaron Schwarz.

1973 BN Consolidated Annual Station Earnings-1

Courtesy of Aaron Schwarz.

1988 BN Action At Coulee City

Guest post by Rick Morgan.

September 13, 1988

A grain train is departing town on the old NP CW line. They used four units (BN 2092, EMDX 770, 762, BN 2526) to pull loads out and met up with a fifth locomotive, GP35 2532 just east of town at Cement before heading for Cheney and Spokane. 

Four units pull grain loads out of Coulee City. They're working hard as they fight the grade out of town. 

 

BN 2092 climbs out of Coulee City WA on 13 Sep 1988 with three other units.

 

BN 2092 and its mates have climbed with their grain loads out of Coulee City and enter Cement, where they will join up with a GP35 before continuing east 

BN GP35 2532 had been working cars at Odair, a short spur just east of town, and was waiting at Cement for the train out of Coulee City. Having retrieved the stray unit, they head out in an easterly direction. (This picture is actually from down the line at Hartline.)

BN caboose 10559 brings up the markers as its train departs Cement for Cheney and Spokane.

The train having departed east, quiet returns to the elevator complex at Coulee City.

1976 Milwaukee Road Wreck-Update

Way back in 2012, Harley Kuehl shared a few photos with me, seen here.

He dug up a few more photos he took that day, all of which I'm posting here without comments.

BN Whitelined Boxcars At Wenatchee

Courtesy of Harley Kuehl.

February 1986.

Harley says:

"yeah...I'll back up his story with this picture...all the cars ready to retire at Wenatchee after they closed the Mansfield..and you will see EVERYTHING BUT NP!!!"