Dam Cement Scenes

Courtesy of the NP Telltale.

No date given.

2017 Telford

Located between Creston and Davenport here.

Evidence suggests the actual station site was located to the left side of the tracks in this view.

There may have been some sort of industry just beyond the pile of old railroad ties.

2017 Omans

2017 Gravelles

Rock Island 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.

1898 Extend passing track
1900 Replace pipe line
1904 Place water tank from Spokane yards
1904 Place mail crane
1905 Install private crossing
1906 Install Wenatchee Milling track
1907 Office
1909 Move steam pump plant from Leavenworth to Rock Island
1909 Furnish and place a standard 12’ X 34’ portable depot, 4’ X 5’ water closet and 100’cinder platform
1910 Remove steam pump
1911 Replace guard rail at west end of bridge No 359
1912 Place steel in bridge No 357
1912 Construct industry spur 550 feet long—2 miles west
1917 Repair bridge over Columbia River
1917 Move crossing
1917 Remove part of industry track
1918 Construct passing track on north side of main
1919 Extend private spur
1920 Extend Wenatchee Fruit Growers spur
1921 Place Slow Boards-10 MPH bridge No 359
1923 Extend Ohio Colony spur
1924 Move bunk house from Bromley
1924 Install highway department spur
1926 Remove water tank
1926 Remove highway department spur
1926 Bank widening on account of relocation
1927 Sale of property
1928 Install drain tile
1928 Line change
1929 Install 1100’ slide fence-2 miles west
1929 Line change
1930 Install house track
1930 Record 3 private crossings
1930 Install depot from Irby
1930 Install steel pedestrian subway
1930 Install private crossing for S&W
1931 Line change at Rock Island Dam
1931 Install private crossings
1931 Adjust the accounts for the payment received from the Washington Electric Company for the right to inundate approximately 79 acres of railway’s right of way by the construction of a dam in the Columbia River at Rock Island
1931 Relay 237 feet of 80 lb and 110 lb rail with 90 lb and 110 lb rail at west switch of passing track
1931 Relocate 12’ X 20’ tool house and place for use as a garage at Wenatchee
1932 Throw and raise mainline
1932 Remove private crossings
1932 Place rip rap along river
1933 Remove furniture and equipment from depot
1933 Repair roadbed after high water
1934 Remove house track at Rock Island Dam
1939 Relay with 112 lb and 131 lb rail Columbia River to Appleyard
1941 Place rip rap at bridge No 357
1941 Extend slide fence
1942 Remove depot-build SS
1942 Install Wenatchee Alloys spurs
1942 Move depot
1943 Extend public crossing
1943 Place colored light train order signal
1944 Remove office equipment
1947 Extend industry track
1948 Install slide fences
1948 Typewriter
1949 Train order and signal equipment
1949 Install Keokuk Metals track
1949 Install 115 lb rail
1949 Install Keokuk Metals track
1951 Install additional Keokuk Metals tracks
1951 Place train indicators
1953 Install 115 lb rail
1953 Replace inner guard rail at bridge No 359
1954 Relay with 115 lb rail between Rock Island and Columbia River
1955 Install crossing signals at Keokuk crossing
1956 Extend Keokuk Metals spur
1956 New steel bridge
1957 Install 115 lb rail
1960 Acquire property
1962 Easement for fish ladder
1964 Relay MP 1662 to MP 1667.6

Edwall Cleanup Progress Photos

Back on March 15 one of the grain bins at Edwall collapsed. A visit to the site on 3-30-17 revealed progress being made in cleaning up the mess.

Chuck Grow

I recently learned of his passing, via his granddaughter, Sarah Mendoza.

I related my encounter with him a few years ago in this posting.

Here is the text of his obituary, found at the Stevens Funeral Chapel webpage.

"Charles “Chuck” Grow, beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, passed away June 28th, 2015 at his home surrounded by family. Chuck was born on November 6th, 1931 in Colorado. His family moved to Othello, Wa. in 1946 where he met the love of his life, Betty Bluhm. They were married in 1949 and had five beautiful children. He had a lifelong career as an engineer with the Milwaukee Railroad, as well as in construction and farming.

"Chuck was a talented athlete, avid sports fan and made friends everywhere he went. He enjoyed coaching as well; starting with his sons and continuing on through his grandkids and great grandkids.

"He loved hunting, fishing, and camping, boating, and wood working. He enjoyed attending community events, participating in parades, fair, and he never missed an Othello PRCA rodeo.

"He is survived by his wife, Betty; children Deborah (Robert) Russell, Chuck Grow, Theresa (Wil) Pickel, Michael (Sheree) Grow, and Lori (Darwen) Wheeler, sister Kathy (Paul) Shaftic, 10 grandkids and 8 great grandkids. He is preceded in death by his parents Tom and Nora Grow, and sisters Mary, Bettie and Sybil.

"At his request there will be no funeral services. In lieu of flowers, please send donations on behalf of Chuck to the Othello Senior Center where he enjoyed coffee with buddies daily."

Ms. Mendoza passed along the following photo from her collection.

Note that the current operator of the line where Mr. Grow worked, the Columbia Basin Railway, still has Grow marked on it's system map, the former Milwaukee Road station of Seiler.

First Train To Grand Coulee Dam

Courtesy of the NP Telltale.

2017 Eleanor Station