tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26760179985430243202024-03-14T02:07:37.655-07:00GN Rocky's Great Northern Railway blog A cache of information about the history of the Great Northern Railwaygnrockyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07136259371043351569noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676017998543024320.post-90289003739588079132022-02-24T21:12:00.000-08:002022-02-24T21:12:22.989-08:00Catching a couple of trains on the Puget Sound seawall [February 24, 2022]<p>The weather forecast called for clear but cold skies. The tide tables indicated a low tide on the shores of Puget Sound. The drone batteries were charged, so we were off on another railroad safari.</p><p>Before leaving the house, we pulled up the Skykomish Virtual Railfan camera for a bit of helpful intel. A westbound stack train passed through Sky at 3:35pm. This was Z-CHCSSE, a high-priority intermodal train headed from Cicero Yard in Chicago to South Seattle. This meant the freight would pass by our primo railfanning location of Picnic Point Park in about an hour or hour and a half. We learned this train, led by a BNSF GE ES44C4, #6892, totaled 184 axles. Four steeds pulled the train with no DPUs.</p><p>We grabbed our gear, jumped in our rig, and were off.</p><p>Arriving at the beach in plenty of time, we set ourselves up in a good location to view a large stretch of the Seattle-Everett seawall between Picnic Point and the iconic Norma Beach boathouse. The sky was completely clear of clouds, although the air was a nippy 34 degrees. No wind though, thank goodness. But there would be no Amtrak #8 (the Empire Builder) on this day; it was Thursday, and Amtrak is currently limiting their Seattle-Chicago train service with no departures on Thursdays or Fridays. Bummer. All the weather and tide conditions favored some fine trackside photography, but at least where the Empire Builder was concerned, that was not in the cards.</p><p>We kept expecting 6892 and friends to come roaring around the corner at Picnic Point, but there was nothing for more than 30 minutes. Then we finally spotted the Sound Transit Sounder commuter train coming up the shoreline out of Edmonds, on time.</p><p>I waited until the Sounder was within good range and launched my drone. After gaining sufficient altitude and positioning the drone a hundred yards or so offshore, I tracked the commuter train with video and followed it up the line from about Norma Beach to Picnic Point. <<b><i>click the hyperlink below the image</i></b>></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8R6UeLlnm3tb9g_A_Sod7TPh3ENapTJgkxr0oJapujS0k-NjegO2en9qV-k3d6m9n4Sx8VE7vTTNFr4zXzOmM2w2NXw1SOJT-2A4EGoM6Y3t0GaO9Uaf2fjKFWK_0aqsdOGjrNs6yqYlhy2wLR98TinI4quBsJI9HUY0kGjAv6Cgea5iHI0ClLNPrig=s1924" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1114" data-original-width="1924" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8R6UeLlnm3tb9g_A_Sod7TPh3ENapTJgkxr0oJapujS0k-NjegO2en9qV-k3d6m9n4Sx8VE7vTTNFr4zXzOmM2w2NXw1SOJT-2A4EGoM6Y3t0GaO9Uaf2fjKFWK_0aqsdOGjrNs6yqYlhy2wLR98TinI4quBsJI9HUY0kGjAv6Cgea5iHI0ClLNPrig=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><a href="https://youtu.be/Yx-yFGeKUpg" target="_blank"> Sounder video</a></p><p>Shortly after summoning the drone back to our base, the BNSF Z-train suddenly appeared. I barely had time to launch the drone again and the freight was right on us. I tried pretty much in vain to chase it down the shoreline, but my little drone was no match for this eager train. Still, I kept up the chase as the four-pack of locomotives finally passed the Norma Beach boat house and rounded another curve out of view. <<b><i>click the hyperlink below the image</i></b>></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj97H5Qr0FkUPQ9SqbZ20lLlvZgqk6Br3e1KcRZuQXIiRfJqFCtrEHTajmffetmYyj1E1n8N7hbGi0XXCTJg44maqsa3a7nG4ZspC4cI0qoQLJGA_mUtaljx7tkwH4-djnCxYZnXj-EyrYc5qp_8oB2KtqLwxIreiHVtR5a9vGdipJFYbONXNewSV7yVw=s1705" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1060" data-original-width="1705" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj97H5Qr0FkUPQ9SqbZ20lLlvZgqk6Br3e1KcRZuQXIiRfJqFCtrEHTajmffetmYyj1E1n8N7hbGi0XXCTJg44maqsa3a7nG4ZspC4cI0qoQLJGA_mUtaljx7tkwH4-djnCxYZnXj-EyrYc5qp_8oB2KtqLwxIreiHVtR5a9vGdipJFYbONXNewSV7yVw=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><a href="https://youtu.be/feQoqVYRdJE" target="_blank">BNSF intermodal train video</a><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>This was a venture with a dose of unpredictability, but in the end, it turned out okay.</p><p>On our way out of the parking lot we placed a phone order for a couple of dinner entrees from <a href="https://www.bobbyshawaiianstylerestaurant.com/" target="_blank">Bobby's Hawaiian Restuarant</a>, capping off a fun and productive outing.</p>gnrockyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07136259371043351569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676017998543024320.post-57888663760604150222021-07-03T14:44:00.004-07:002021-07-03T15:46:58.699-07:00<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Railfan Trip Report: late June, 2021</span></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Well, finally – a road trip over Stevens Pass, out to
Wenatchee and Lynch Coulee, and back again, all in a virtually mask-less
environment. A comment like that just 2 years ago would have sounded absurd. (“<u>Masks</u>?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What masks? What are you talking about?”) But
after enduring more than a year under the gloomy pall of the COVID pandemic and
all that came with it, life had become far removed from “normal.” Even now, we
are all still remaining alert to the impact of this thing and taking prudent
measures to ensure it does not find a resurgence. But at least for a few days
in late June, there was little on our minds besides keeping cool in the blazing
heat, and finding the next good spot to snap some photos of trains.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Tuesday, June 22<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">My wife Jan and I took a few days off from work and set off
for the Cascades and central Washington for some railfan fun. On the afternoon
of Tuesday, June 22<sup>nd</sup>, we left home near Everett and began the drive
to Leavenworth. Once there, we checked into the Icicle Village Resort on the
edge of town for a 2-night stay. This would be our base of operations to begin
our outing. In keeping with the slightly schmaltzy Bavarian theme adopted years
ago by Leavenworth to attract more hoards of tourists than they can
accommodate, the Icicle Village Resort has its city ordinance-mandated share of
Black Forest style trimmings and décor. But they have also embraced the
railroad history of the town of Leavenworth, which was once a significant
division point for the Great Northern Railway. This influence is seen
particularly in the motel’s homage to the GN’s “Empire Builder”, James J. Hill,
with a framed photo of the man and the honor of having the dining room and bar
called “J.J. Hill‘s Fresh Grill.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zeX-ifFR8hw/YODKntx9D4I/AAAAAAAACZE/-4GxtvjijlopSMmfteiVx55YPWrQHOd4ACLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="162" data-original-width="243" height="213" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zeX-ifFR8hw/YODKntx9D4I/AAAAAAAACZE/-4GxtvjijlopSMmfteiVx55YPWrQHOd4ACLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">After checking in to the motel, it was off to Visconti’s
Italian Restaurant for dinner. We enjoyed a terrific meal to help us celebrate
our wedding anniversary (Did I mention this whole trip was a way of celebrating
our anniversary? No? Well, oddly enough, it was. And it was </span><u style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Jan’s</u><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> idea,
not mine!). If you ever have a meal at Visconti’s, do yourself a favor and
order the “Northwest Board.” It’s treated as an appetizer, but you could make a
pretty good meal of it. Visconti’s describes the elements as “pure country
capicola, smoked paprika salami, buckboard bacon, and smoked white cheddar.”
They also include some crackers and a few other treats. Sip a glass of wine
with this and you’ve got it made.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Wednesday, June 23<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">The next morning, we packed up our cameras and jumped in the
trusty stead (Toyota 4Runner) and drove to the “Icicle Station” Amtrak stop for
the arrival of Number 7, the westbound Empire Builder. I don’t recall anyone
getting off there, but they did have a couple of passengers who boarded that
morning. The sun was still below the tops of the ridges to the east, but high
enough to bathe the upper reaches of the Cascade foothills to the west of us.</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RNPIhuf-iks/YODLaDz-vVI/AAAAAAAACZM/ZdiJ0FdJbSUeZEs2aEv9mG7Dqgqq7NCZgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1994/Amtrak%2Bcab%2Bwith%2Bmorning%2Bsun_Leavenworth_IMG_4558_mods.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1279" data-original-width="1994" height="257" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RNPIhuf-iks/YODLaDz-vVI/AAAAAAAACZM/ZdiJ0FdJbSUeZEs2aEv9mG7Dqgqq7NCZgCLcBGAsYHQ/w401-h257/Amtrak%2Bcab%2Bwith%2Bmorning%2Bsun_Leavenworth_IMG_4558_mods.JPG" width="401" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Using the Skykomish Railfan webcam as a guide, we learned
there was an eastbound double-stack headed over Stevens Pass and coming in our
direction. So off we went up the hill toward the pass to see if we could catch
the train at Nason Creek on White Pine Road. We made it there in plenty of
time, but the lighting was not optimal. Adhering to the tried-and-true strategy
to find a train and then follow it, we jumped in the truck and headed east. We
arrived at the Merritt grade crossing just ahead of the train, so we pulled off
the road there for a few grab shots. The lighting was pretty good, as were the
results.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O_uS0Dg8CzA/YODLmPWtw_I/AAAAAAAACZQ/wcDDR1bYT-UBOy4KRUtjIwYLjNdIjqqpACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Merritt%2Bgrade%2Bcrossing_IMG_4599.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O_uS0Dg8CzA/YODLmPWtw_I/AAAAAAAACZQ/wcDDR1bYT-UBOy4KRUtjIwYLjNdIjqqpACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Merritt%2Bgrade%2Bcrossing_IMG_4599.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Scott's photo</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q9ghJqJpZeI/YODLpkgSJTI/AAAAAAAACZY/Yh_v-pDg-vslZcOZwYZVSSPYwbN_szCRgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2379/merritt%2Bcrossing.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1175" data-original-width="2379" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q9ghJqJpZeI/YODLpkgSJTI/AAAAAAAACZY/Yh_v-pDg-vslZcOZwYZVSSPYwbN_szCRgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/merritt%2Bcrossing.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jan's photo</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Off again we went, slowly working our way through the
growing bustle of tourists in Leavenworth. We topped off the gas tank and
continued down the hill as far as Monitor, peeling off onto Sleepy Hollow Road
and the roadside perch at Richardson’s Curve.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iifELDNoXJ4/YODL6GXtl5I/AAAAAAAACZg/ecz5is2XogITO0PcIVXpKzQmAhqNocoXwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Sleepy%2BHollow%2BRd%2B-%2BJune%2B23_mods.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1386" data-original-width="2048" height="401" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iifELDNoXJ4/YODL6GXtl5I/AAAAAAAACZg/ecz5is2XogITO0PcIVXpKzQmAhqNocoXwCLcBGAsYHQ/w591-h401/Sleepy%2BHollow%2BRd%2B-%2BJune%2B23_mods.JPG" width="591" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Jan</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">After this, we drove into Wenatchee to scope out any
evidence of trains readying to depart Appleyard or the crew change point at
Thurston Street. Spotting a westbound stack train with ditch lights, we doubled
back out to Monitor to catch the train as it rolled through the fruit orchards
along Sleepy Hollow Road.</span><p></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kEplstJVfSY/YODMQBzUniI/AAAAAAAACZo/LPFYByViAiQXFFlz-U1x5qshCDnaUzMWACLcBGAsYHQ/s5184/Sleepy%2BHollow%2BRd%2Bat%2BCrossing.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kEplstJVfSY/YODMQBzUniI/AAAAAAAACZo/LPFYByViAiQXFFlz-U1x5qshCDnaUzMWACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Sleepy%2BHollow%2BRd%2Bat%2BCrossing.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jan's shot at the grade crossing, Sleepy Hollow Road</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Finding trains to chase was becoming a bit challenging. But
eventually we decided to drive out toward Lynch Coulee and the Trinidad Loop on
spec. There was evidence of an eastbound train leaving Wenatchee soon, so we
pulled off the road at the state highway department’s sandpit by Trinidad and
set out our folding chairs to roast in the sun and await the train’s arrival.
To our surprise, the first train to arrive on scene was a westbound
double-stack, so we snagged a few going-away shots as it wound its long
snake-like string of cars through the S-curves just east of Columbia Siding.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hR_OK5h-0_8/YODMtvKV17I/AAAAAAAACZw/bKaY_dKqvKYTW1knAoU48kvwAy3lrk-BgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Westbound%2Bstack%2Btrain%2Bat%2BWSDOT%2Bsand%2Bpit%2B%2528Trinidad%2529_IMG_4624.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1261" data-original-width="2048" height="242" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hR_OK5h-0_8/YODMtvKV17I/AAAAAAAACZw/bKaY_dKqvKYTW1knAoU48kvwAy3lrk-BgCLcBGAsYHQ/w393-h242/Westbound%2Bstack%2Btrain%2Bat%2BWSDOT%2Bsand%2Bpit%2B%2528Trinidad%2529_IMG_4624.jpg" width="393" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entering the S-curves at the sandpit; photo by Scott</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">We were not in any rush on this railfan excursion, choosing
instead to take things as they came to us, and to use the opportunity to explore
a bit. There were a few locations on my list to visit, ones that I had either
known about but never quite managed to visit before, or a couple that I scouted
out on Google maps as looking promising. Jan had never visited Columbia Siding,
so we drove down the hill to that area to check it out. There was nothing
moving through while we were there, but we took a few minutes to explore it.
After that, we decided to head west again and see if we could catch the
westbound stacker or some other train headed up into the mountains.</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">One discouraging piece of intel we learned about was the
state’s plans to do some significant road work on Highway 2 between about
Scenic (west of Stevens Pass) over to about the location of Gaynor trestle on
the east side of the pass. The state DOT warned of 30-minute (or longer) wait
times on the highway, and this was to continue through Thursday. Our original
plan was to use Leavenworth as our base to focus on an area from about
Skykomish to Wenatchee River bridge near Plain, but the highway work scuttled
that plan. Instead, we calculated that nothing further up toward the pass than
Nason Creek/White Pine Road would work well for us. Nevertheless, we were glad
to see that we had a westbound train to chase that had just left Wenatchee and
was working its way toward Cashmere and Dryden. On our last railfan trip in
this area, in May of 2020, we attempted to try a new spot on the south side of
Highway 2. There is a small public access area located there by the Wenatchee
River, and it seemed like we might be able to catch an interesting view of a
train crossing the river on a trestle at that place. We gave a good try, but
the river level was very high and we were unable to get the bushy vegetation
out of our images without wading into the river. Maybe this location will pan
out at another time of year.</span></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NfJSzvi_ZFM/YODNE0_5qoI/AAAAAAAACZ4/z086HKWZHBIL4_Jq8Qy_-xl_l_usSC_zQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Dryden%2BEast%2Btrestle_IMG_4632.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1298" data-original-width="2048" height="255" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NfJSzvi_ZFM/YODNE0_5qoI/AAAAAAAACZ4/z086HKWZHBIL4_Jq8Qy_-xl_l_usSC_zQCLcBGAsYHQ/w402-h255/Dryden%2BEast%2Btrestle_IMG_4632.JPG" width="402" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Dryden-East trestle; river too high for optimal shots</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">With the westbound train we caught at Dryden being the best
prospect we had at the moment, we elected to continue up the hill to get ahead
of him somewhere. Another location that I’ve been wanting to try is the west
portal of the Winton Tunnel. It’s right off Highway 2 and easy to access, but
for some reason that location had just never panned out for me before. We
decided to head to that location and wait for our train. We arrived in plenty
of time, and I finally “scratched that itch” with a couple of favorable photos.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--CuHSKe1PPo/YODNgCFpwnI/AAAAAAAACaA/q7xbCMZ_pmwES7ZvIFEQomvBEnZUz1tdwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/WB%2Bat%2Bwest%2Bportal%2Bof%2BWinton%2BTunnel_IMG_4643.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1298" data-original-width="2048" height="303" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--CuHSKe1PPo/YODNgCFpwnI/AAAAAAAACaA/q7xbCMZ_pmwES7ZvIFEQomvBEnZUz1tdwCLcBGAsYHQ/w477-h303/WB%2Bat%2Bwest%2Bportal%2Bof%2BWinton%2BTunnel_IMG_4643.JPG" width="477" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scott's pic at Winton Tunnel</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Things were kind of slow for the next couple of hours. We
eventually made our way all the way out to the sandpit at Trinidad again, and
caught the “Spud Local” heading toward Lynch Coulee. But at this point we
decided to head back to Leavenworth and grab some dinner. With the pre-weekend hordes
of tourists already flocking to Leavenworth, it was impossible to find a place
to eat in the pedestrian mall area of Front Street without a wait of at least
30 minutes. Then we spotted a kind of hole-in-the-wall place with outdoor
seating and a German sausage option on the menu, so we gave it a shot. This
turned out to be “Old World Pub,” which I learned used to be “Uncle Uli’s Pub.”
I’d been jones’n for a sausage dinner in Leavenworth, and although I won’t try
to claim this was the epitome of such an experience, they did have one
unexpected treat for me: ice-cold bottles of Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier!</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yMMVuRoPEsI/YODN0XfbfjI/AAAAAAAACaI/nWBlm_gFRy4FLAiuVVOUMI4RJBv08LrUgCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="423" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yMMVuRoPEsI/YODN0XfbfjI/AAAAAAAACaI/nWBlm_gFRy4FLAiuVVOUMI4RJBv08LrUgCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" width="203" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">After dinner, with the sun still illuminating one of the
longest days of the year, we decided to roll out to Icicle Station once more
and catch Amtrak #8 coming through town. We chatted briefly with a member of
the train crew who seemed unable to restrain his enthusiasm in sharing that
Amtrak was finally able to resume “traditional dining” on this train. No more
uninspiring meals heated in a microwave.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3_4ykybYSI0/YODONAdN8bI/AAAAAAAACaQ/r_l-M9Q9K34R3XRf94adhuv0QORhcTtBgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Amtrak%2BNo.%2B8%2Bat%2BLeavenworth%2B6-23-2021.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1261" data-original-width="2048" height="278" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3_4ykybYSI0/YODONAdN8bI/AAAAAAAACaQ/r_l-M9Q9K34R3XRf94adhuv0QORhcTtBgCLcBGAsYHQ/w451-h278/Amtrak%2BNo.%2B8%2Bat%2BLeavenworth%2B6-23-2021.jpg" width="451" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Number 8 pulls into Icicle Station, Leavenworth</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Waving farewell to the Empire Builder, we moseyed over to
the local high school and its large open parking lot. There we opened up the
box for a new toy: a DJI Mini 2 Fly More Combo pack. I have never before
attempted to operate a drone, so we made a deliberate decision to ease into
this drone business very slowly and cautiously. We had charged a couple of the
battery packs, and put the drone with its unleashed rotor blades on the
pavement, powered up the drone and the remote control, and . . . nothing.
Nothing happened. The controls on the remote did not appear to have any effect.
The one small booklet that came with the drone with operating instructions
looked like something written up by Ikea. All they had were a few tiny
illustrations that merely suggested the steps to take. What we did not yet
realize was the need to attach a smartphone to the remote unit, and download
the DJI drone app. Oh well. Our strategy to take it all very slow and easy was
playing out more or less according to plan.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Thursday, June 24</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">On Thursday morning, we decided to take advantage of the
Icicle Village Resort’s complimentary breakfast. In all fairness, I’m assuming
pre-COVID this offering was typically quite satisfying. But still easing out
from the impacts of the pandemic and probably some continuing staffing
challenges, the breakfast fare on this day was underwhelming, to say the least.
It was free, and just barely worth what we paid for it. The upside was
discovering they had a large gauge model train running non-stop on a circuit
throughout the dining and bar areas, on a track elevated up high on the walls.
That was a hoot. For about the first two or three times it came around. Then it
just became annoying.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">We loaded up our truck with all our stuff, and I waited in
the truck just outside the lobby for Jan to get us checked out. I set my
prescription lens sunglasses down on the top of the center console while I was
fiddling with something else. This was a dumb move on my part. As Jan climbed
back into the truck, and with varying lighting causing the console area to be
in shadows, Jan unwittingly set her elbow down on my glasses and popped a lens
out. This sad development could prove to put a <u>massive</u> damper on the
remainder of our trip, since the skies were almost completely clear with a
blazing sun each day. I absolutely <u>had</u> to have my sunglasses! But Jan
saved the day when she used her smartphone to locate an optician in town, and
they were able to re-seat the lens securely in the frames. Whew! Crisis
averted.</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sqfpEl5-sz4/YODP5CGLxLI/AAAAAAAACaY/wIAFWhV_Nm0UZyHzmWE4GYaLcF7jL6qIwCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="801" data-original-width="964" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sqfpEl5-sz4/YODP5CGLxLI/AAAAAAAACaY/wIAFWhV_Nm0UZyHzmWE4GYaLcF7jL6qIwCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" width="289" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big news for Northwest candy lovers!</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">After hearing some disheartening news some months ago about
the iconic Aplets & Cotlets candy business looking like it would be closing
for good, we were happy to learn that a new owner seems to have come forward,
giving the 100-year-old sweets-maker new life. We rolled into Cashmere and made
Aplets & Cotlets the first stop of our day. We loaded up on boxes of the
yummy candies and confirmed that yes, they can be effectively frozen for up to
two years or so. After stashing our loot in the ice chest, we began to explore
our options for trying to catch a train as it passed the still-standing GN
depot at Cashmere (just across the street from Aplets & Cotlets). We located
a long stack train idling in the siding east of the depot. We reasoned he was
waiting for a westbound that must be approaching soon. Sure enough, we were
treated just a few minutes later to a short BNSF geometry train, utilizing BNSF
car #90. As the train approached the grade crossing, the bells started
clanging, the crossing gates with their flashing lights came down, and the
engineer started his usual grade crossing horn signal. One vehicle driver
decided to weave around the gates and cross ahead of the oncoming train. So did
the driver of a <u>second</u> vehicle. If this was not enough, some cluck on
foot went jogging across the tracks. These were not what I would term “close
calls,” but it’s got to be frustrating for the engine crews to continually see
knuckleheads like this playing “chicken” with a fast-moving train.</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--yvDRtQp4tE/YODQVkriA-I/AAAAAAAACag/acqiEDox0CEtyr1gXqGRkUsMERLbSFonwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/BNSF%2B90_geometry%2Bcar%2Bat%2BCashmere_IMG_4683.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--yvDRtQp4tE/YODQVkriA-I/AAAAAAAACag/acqiEDox0CEtyr1gXqGRkUsMERLbSFonwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/BNSF%2B90_geometry%2Bcar%2Bat%2BCashmere_IMG_4683.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d_WNxRdK7Aw/YODQXVA2-HI/AAAAAAAACak/wu4FFENSVbwfqrn476gG0izEfElGboSBACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/BNSF%2B90_geometry%2Bcar%2Bat%2BCashmere_IMG_4684.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1388" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d_WNxRdK7Aw/YODQXVA2-HI/AAAAAAAACak/wu4FFENSVbwfqrn476gG0izEfElGboSBACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/BNSF%2B90_geometry%2Bcar%2Bat%2BCashmere_IMG_4684.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pics of BNSF geometry train, for evaluating track conditions, at Cashmere, WA</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">As soon as the geometry train passed through, the idled stack
train got its clearance to continue eastward into Wenatchee. We knew there was
not enough time to get ahead of the train at Monitor, so we opted to pop down
to trackside at the division point between the Scenic Sub and the Columbia
River Sub. We had ample time to prepare, and we snagged a few more adequate
photos.</span><p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nX29mrU9PAA/YODQugQA-uI/AAAAAAAACaw/gDwGLrQBBKwv-8PwaPAQeBPd1fWkmC0gwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/EB%2Bat%2BOlds%2BJunction_end%2Bof%2BScenic%2BSub_IMG_4690.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1388" data-original-width="2048" height="331" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nX29mrU9PAA/YODQugQA-uI/AAAAAAAACaw/gDwGLrQBBKwv-8PwaPAQeBPd1fWkmC0gwCLcBGAsYHQ/w488-h331/EB%2Bat%2BOlds%2BJunction_end%2Bof%2BScenic%2BSub_IMG_4690.JPG" width="488" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The train action once again slowed to a crawl, so we took
the opportunity to drive out to a location near Malaga that I’d been hoping to
explore. The lighting was not good, but we found the spot and snapped a couple
shots just to show we made it. We need to come back to this location in the
late afternoon for the best lighting.</span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xbn77kBpXP8/YODRfHXBfrI/AAAAAAAACbA/qGLJw1b5PaguRopcUe6Z1lxsEvyYt1BkQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/SJ%2Bat%2BMalaga%2B-%2BPM%2BShot_mods.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1401" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xbn77kBpXP8/YODRfHXBfrI/AAAAAAAACbA/qGLJw1b5PaguRopcUe6Z1lxsEvyYt1BkQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/SJ%2Bat%2BMalaga%2B-%2BPM%2BShot_mods.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Driving back into Wenatchee and past Appleyard, I pulled
over for a minute to document a pile of crossing signals in the boneyard.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BOV2xUYJDwo/YODSNdjgH0I/AAAAAAAACbI/_LyTHo5N3mI1xuzGGBBItqcmNV8TSsvpgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1747/IMG_4744_smaller.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1165" data-original-width="1747" height="275" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BOV2xUYJDwo/YODSNdjgH0I/AAAAAAAACbI/_LyTHo5N3mI1xuzGGBBItqcmNV8TSsvpgCLcBGAsYHQ/w413-h275/IMG_4744_smaller.JPG" width="413" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Before long, however, we had another eastbound stack train to pursue. Jan and I
discussed our options, and despite the blistering heat, we elected to work our
way up on a little hill east of Rock Island Dam for a fine down-on perspective
of the eastbound train.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2l4KzdTAkOM/YODSfR04MPI/AAAAAAAACbQ/_HUVyJP2PhYH64yQuK4mxXs3g9_pS6tGACLcBGAsYHQ/s1998/EB%2Bstack%2Btrain%2Bpassing%2BRock%2BIsland%2BDam_IMG_4747.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1301" data-original-width="1998" height="383" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2l4KzdTAkOM/YODSfR04MPI/AAAAAAAACbQ/_HUVyJP2PhYH64yQuK4mxXs3g9_pS6tGACLcBGAsYHQ/w590-h383/EB%2Bstack%2Btrain%2Bpassing%2BRock%2BIsland%2BDam_IMG_4747.JPG" width="590" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UYU4-9efUa8/YODbZLMt4fI/AAAAAAAACdU/mvDFQAZDPbQusjn_-5ySSoQMcogd5mpJwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1747/Splitting%2Bthe%2Brocks%2Bnear%2BRock%2BIsland%2BDam_IMG_4753.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1165" data-original-width="1747" height="383" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UYU4-9efUa8/YODbZLMt4fI/AAAAAAAACdU/mvDFQAZDPbQusjn_-5ySSoQMcogd5mpJwCLcBGAsYHQ/w577-h383/Splitting%2Bthe%2Brocks%2Bnear%2BRock%2BIsland%2BDam_IMG_4753.JPG" width="577" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I<span style="font-family: arial;">'m not unhappy with the composition, but the lighting is all wrong.<br />Looks like this should be a morning shot.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Just as soon as we had our photos there, we jumped back
into the truck and charged (within legal speed limits) back up the road to
Lynch Coulee and the Trinidad Loop. </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">We both took several photos of the train as it struggled up
the grade into Lynch Coulee and rounded the loop.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uS_lPXIFWo4/YODS4ux701I/AAAAAAAACbY/SSQ0_PeTi-EbhWRxdo7xOVBe02P61tZQACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/EB%2Bstack%2Btrain%2Bcoming%2Bout%2Bof%2BTrinidad%2BLoop_IMG_4768.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1259" data-original-width="2048" height="324" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uS_lPXIFWo4/YODS4ux701I/AAAAAAAACbY/SSQ0_PeTi-EbhWRxdo7xOVBe02P61tZQACLcBGAsYHQ/w526-h324/EB%2Bstack%2Btrain%2Bcoming%2Bout%2Bof%2BTrinidad%2BLoop_IMG_4768.JPG" width="526" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">It was exceptionally hot, so
we retreated to the comfort of the truck and its A/C to cool us off. We slowly
started back down the road on our way toward Highway 28, when low and behold,
we found a long string of oil cans heading up the coulee toward the loop. This
second train was right on the heels of the last one!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">We had not planned on exploring anything further east than
the Trinidad Loop, but with two trains headed that way we decided to take our
chances and see what we could do. Heading through Quincy (where the old GN
depot has finally been razed, sadly) and on to Ephrata, we caught up with but
could not overtake the stack train. Just on the east end of Ephrata we finally
gave up on that chase, and came back into town. Jan thought we might have a
chance to catch the oil train near the big grain silos in town, so we gave that
a shot. This is just a block or two west of the Amtrak stop. We pulled off the
street by the grade crossing near Division and Alder. Just as we climbed out of
the truck, the crossing gates came down. We had arrived just in the nick of
time to snap a few shots of the train with the grain silos providing a
backdrop.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g2FRyVGwYtI/YODTFT5tvSI/AAAAAAAACbc/-pNKbIblEsEVYWywodr1gNcXqofQkIOmACLcBGAsYHQ/s2033/EB%2Bempty%2Boil%2Bcans%2Bpass%2BOdessa%2BUnion%2BWarehouse%2BCo-op%2Bgrain%2Bsilos%2Bin%2BEphrata_IMG_4784.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1324" data-original-width="2033" height="314" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g2FRyVGwYtI/YODTFT5tvSI/AAAAAAAACbc/-pNKbIblEsEVYWywodr1gNcXqofQkIOmACLcBGAsYHQ/w484-h314/EB%2Bempty%2Boil%2Bcans%2Bpass%2BOdessa%2BUnion%2BWarehouse%2BCo-op%2Bgrain%2Bsilos%2Bin%2BEphrata_IMG_4784.JPG" width="484" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">That signaled the end of another long but satisfying day of
railfanning, and we ambled back to Wenatchee to get checked in to our next
motel and grab some dinner. On this night, we supped at Saddle Rock Pub and
Brewery in Wenatchee. We had a fine meal in a quiet little place, and while the
air conditioning kept the dining area cool, we learned their food cooler in the
kitchen had gone belly up, and the local HVAC company was swamped with service
calls. We had to skip having a side salad with dinner, but we would come to
learn that things were getting worse for some places in town.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Friday, June 25<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">This day proved to be one of the best of the whole trip. The
first thing we did was drive all the way up into the Chumstick Valley to our
favorite haunt in that area, the Wenatchee River Bridge. By now, we had figured
out what we needed to do with a smartphone to activate and operate our new
drone, and we looked forward to a lazy day of hanging out by the river in our
folding chairs, with plenty of snacks and cold water, and start familiarizing
ourselves with the basic controls of the drone while we waited on trains.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The first few minutes of drone operation were very
tentative. I started out by simply flying it up into the air 20 or 30 feet, and
then bringing it back down to land. I began to understand the “Home” feature,
which logs the position of the drone just before it launches, and then permits
the pilot to press a button on the remote control to automatically fly the
drone back to its starting point – and then land by itself. There is quite a
flock of birds (swallows, I think) who make their nests on the sides of the
railroad trestle deck. They made it clear they were <u>not</u> happy with my
drone! I never flew it any closer to their nests than at least fifty yards, but
that seemed too close for their liking. They treated the drone like a lurking
predator and kept swooping down at it to chase it away. In the meantime, I
continued to explore the controls in an effort to learn how to operate the
thing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Soon enough, the nearby crossing gates came down and the
bell started clanging. We had an eastbound closing in on us. Fish on! I rapidly
landed the drone to keep it out of the equation (I was not ready to try to snap
any photos or footage with it just yet). We got our shots of the passing train,
and some friendly toots of the horn from the engineer.</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cVrkrCQ-kBg/YODTb8aLxNI/AAAAAAAACbo/PpyFYiYyoss2lpLVptsYWpLDU7BgHTbXwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2033/EB%2Bstack%2Btrain%2Bapproaches%2BWenatchee%2BRiver%2BBridge_IMG_4792.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1324" data-original-width="2033" height="278" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cVrkrCQ-kBg/YODTb8aLxNI/AAAAAAAACbo/PpyFYiYyoss2lpLVptsYWpLDU7BgHTbXwCLcBGAsYHQ/w428-h278/EB%2Bstack%2Btrain%2Bapproaches%2BWenatchee%2BRiver%2BBridge_IMG_4792.JPG" width="428" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Since we were enjoying ourselves in this spot, and it was
nice and open for working with the drone in a limited way, we just stayed put
for another hour or so and then shot photos of an eastbound that finally
appeared.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">It was getting to be well into the afternoon, so we headed
back down into Wenatchee for the night. We went into Bob’s Classic Brass and
Brew for a couple of burgers to go. Oh, my, were we glad we chose to take our
food <u>out</u> with us! Remember the HVAC woes I spoke of earlier? This
restaurant had their <u>entire</u> A/C system fail, and no promise of a service
call expected for days. It was uncomfortably hot in the restaurant, but we
especially felt bad for the kitchen crew who had little relief from the heat in
there.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">As we departed with our burgers, we got wind of an eastbound
string of oil empties getting ready to depart Appleyard. Now was the time to
get back to that new-found vantage point out by Malaga. Off we went, scarfing
down some of our burgers as we made our way out ahead of this train. We got
into position with a comfortable margin ahead of the train. We banged off some
shots as it rounded the curve toward us, and once again received some friendly
toots of the horn from the crew. They must have thought we were nuts, though,
hanging out in that God-forsaken spot in 100°
heat. I’m always hearing about rattlesnakes and even scorpions in that area. We
saw none (thankfully), but I’m still kind of surprised that in many years of plodding
around out there I never have encountered any.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FH-Tieh0pFQ/YODTuiQnUBI/AAAAAAAACbw/MdI_AW6sZ_gyiURY4tVRICzWgt8GKx1UACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Malaga_Sage%2BBluff%2Bcurve_IMG_4706.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="2048" height="346" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FH-Tieh0pFQ/YODTuiQnUBI/AAAAAAAACbw/MdI_AW6sZ_gyiURY4tVRICzWgt8GKx1UACLcBGAsYHQ/w520-h346/Malaga_Sage%2BBluff%2Bcurve_IMG_4706.JPG" width="520" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">And then the train proceeded along the rocky cliffs above
the river, and finally worked its way out onto the Rock Island Bridge. At the
same time, a pleasure boat was zipping up the river and heading to go under the
bridge. This was actually a photo composition I have long hoped for here.
Success!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d4IAFAEchIk/YODT8TmOk4I/AAAAAAAACb0/XpHNXTluxgUAbAJtdkndjmLjc_aGT3RqACLcBGAsYHQ/s2033/Rock%2BIsland%2BBridge_train%2B%2526%2Bboat%2Bmeet_3_IMG_4837.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1324" data-original-width="2033" height="397" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d4IAFAEchIk/YODT8TmOk4I/AAAAAAAACb0/XpHNXTluxgUAbAJtdkndjmLjc_aGT3RqACLcBGAsYHQ/w612-h397/Rock%2BIsland%2BBridge_train%2B%2526%2Bboat%2Bmeet_3_IMG_4837.JPG" width="612" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">We headed back to our motel and polished off our dinner.
Since it was still so light out, we elected to return to the Amtrak station to
meet the evening’s arrival of eastbound #8.</span></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ECNvIx8RvZA/YODVSYfq6zI/AAAAAAAACcA/Riyem5XGx8koCNnYtIXEo2uyIugWTWtNACLcBGAsYHQ/s1747/Relief%2Bengineer%2Bchats%2Bwith%2Bconductor%2Bat%2BEAT_IMG_4863.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1165" data-original-width="1747" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ECNvIx8RvZA/YODVSYfq6zI/AAAAAAAACcA/Riyem5XGx8koCNnYtIXEo2uyIugWTWtNACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Relief%2Bengineer%2Bchats%2Bwith%2Bconductor%2Bat%2BEAT_IMG_4863.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Number 8's relief engineer is briefed by the conductor</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GxKVQO2kafI/YODVXM-cqZI/AAAAAAAACcE/tvAAgjGmVrAgJ8GoUCGebUWFMNhK3iU2gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Number%2B8%2Bdeparts%2BWenatchee_IMG_4884.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1113" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GxKVQO2kafI/YODVXM-cqZI/AAAAAAAACcE/tvAAgjGmVrAgJ8GoUCGebUWFMNhK3iU2gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Number%2B8%2Bdeparts%2BWenatchee_IMG_4884.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Adios Number 8! Happy travels...</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Saturday, June 26</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">This was our day to catch what we could while working our
way back up over the mountains and home again. Since we were departing
Wenatchee, this was our best bet for finding a westbound train to follow home.
We drove to Appleyard and looked around. The yard seemed remarkably flush with
strings of freight cars, but not much action. We went over to the crew change
point and sat there (in our air-conditioned truck!) and kept an eye on what was
happening. A westbound-facing stack train pulled in from Appleyard and then the
next 20 minutes or so were dedicated to uncoupling the front-end power and
relocating it onto another sidetrack. More out of boredom and lack of anything
else going on, we snapped a few photos of that activity. We went back out to
Appleyard again, and this time found a new westbound stack train that had just
recently drifted into the yard. The engineer was on the ground talking to
someone on his cell. Shortly after that, we heard a little bit of conversation
over the scanner about a dogcatcher who was on the move. Back to the crew
change point we went, one more time. Sure enough, we passed the dogcatcher who
appeared to be going over to Appleyard with a few railroad employees to relieve
the crew of the stack train sitting out there. It was a slow start to the day,
but it appeared things were finally going to break loose a little.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">We opted to head west to set up somewhere and wait for the
first of these trains to depart Wenatchee and come our way. However, we were
favored with a bonus. Somewhere around Cashmere or Dryden we spotted an
eastbound coming into Wenatchee. So, we wheeled around and zipped back into
town. We pulled off at Duncan Road and worked our way back near trackside for
some more photos at the division point between the Scenic and Columbia River
Subs. Train Hype! Mission accomplished there, we finally bid Wenatchee farewell
for the last time on this trip and headed west.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">We continued all the way up the Tumwater Canyon and pulled
in to the 59er Diner near Coles Corner, where we each got a delicious milk
shake. We continued up the road to the rest area at Merritt for access to the
facilities and to sit in the shade and eat our lunch (sandwiches; something we
had each day of our trip, since Jan wisely packed all the fixin’s we needed in
our ice chest – it was convenient and helped offset some other expenses, so we
weren’t just buying every meal at a restaurant). After lunch, and having still
not seen one of the westbound trains yet, we decided to double back to Winton
Tunnel for another try at the west portal. More fun photos there</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ytMhSkSHxbA/YODV6Bvx4cI/AAAAAAAACcQ/_TCd6N_0CPI-P-3VutkwkzNEw_3zjNxJQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/WB%2Bbreaks%2Bout%2Binto%2Bfresh%2Bair%2Bat%2BWinton%2BTunnel%252C%2Bwest%2Bportal_IMG_4924.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1332" data-original-width="2048" height="309" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ytMhSkSHxbA/YODV6Bvx4cI/AAAAAAAACcQ/_TCd6N_0CPI-P-3VutkwkzNEw_3zjNxJQCLcBGAsYHQ/w475-h309/WB%2Bbreaks%2Bout%2Binto%2Bfresh%2Bair%2Bat%2BWinton%2BTunnel%252C%2Bwest%2Bportal_IMG_4924.JPG" width="475" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Next stop, another location that I have never before managed
to get to for some reason – West Berne Siding. It’s not high on the priority
list of good photo-op locations, but it’s not bad. In the past though, it just
hasn’t worked out. But today it did. With the excessive heat resulting in
widespread slow orders, and a train that was pulling hard up hill to Stevens
Pass, it was easy to get some photos and then leap-frog ahead of our train to
the next good spot.</span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SVtXl2i8CyQ/YODWIdoEW3I/AAAAAAAACcU/F0Rfh_9lTgsUbwmOD-R-1U2wzFT8NJM8QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/WB%2Bstack%2Btrain%2Bat%2BWest%2BBerne%2Bsiding_IMG_4936.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1332" data-original-width="2048" height="256" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SVtXl2i8CyQ/YODWIdoEW3I/AAAAAAAACcU/F0Rfh_9lTgsUbwmOD-R-1U2wzFT8NJM8QCLcBGAsYHQ/w394-h256/WB%2Bstack%2Btrain%2Bat%2BWest%2BBerne%2Bsiding_IMG_4936.JPG" width="394" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Hi1V23W648/YODWIrvg48I/AAAAAAAACcY/Jqr0mi0p8CsvehVu4LbZdgawLPCXFZpPACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/WB%2Bstack%2Btrain%2Bunder%2Bthe%2Bhigh-voltge%2Blines%2Bat%2BWest%2BBerne%2BSiding_IMG_4940.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1332" data-original-width="2048" height="255" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Hi1V23W648/YODWIrvg48I/AAAAAAAACcY/Jqr0mi0p8CsvehVu4LbZdgawLPCXFZpPACLcBGAsYHQ/w392-h255/WB%2Bstack%2Btrain%2Bunder%2Bthe%2Bhigh-voltge%2Blines%2Bat%2BWest%2BBerne%2BSiding_IMG_4940.JPG" width="392" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Once finished at West Berne, we drove on over to the west
portal of Cascade Tunnel. It wasn’t too long before our stack train appeared,
and we grabbed some more nice pics. From there, we decided to head into
Skykomish.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1_Qm-DjwGpI/YODWVTPkqbI/AAAAAAAACcg/IrSljZkUZEsRIQG2f25Ww9MzQaLfjrtZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1574/WB%2Bstack%2Btrain%2Bemerges%2Bfrom%2Bwest%2Bportal%252C%2BCASCD%2BTunnel_IMG_4943.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1574" data-original-width="1213" height="453" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1_Qm-DjwGpI/YODWVTPkqbI/AAAAAAAACcg/IrSljZkUZEsRIQG2f25Ww9MzQaLfjrtZQCLcBGAsYHQ/w349-h453/WB%2Bstack%2Btrain%2Bemerges%2Bfrom%2Bwest%2Bportal%252C%2BCASCD%2BTunnel_IMG_4943.JPG" width="349" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">We easily arrived ahead of the train, where we sat in the
truck and awaited his arrival. With the sun now shifting off to the west, we
had decent lighting to get photos of this train with some of the ubiquitous
establishments of Sky in the background. This included the Cascadia Inn and the
Whistling Post Tavern.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nLLtUtmwxxw/YODW3w9CkQI/AAAAAAAACcs/zD0_f0VR4cQSqn6-Ybd87YpQ-2boprmfgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1706/Cascadia%2BInn%2Bat%2BSky_IMG_4954.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="927" data-original-width="1706" height="287" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nLLtUtmwxxw/YODW3w9CkQI/AAAAAAAACcs/zD0_f0VR4cQSqn6-Ybd87YpQ-2boprmfgCLcBGAsYHQ/w527-h287/Cascadia%2BInn%2Bat%2BSky_IMG_4954.JPG" width="527" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Scott nabs a shot with the Cascadia Inn (where the Sky Railfan cam is perched)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1BBLzb37p14/YODX0GoanxI/AAAAAAAACc0/3pj0ckCh0m4kWemuxaStk1_ibYcKbBwZwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Sky%2B%2526%2BWhistling%2BPost_mods.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1427" data-original-width="2048" height="369" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1BBLzb37p14/YODX0GoanxI/AAAAAAAACc0/3pj0ckCh0m4kWemuxaStk1_ibYcKbBwZwCLcBGAsYHQ/w528-h369/Sky%2B%2526%2BWhistling%2BPost_mods.JPG" width="528" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jan took this one as the train passed the Whistling Post</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Maybe it was the siren call of the Whistling Post’s tasty
suds, and maybe it was just as much the unrelenting heat of the past four days,
but Jan hit on the idea that I ought to buy her a cold beer. So, in we went to
quench our thirsts. Typically, I would have gladly joined her in a cold brew,
but on this day I opted for a refreshing cold lemonade. That suited me fine.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">After all this lounging around, we learned the second of
Wenatchee’s two stack trains from that morning had finally made it up and over
the pass, so we trundled on down to Index to set up and await its arrival. We
pulled off the road by the riverbank on Avenue A. Seriously, that’s what they
call it. How about naming it “Pickett Street” in honor of legendary
photographer Lee Pickett? They have <a href="http://www.indexhistoricalsociety.org/" target="_blank">a museum largely dedicated to him</a> after
all</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">. And guess what street it’s on: Avenue A.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The late afternoon lighting and crystal-clear skies provided
a stunning and iconic Washington Cascades scene for the final few photos of our
trip.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sqBQes4pZsA/YODYMP58yCI/AAAAAAAACc8/GtPN2McS5LcBmcRbRMfms9Z2MPDgV7XbQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/WB%2Bstack%2Btrain%2Bcrossing%2BNorth%2BFork%2BSkykomish%2BRiver%2Bat%2BIndex_IMG_4968.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1385" data-original-width="2048" height="423" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sqBQes4pZsA/YODYMP58yCI/AAAAAAAACc8/GtPN2McS5LcBmcRbRMfms9Z2MPDgV7XbQCLcBGAsYHQ/w627-h423/WB%2Bstack%2Btrain%2Bcrossing%2BNorth%2BFork%2BSkykomish%2BRiver%2Bat%2BIndex_IMG_4968.JPG" width="627" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Crossing the North Fork of the Skykomish River at Index, WA<br /><i>Scott's photo</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I’ve read recently that container traffic is getting jammed up at saltwater
ports in the Seattle area and railyards across the BNSF system at least as far east
as Chicago. Our experience on this trip seemed to offer evidence of this
situation. Of all the freight trains we encountered, it seemed like about 90%
of them were double stacks. One other observation to make: our buddy Lindsay
Korst just happened to be out on the road on <a href="http://www.gngoat.org/2021_montana.htm" target="_blank">his own railfan adventure</a></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> at about
the same time. We did not learn until after the fact that he was coming back
west through Lynch Coulee, Wenatchee, and Stevens Pass on the 23</span><sup style="font-family: arial;">rd</sup><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> –
right while we were also working that area. It’s a small miracle that we didn’t
bump into each other at some point.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_TPo2MLJGAI/YODZCT6GrnI/AAAAAAAACdE/Cfo67fzQLkki7jRjR0HofgEOYowEE-SpQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1747/Jan%2Bat%2BTrinidad%2Bloop_IMG_4765.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1030" data-original-width="1747" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_TPo2MLJGAI/YODZCT6GrnI/AAAAAAAACdE/Cfo67fzQLkki7jRjR0HofgEOYowEE-SpQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Jan%2Bat%2BTrinidad%2Bloop_IMG_4765.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vT-Mgv_Wc9E/YODZE-gEbgI/AAAAAAAACdI/K5cTWfXidCQTrW26AZ31t1KcAZAdsIlMwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/SJ%2B%2526%2BGeometry%2BTrain_mods.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1385" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vT-Mgv_Wc9E/YODZE-gEbgI/AAAAAAAACdI/K5cTWfXidCQTrW26AZ31t1KcAZAdsIlMwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/SJ%2B%2526%2BGeometry%2BTrain_mods.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">What a great time we had. I can see more such adventures in
our future.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p><br /><p></p>gnrockyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07136259371043351569noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676017998543024320.post-6153225702348956662020-05-31T16:48:00.002-07:002020-06-01T06:39:28.068-07:00Railfanning made easy: Or, fighting cabin fever in the age of COVID-19<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Railfan Trip Report, May 29-30, 2020</b></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
These are strange times, indeed. As I write this railfan
trip report, a highly-contagious virus (for which there is currently no vaccine
or cure) has kept most of us on “quarantine-style” lockdown for many weeks. The
economy has, at least for the present, pretty much tanked. Cabin Fever has
become a very real thing for many who have otherwise never experienced it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am very
lucky. I continue to work full-time, from my home. For my wife, Jan, things
have not been as good. She is on a temporary furlough which we hope will come
to an end in a few weeks. All that time being off work, with little opportunity
to get out and about, can make a person kind of antsy. It was time for us to
hit the road. We are both remaining healthy and virus-free (at least as far as
we know, what with the issue of asymptomatic people roaming about unaware that they’ve
picked up the virus). So, we decided the sunny skies and warm-to-very-warm
temperatures forecast for Friday, May 29, 2020, were reason enough to fight
back against cabin fever. We would take a railfan trip over Stevens Pass,
possibly as far east as Trinidad loop (east of Wenatchee). It began as a
one-day, out and back strategy, but soon morphed into a two-day trip with an
overnight stay in Wenatchee. We would avoid contact with others to the maximum
extent possible, and wear cloth masks and sometimes gloves when appropriate. We
could have a fun outing in each other’s company, and enjoy some great scenery
and have a nice time together.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And get
this – it was <u>her</u> idea to go railfanning. Although she is neither a
railroad enthusiast nor avid photographer herself, my wife has often told me
she thought it might be fun to chase and photograph trains, so she borrowed our
son’s nice Nikon digital SLR camera, and we made all the preparations to spend
a day or two shooting photos of whatever trains we happened to see.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For the
first day (Friday), the forecast called for mostly sunny skies and highs near
75 at our departure point north of Seattle. We would drive up over Stevens Pass
and work our way down to (and possibly beyond) Wenatchee, where the forecast
also called for mostly sunny skies, but highs considerably hotter – as hot as
94. However, a storm system was forecast to move up out of California overnight
Friday into Saturday, so our prospects for effective railfanning were likely to
fall off dramatically at some point on Saturday.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m not
nearly as experienced or knowledgeable about chasing trains or understanding
railroad operations as most avid railfans, but I’ve been out enough times with
a very knowledgeable friend to have learned many of the important strategies
and methods for railfanning the Scenic Sub and out to Trinidad on the Columbia
River Sub. I have a decent radio scanner, and we learned about the online radio
coverage for areas on both the west and east slopes of Stevens Pass. We also
found the Skykomish Railfan webcam to be particularly useful. Armed with all
these resources, plus plenty of water and food, off we went. We agreed from the
outset we would treat this experience like the so-called difference between
“fishing” and “catching.” If we found trains to shoot photos of, great, but we
were determined not to get our hopes up too much. The bar was set exceptionally
low, so some manner of success was all but assured. We learned later that we
could have set the bar extremely high, and still would have hit our target. It
was a truly strange series of railfanning events over the entire 2-day jaunt.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Out of
the driveway at 0530 on Friday, in our 2017 Toyota 4Runner (with 4WD, if
needed), away we went. First stop, Sultan Bakery (currently they serve take-out
only). After picking up the grub, we swung by the Sultan Public Library to park
on the street and access their Wi-Fi. We pulled up some info on Amtrak 7’s westbound
progress (on time, out of Leavenworth at 0608). As we popped out onto Highway 2
at Sultan, we immediately noticed an eastbound double-stack Z train we could
chase up toward Skykomish. This was the first omen of what would soon evolve
into the most bizarrely successful railfan trip I have ever experienced.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Z
train wasted no time heading up through Index, so we took a chance at catching
a grab shot near Baring. We pulled off the road just short of Baring and
banged off our first attempts of the day. Then we doubled-back to Index to wait
for Amtrak #7. Our plan was to shoot the Empire Builder crossing the trestle at
Index from the vantage point of the automobile bridge just upstream from the
trestle. We had enough time on our hands that we drove around to the opposite
side of the railroad trestle to scope out that angle (an afternoon shot) for a
later attempt.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s now
0751, and Amtrak 7 arrives at Index.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Agghqcm-9eg/XtQshkOuvVI/AAAAAAAACNc/IaKCGPahYU8kJWQx0W59PT2BFdQvSQB1gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Amtrak%2B%25237%2B-%2BIndex%2BTressle%2B-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Agghqcm-9eg/XtQshkOuvVI/AAAAAAAACNc/IaKCGPahYU8kJWQx0W59PT2BFdQvSQB1gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Amtrak%2B%25237%2B-%2BIndex%2BTressle%2B-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jan's first "railfan" photo - Amtrak #7 at Index</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FI8wHhUaZL8/XtQsqYzxmNI/AAAAAAAACNg/72IaX3RV3ucGk0g5RJrouTdqouTWF-EWQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Amtrak%2B7%2Bat%2BIndex_mods.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="1600" height="196" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FI8wHhUaZL8/XtQsqYzxmNI/AAAAAAAACNg/72IaX3RV3ucGk0g5RJrouTdqouTWF-EWQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Amtrak%2B7%2Bat%2BIndex_mods.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My shot from a few feet away</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We bang off some pics as it crosses the
trestle, and then we’re off to see if there’s any hope of catching up to the Z,
which is being pulled by BNSF 4123, a GE C44-9W, and three GE ES44DCs: BNSF 7765,
BNSF 7689, and BNSF 6225. By the way – I wouldn’t know an SD40 from a WD40. I’m
getting most of these locomotive types from RR Pictures Archive – thank you to
all who have posted there. <span style="font-family: "segoe ui emoji" , sans-serif;">😊</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jan and I
raced up Highway 2 thinking we might catch the Z-train at Scenic. We were a few
minutes too late: the scanner informed us he reached Scenic about 5 minutes
before we got there. So we pressed on, thinking we might try for a shot of the
train exiting at the East Portal of Cascade Tunnel. We arrived in time, but access
to the location appeared to be more restricted than I recalled from years past.
We bailed out of East Portal, and charged ahead to catch him at Gaynor.
Arriving there with only a few minutes to spare (and yes, the 4WD came in
handy), we parked back in the trees and walked down to the trestle. After only
a modest wait of 5 minutes or so, along came BNSF 4123 and friends. This was
just a few minutes before 0900. We banged off some oochie shots of the train
coming over the trestle, Jan got a couple friendly toots of the horn from the engineer, and then we jogged back to the truck. The chase was on!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TWSSYoT9ujE/XtQtPXn6E6I/AAAAAAAACNs/kPNxosJdTX4d2xZ1OR8dREEMQ49fQ6X_gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/4123%2Bat%2BGaynor%2BTrestle%2B-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1173" height="212" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TWSSYoT9ujE/XtQtPXn6E6I/AAAAAAAACNs/kPNxosJdTX4d2xZ1OR8dREEMQ49fQ6X_gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/4123%2Bat%2BGaynor%2BTrestle%2B-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jan's shot of 4123 easing onto Gaynor Trestle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DpO-i3-kVtg/XtQtVu4zpKI/AAAAAAAACN0/UTSnDp1tLOsT_Q8Ouko5zxHyh6AcN4ORwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_3961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DpO-i3-kVtg/XtQtVu4zpKI/AAAAAAAACN0/UTSnDp1tLOsT_Q8Ouko5zxHyh6AcN4ORwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_3961.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scott's photo of the train arriving at the trestle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i4zdTfS6dkE/XtQtVgMFomI/AAAAAAAACN4/H435t7WPIN4JQR-Yqi4T2-eY9NR4DvTxACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_3970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i4zdTfS6dkE/XtQtVgMFomI/AAAAAAAACN4/H435t7WPIN4JQR-Yqi4T2-eY9NR4DvTxACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_3970.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scott's photo, Gaynor Trestle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--G7MfTrCdyU/XtQtVYWHEdI/AAAAAAAACNw/fHosEg1TUTQVelAzYJNo_kUJyzXzLG7kgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_3972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--G7MfTrCdyU/XtQtVYWHEdI/AAAAAAAACNw/fHosEg1TUTQVelAzYJNo_kUJyzXzLG7kgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_3972.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An artsy-fartsy view of the train going away (Scott photo)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One old
adage I’ve learned about railfanning the Scenic Sub: find a train, and follow
it. Period. It’s nearly always your best bet. And so we gave chase to the
eastbound Z. We figured he would move downslope quickly. The thought was to try
to catch him somewhere past Leavenworth. He made Peshastin by 0950, but we were
out ahead of him by then. We opted to hedge our bets and remain in front,
getting ourselves in position for a photo-op at Monitor on Sleepy Hollow Road.
The lighting should be good, and he’d be coasting toward us along the bank of
the Wenatchee River. It’s an excellent vantage point to photograph an
eastbound.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We
weren’t parked more than 2 or 3 minutes, and BNSF 4123 began blowing his horn
for a nearby crossing. I was going to set out a couple of folding camp chairs
so we could sit and relax in fruit orchard country, but there wasn’t time. Once
again, we arrived in time to get set, but no excessive time for sitting around
waiting.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x5QlWVV2fYY/XtQuMyrZbdI/AAAAAAAACOQ/TsTTX8a6XTYNwwhVCao2K9JpEGqpMcIKQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_3984_mods.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="1600" height="165" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x5QlWVV2fYY/XtQuMyrZbdI/AAAAAAAACOQ/TsTTX8a6XTYNwwhVCao2K9JpEGqpMcIKQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_3984_mods.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Z-train rounds the bend at Richardson's Curve at Monitor (off Sleepy Hollow Road)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
After snagging more oochie shots of 4123’s Z train, off we went again.
The train was long enough (276 axles) that he was still in sight as we doubled
back along Sleepy Hollow Road – whoa! Great photo op for future reference: just
as the road begins to drop down toward the grade crossing, there’s a great view
of the train with expansive acres of fruit orchards in the foreground. Gotta
store that idea away for later.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Time to
proceed into Wenatchee to check things out at Appleyard, the traditional
barometer of train activity near the transition between the Scenic Sub and the
Columbia River Sub. But as we dropped down the highway into town, we glanced
down at the tracks below and saw that #4123 had…. stopped! At one of the first
available opportunities, I turned off the main drag and found a way back behind
a business that had property butted right up to the tracks. We found the train
had come to a stop just before the sign marking the break between the two
adjoining subdivisions, Scenic and Columbia River. We thought, “holy cow, he’s
just sitting there posing for us!” We jumped out of the truck and banged off
more oochie roster shots, and then minutes later he got the green light to
proceed toward Appleyard, and we banged off some more (hey, they’re only
electrons – remember the days of 35mm film and photo-op frugality?).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d62hWScLL8I/XtQvpiLj3bI/AAAAAAAACOc/v7Yj37wRzcMKTiciajDafQWCs5BIIYheQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/4123%2Bstopped%2BSub%2BDiv%2Bpoint%2B-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1156" data-original-width="1600" height="231" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d62hWScLL8I/XtQvpiLj3bI/AAAAAAAACOc/v7Yj37wRzcMKTiciajDafQWCs5BIIYheQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/4123%2Bstopped%2BSub%2BDiv%2Bpoint%2B-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jan's roster shot as the train starts up again.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ttTeYKF88Vk/XtQvyh3NZHI/AAAAAAAACOk/7LMbIXGGOYsZo6pBhy9DOS0Zj0CXxFOtQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_3990.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ttTeYKF88Vk/XtQvyh3NZHI/AAAAAAAACOk/7LMbIXGGOYsZo6pBhy9DOS0Zj0CXxFOtQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_3990.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Z-train striking a pose just before the switch-over from the Scenic Sub to the Columbia River Sub.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nAYA7pMArXY/XtQvyXY3MmI/AAAAAAAACOg/s8QhTK1IE9ktKPr0TwmTFq7ry9ztELXQACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1169" data-original-width="1600" height="233" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nAYA7pMArXY/XtQvyXY3MmI/AAAAAAAACOg/s8QhTK1IE9ktKPr0TwmTFq7ry9ztELXQACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_4006.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As the train slowly proceeds down to the crew-change point, the signal remains green.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tpc1qb8hzus/XtQvyrQgaQI/AAAAAAAACOo/-IfIEhFltKkaeWGePjk0LpvpSO9C9vNFACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tpc1qb8hzus/XtQvyrQgaQI/AAAAAAAACOo/-IfIEhFltKkaeWGePjk0LpvpSO9C9vNFACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_4007.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4123 has tripped the signal in this going-away shot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We picked
up some chatter on the scanner about a westbound approaching Wenatchee, so we
decided to hightail it east toward Trinidad to see what we were dealing with.
Just after passing the Rock Island Bridge, the westbound rounded the curve.
This was one of only a very few trains we ever missed a chance to photograph in
two day’s time. Curiously, we picked up a detector triggered by <u>another</u>
train in the area with a remarkable 458 axles. We couldn’t make out exactly where
it was, nor what direction it was headed. This mystery train could be anywhere.
We were on high alert, but without a clue where this train was or whether we
had any chance to find it, we pressed on eastward.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">We pulled off Highway 28 at the
“Sand Pit,” a state DOT facility near the turn-off to Lynch Coulee and the
Trinidad Loop. At the very least, it seemed likely that our primary “target,”
the Z-train led by BNSF 4123, would come up from Wenatchee before too long.
Still, it seemed we were in another great location to bust out the camping
chairs, the ice-cold bottled water, and the snacks. Before I could open the
back of the truck to pull out the chairs, I took a gander over the side of the
hill to the tracks below.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BAnh_L36yP8/XtQwwe9IsiI/AAAAAAAACPA/WLwE6sJm0RMlwg8Tc0rcW5wxozkgDzi0gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BAnh_L36yP8/XtQwwe9IsiI/AAAAAAAACPA/WLwE6sJm0RMlwg8Tc0rcW5wxozkgDzi0gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_4008.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A peak over the sand pile, and voila! Our "mystery train" appears</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">It was the mystery train! Once more, incredibly, Lady
Luck was smiling brightly on us. A pair of GE ES44DC’s, BNSF #7461 and #6413,
were pulling a long empty oiler up toward Lynch Coulee. I swear, we weren’t out
of the truck 30 seconds and we found ourselves in perfect position for some
incredible down-on photos of this remarkably long string of black oil cars
snaking its way along a series of S-curves on the bank of the Columbia River.
Jan wasn’t sure if I was joking when I kept telling her “seriously, this is not
supposed to happen – railfanning is not this easy!” I could not believe how
lucky we were and how our timing seemed almost fool proof.</span><br />
<div>
<div style="text-indent: 48px;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iuHj4XPrD9s/XtQxB3Ge0SI/AAAAAAAACPI/_vTMmhAxo5wwptWYIHA3mgojJk8P1JdEgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Oil%2BTrain%2Bat%2BSand%2BPit%2B-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="1508" height="212" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iuHj4XPrD9s/XtQxB3Ge0SI/AAAAAAAACPI/_vTMmhAxo5wwptWYIHA3mgojJk8P1JdEgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Oil%2BTrain%2Bat%2BSand%2BPit%2B-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jan's landscape perspective of the oiler snaking around the curves</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aLoVrzCMM9k/XtQxGBJp4jI/AAAAAAAACPM/Z4PixmlLOuQBGaGk91QsUvLbp9-MQHNkwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aLoVrzCMM9k/XtQxGBJp4jI/AAAAAAAACPM/Z4PixmlLOuQBGaGk91QsUvLbp9-MQHNkwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_4014.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A vertical perspective at the Sand Pit</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br />
Without waiting to see if the oiler
had any DPUs, we jumped back in the truck and zipped up the coulee for some
photos as it trudged up toward the loop at Trinidad, and then as it rounded the
curve and headed off into the distance.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q1OdsLprQdg/XtQxppalzvI/AAAAAAAACPc/UyoC2Y7BL-Y45uvtsUgpyJaVAR0TJkILACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q1OdsLprQdg/XtQxppalzvI/AAAAAAAACPc/UyoC2Y7BL-Y45uvtsUgpyJaVAR0TJkILACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_4022.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I snapped a shot of the oiler struggling up Lynch Coulee on approach to the Trinidad Loop</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jYIZR1ec-nM/XtQxpvAfRAI/AAAAAAAACPY/IJOQasM7WFIuZQgSLubT2fUuwyds0XY1QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jYIZR1ec-nM/XtQxpvAfRAI/AAAAAAAACPY/IJOQasM7WFIuZQgSLubT2fUuwyds0XY1QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_4027.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exiting Trinidad Loop, the oiler is seen with our trusty steed in the foreground</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EAIefpZtz6o/XtQxptdn22I/AAAAAAAACPg/MKYlsIV8RoU9XXVHzDledfuNfGdwVsviACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EAIefpZtz6o/XtQxptdn22I/AAAAAAAACPg/MKYlsIV8RoU9XXVHzDledfuNfGdwVsviACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_4036.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another going-away perspective, with the gleaming empty oil cans rounding a curve just past the Trinidad Loop</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">After that, we figured #4123’s Z train
would probably be along pretty soon. We drove back down the coulee to the small
overpass on one of the most blandly named roads in the area, “Road W NW.” Not
to be confused with Road W SE, I suppose. We finally pulled out the folding
chairs and settled in for some lunch. It was now approaching 1130, and the
temperature was in the low 80s. We managed to choke down some food before the Z
train appeared. We hadn’t been there more than 15 minutes. I swear, I kept
telling my wife “it isn’t usually like this!” I was becoming increasingly
amazed at how simple this all was. Just run out to a good location, and WHAM!
another train comes along. Jan was forming her own ideas about the nature of
railfanning. I shudder to think how letdown she’ll be the next time out, if we
keep having trains just fall into our laps like this.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-66pJsnwbzvE/XtQybOH2XkI/AAAAAAAACP0/J6eqws51WH83fBW8lzcvaQV4E0-VxHMYwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-66pJsnwbzvE/XtQybOH2XkI/AAAAAAAACP0/J6eqws51WH83fBW8lzcvaQV4E0-VxHMYwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_4039.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Z train led by 4123 comes into view as it climbs Lynch Coulee toward Trinidad Loop</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y_fIHclrZxw/XtQybG7H5MI/AAAAAAAACPw/NvCY8x5aARIHonJGSwjSJkcpVextdADhgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y_fIHclrZxw/XtQybG7H5MI/AAAAAAAACPw/NvCY8x5aARIHonJGSwjSJkcpVextdADhgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_4045.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4123 pulls its heavy load through a small cut and rolls under the overpass for Road W NW.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MqdvBsALW38/XtQybJGfylI/AAAAAAAACPs/K1Yhs7K3Dj0GH_nX1ox4bH5RnbgB4r2FQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MqdvBsALW38/XtQybJGfylI/AAAAAAAACPs/K1Yhs7K3Dj0GH_nX1ox4bH5RnbgB4r2FQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_4051.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The double-stack train curves away from the Road W NW overpass and continues on to the Loop</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">We headed back to Wenatchee,
thinking it was time to check Appleyard again. We decided to call “Julie” at
Amtrak to confirm that Saturday morning’s #7 was running on time. They use some
fairly robust voice recognition software, so we were surprised and frustrated
when “Julie” repeatedly confused our station data request of “Wenatchee,
Washington,” saying “I think you said Wausaukee, Wisconsin – is that correct?”
But just as we crossed the river back into Wenatchee, I glanced to my left and
spotted a locomotive with all his lights lit up, including the ditch lights. We
had prey to chase! Off we drove through the traffic and stoplights of downtown
Wenatchee. I was hoping this was our chance to catch the train at that
promising new spot at Monitor, overlooking acres of fruit trees. As we made it
out of town, it became clear the train had the advantage of us and Monitor was
a no-go. So we pressed on and aimed for Dryden. There is a great spot to shoot
a westbound train crossing the Wenatchee River at Dryden if you park on the
shoulder of Main Street near where it intersects with Alice Avenue. But before
this journey began, I had been pondering the possibility of shooting a train
crossing the second trestle to the east of that one, as the train is about to
enter Dryden. This would mean turning off Highway 2 onto Stine Hill Road and
doubling back about a mile to an unmarked little side road that might put us
into a public river access spot marked on the maps as “Fox Miller Public
Access.” From what I found on Google Maps, it appeared a nice view of this
trestle could be had by scrambling down by the riverbank. Having never tried
this location before, I overshot the unmarked dirt road turnoff. By the time we
found the correct road and made our way down to the public parking area by the
trestle, the train was already there. Honestly, this turned out to be one of
only about two or three “whiffs” that we endured in two days. Still, I’ll
squirrel that one away to try again in the future. Before we pulled out from
Dryden, we tried calling Julie again at Amtrak. She still thinks Wenatchee is
Wausaukee. No, Julie, not even close (at least, not geographically!).</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br />
Now our best bet seemed to be to
chase on up past Leavenworth and try to catch the train somewhere further west.
I decided to aim for White Pine Road and the popular Nason Creek trestle. We
arrived at the trestle feeling confident we had overtaken the train, but not
feeling at all sure about how much time we had. We’re not in our twenties
anymore, so it was a bit challenging for us both to scramble up the rock face
to reach our preferred vantage point on the rock ledge above the tracks. I
swear, we picked out our perspective to shoot the train, made sure our cameras
were at the ready, and WHAM! it wasn’t 5 minutes and the train rounded the
curve at the base of the rock cliff and crossed the Nason Creek trestle.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VOjg3uiNZsU/XtQzLVLwcGI/AAAAAAAACQE/bLdtAAZ5HFstK30-ynZo_QWUVeq83CFxgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VOjg3uiNZsU/XtQzLVLwcGI/AAAAAAAACQE/bLdtAAZ5HFstK30-ynZo_QWUVeq83CFxgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_4063.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">7112 creeps around the bend at the Nason Creek cut, peering at us through the tree branches</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bDDdoBsZejE/XtQzNhYnMWI/AAAAAAAACQI/qAfzPhh9Uhkfmw57gQUo2IXOSzb_a9H_wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bDDdoBsZejE/XtQzNhYnMWI/AAAAAAAACQI/qAfzPhh9Uhkfmw57gQUo2IXOSzb_a9H_wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_4067.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coming into full view, 7112 leads its load across Nason Creek trestle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ixvKiBInIE0/XtQzQnIiMSI/AAAAAAAACQM/oJT0DDsKH08jvNg15rya4q5hScyS-NWPQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/White%2BPine%2BRoad%2Bat%2BNason%2BCk%2B-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1382" data-original-width="992" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ixvKiBInIE0/XtQzQnIiMSI/AAAAAAAACQM/oJT0DDsKH08jvNg15rya4q5hScyS-NWPQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/White%2BPine%2BRoad%2Bat%2BNason%2BCk%2B-1.jpg" width="229" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jan snagged this shot at Nason Creek trestle, a popular railfan location on White Pine Road</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Not
being too eager to have to scramble back down the rock face of our
“photographer’s roost,” I quickly spotted the well-worn trail no doubt made my
many previous railfans that led us easily and safely back off the ledge and
into a camper’s pullout off the road. I log THAT in the memory banks for next
time, too. So much easier and safer than scrambling up and down loose rocks.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br />
By now it was mid-afternoon, and
with no other hot prospects we decided it was time to head back down toward
Wenatchee. I told Jan that I wanted to check out what appeared to be a dirt
road that we might be able to use to get us close to the Rock Island Bridge
near the Alcoa plant east of Appleyard, near Malaga. This held the prospect of
a perspective of the bridge that I had never photographed. So off we went,
planning to head out on the Malaga-Alcoa Highway past Appleyard to do some
exploring. But as we were working our way through downtown Wenatchee and were
passing the Amtrak stop and BNSF’s typical crew change point, we spotted
<b><u>another</u></b> westbound-facing freight with their ditch lights on. We had learned the
hard way – do NOT try to get to Monitor ahead of a westbound out of the
Appleyard area if he’s already moving and you still have to fight your way
through all the traffic lights in town. So, without waiting for the train to
start moving, off we raced toward Monitor to try for the shot across the fields
of fruit trees on Sleepy Hollow Road. We arrived in plenty of time. In fact, we
had to sit and wait for about 30 minutes, but he finally appeared, and we
banged off some more satisfactory photos. Still, I would love to shoot a train
rolling through there sometime a little earlier in the season, when the fruit
trees are in full blossom.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WrGbpJLdGh0/XtQ0q6iG01I/AAAAAAAACQg/q35x_Dl2NEghskSOrWn5wlTiccgCOJ-OgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WrGbpJLdGh0/XtQ0q6iG01I/AAAAAAAACQg/q35x_Dl2NEghskSOrWn5wlTiccgCOJ-OgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_4070.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yay! I scratched this itch by catching a westbound across the fruit orchards on Sleepy Hollow Road.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-REqYGgvR8LQ/XtQ0tkGWWrI/AAAAAAAACQk/JENbop5lS2AwFRwIHgYpce5dk_ZheB38gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Monitor%2B2%2B-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="1466" height="201" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-REqYGgvR8LQ/XtQ0tkGWWrI/AAAAAAAACQk/JENbop5lS2AwFRwIHgYpce5dk_ZheB38gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Monitor%2B2%2B-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jan plucked this doozy as the train made its way through the grade crossing below us.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MXnDZSd8REw/XtQ0xFM8WQI/AAAAAAAACQo/3_LBDC4cM6UIXNZQGyvdg5dlyiZVuGT-ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MXnDZSd8REw/XtQ0xFM8WQI/AAAAAAAACQo/3_LBDC4cM6UIXNZQGyvdg5dlyiZVuGT-ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_4084.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I shot one more photo of the train as it was leaving our view of the orchards.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br />
With our intended exploration of
access to the Rock Island Bridge near Alcoa aborted, we decided to try that
again. We headed off to Appleyard and planned to continue right on past.
However, as we neared the yard, we spotted another long string of empty coal
cars parked at the east end of Appleyard. He appeared to be occupying the main,
but his ditch lights were off. We could see the crew was aboard, and we soon
heard some helpful chatter on the scanner. He was being cleared to depart
eastbound. Thank you AGAIN, Lady Luck! We had time to race down the road to
check out access to the bridge from that side of the river, and it looked like
we would have a train in a few minutes to shoot as well. Off we went, but as we
reached a point only about a mile out of Appleyard, here comes another
westbound! We had no time to get any grab shots, but our heads were spinning.
It seemed like the Scenic and Columbia River Subs were practically saturated
with train movements. On we drove toward the Alcoa plant. Anyone who has ever
looked into the site must already know what we learned the hard way: there is
absolutely no access there, not even to the little dirt road that looked so
promising. It’s all private property, and it’s all gated or marked for no
trespassing. Bummer. But we knew the empty oiler was heading toward us, so we
shot back toward Appleyard looking frantically for a good place to pull over
for some grab shots. We found a spot and jumped out, and got into position. It
was only a couple of minutes before a brace of GE ES44ACs led by BNSF 6349 and
then BNSF 5906, with another unit in the mix that we did not identify, plus a
pair of EMD SD70ACe’s (BNSF 9339 and 8561) came up the rise and split the
signals.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZWjjnDK8ffU/XtQ1jBJECcI/AAAAAAAACQ8/XJKjk-6Dp4kwk9LAxA1jgRuAINwvUPVvQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZWjjnDK8ffU/XtQ1jBJECcI/AAAAAAAACQ8/XJKjk-6Dp4kwk9LAxA1jgRuAINwvUPVvQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_4092.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slogging through the tall weeds, I snagged this shot of 6349 straining to get up the slight grade out of Appleyard.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OdK55MjNB-k/XtQ1nuCH89I/AAAAAAAACRA/TGsOTvPqQYIgOaOqeLfxpWB0Y07-RF1NQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Coal%2BTrain%2B-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OdK55MjNB-k/XtQ1nuCH89I/AAAAAAAACRA/TGsOTvPqQYIgOaOqeLfxpWB0Y07-RF1NQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Coal%2BTrain%2B-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jan captured a stealth train slinking through the weeds, as I braced for a signal-splitter photo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T1WdLYMZBbU/XtQ1rDWfI2I/AAAAAAAACRE/j1TPVxW9X6wrzzbQGjM2CKe4UigPRq38QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T1WdLYMZBbU/XtQ1rDWfI2I/AAAAAAAACRE/j1TPVxW9X6wrzzbQGjM2CKe4UigPRq38QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_4097.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here he comes, splitting the signals at the grade crossing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">The time was now 1730 and still
about 90 degrees. We rolled back into Wenatchee and picked up a couple of juicy
bacon cheeseburgers to go from Bob’s Classic Brass and Brew, then it was off to
our motel to eat our dinner, download the day’s photos, and settle in for the
night. I plugged in my laptop and pulled up Amtrak’s “Track Your Train” web
site. I wanted to double-check #7’s progress and ETA the next morning at
Wenatchee (especially since Julie had seemed so confused earlier on the phone).
We had discussed getting up early the next morning and racing up to Dryden to
catch it on the trestle just off Main Street, which we calculated would be
about 0545 (if holding to their scheduled time). You can imagine my confusion
when the map, peppered with data on trains all over the US, was not showing ANYTHING
for our #7 due into Wenatchee the next morning. The train was just gone! That’s
when I pulled up the Facebook page for “Amtrak’s Empire Builder” hoping to
learn some news. Did I ever. Train #7 had collided with a farmer and his
tractor at a rural grade crossing near Bainville in eastern Montana. I saw some
very depressing news reports that the farmer had perished and some on the train
were injured and taken to the hospital. The lead locomotive was badly damaged
(likely totaled), and the second unit and all seven Superliner cars (and
possibly the trailing baggage car) were all on the ground, but upright. There
would be no #7 pulling into Wenatchee in the morning. We turned in and agreed
we would not rush to start our day. In fact, with the nasty weather moving into
the area, we realized we had already struck gold on Friday, and maybe it was
just as well that we grab some coffee in the morning and just head on home.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br />
We eased into the morning. A quick
review of the Skykomish Railfan webcam showed an eastbound recently passed
through Skykomish, but we didn’t have enough info on it to do us much good. But the skies over Wenatchee didn’t look
too threatening. We had come this far, and had the whole day ahead of us, so…
Off we drove to Appleyard to take a look-see at what was going on. As we drove
along Wenatchee Avenue in the direction of the yard, we crossed Thurston Street
and peeked down the road toward the BNSF office where crew changes usually
occur. Ditch lights! They’re on! Facing westbound! Train Hype! We immediately
doubled back and started heading back up the hill. We decided to get out ahead
of this imminent westbound and start reviewing our options.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">By the time we reached Dryden, we were
somewhat amazed to see the morning’s eastbound freight from Skykomish rolling
down toward Wenatchee. This had us thinking we could get well ahead of the WB we
had spotted leaving the crew change point in Wenatchee, since our westbound
might have to wait for the eastbound to pass. We decided to venture up the
Chumstick cutoff. Neither of us had ever seen the Icicle Amtrak station just
outside Leavenworth, so this seemed like the opportune time. A few minutes of moseying
around Icicle Station, and we headed up through the Chumstick Canyon. With the
already sketchy weather getting worse by the minute, we had long since decided
any further railfanning on this day was unlikely, but icing on the cake if any
opportunity presented itself. We heard rolling thunder as we pulled out from
Icicle Station. We were in no rush today, so I decided to take Jan out to the
Wenatchee River trestle to at least show her that location, and roll the dice
as to whether the WB out of Wenatchee would appear within a reasonable time frame.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">It was a relatively slow-paced
drive through the rural countryside as we paralleled the Chumstick realignment
that the GN put in back in 1928 (bypassing the snail’s pace Tumwater Canyon) in
conjunction with the construction of the new 8-mile Cascade Tunnel. We reached
River Road and made the turn toward our goal, which was a view of the BNSF
crossing at the Wenatchee River. We backed in and parked below the elevated
railbed at that location, satisfied that this was another situation where we
could hang out for a little while and relax before our westbound train made it
up the hill from Wenatchee. We kept an eye on the signals for the westbound,
and I asked Jan to be sure to let me know immediately if she saw one of the
targets turn to green. We had been there only 5 minutes or so when I decided to
stretch my legs a little, and I clambered up toward trackside to get an
unobstructed view looking down the line to the west. By the time I got high enough to see down the tracks, I saw
it – the lights of a locomotive, eastbound! Train Hype! Lady Luck is </span><u style="text-indent: 0.5in;">still</u><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
with us!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Our latest bonus train turned out
to be a double-stack led by BNSF 8343, a GE ES44C4. Next in the lash-up was
BNSF 7975 of the same locomotive type. BNSF 5788, a GE ES44AC, was next,
finally trailed by another ES44C4, BNSF 6886. We both scrambled to get to our
chosen spots. I “sprinted” (if that’s what you can call whatever it was this
out-of-shape, overweight couch potato was doing) over to the riverbank to get
some pics of the train crossing the bridge. Jan wisely stayed put and got her
shots from a sensible position near our parked truck. Her decidedly more reasonable choice was rewarded by a few more friendly toots of the lead unit's horn.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XWC4BVzeZwc/XtQ3HOvzLiI/AAAAAAAACRY/xmXee2meL68oFntNzcfrBAkm9m_LfSw6wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Day%2B2%2BWenatchee%2BBridge%2B-%2BEB%2B-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1082" data-original-width="1498" height="231" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XWC4BVzeZwc/XtQ3HOvzLiI/AAAAAAAACRY/xmXee2meL68oFntNzcfrBAkm9m_LfSw6wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Day%2B2%2BWenatchee%2BBridge%2B-%2BEB%2B-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jan, from her sensible location, snapped a nice shot of the train at the grade crossing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L5Ne8AiWzA8/XtQ3RjoWEHI/AAAAAAAACRc/PNZ7sZU53WsMYOB6tICN-laFJ6ffgD0ZACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L5Ne8AiWzA8/XtQ3RjoWEHI/AAAAAAAACRc/PNZ7sZU53WsMYOB6tICN-laFJ6ffgD0ZACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_4139.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Down by the river bank and gasping for air, I managed to click the shutter as the eastbound crossed the Wenatchee River bridge.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I came back huffing and
puffing, and we once again just shook our heads over how incredible our timing
and our luck continued to be. I estimated that we had about 20 minutes before
the westbound made it to the river. Sure enough, that’s just about how long it
was when Jan suddenly shouted “green!” I once again “sprinted” back to the riverbank
(you’d think I might be getting a little wiser about all this by now, but… no).
We both banged off some more nice shots, then boogied it out of there. I
predicted that if we made good time, we </span><u style="text-indent: 0.5in;">might</u><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> just catch this train
coming out the west portal of Cascade Tunnel.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_kEHihLYcqQ/XtQ3ySRbWiI/AAAAAAAACRo/5SnDZUztVIEyUpnYi-HnA6Uojh1GKSnGgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Day%2B2%2BWenatchee%2BBridge%2B-%2BWB%2B-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_kEHihLYcqQ/XtQ3ySRbWiI/AAAAAAAACRo/5SnDZUztVIEyUpnYi-HnA6Uojh1GKSnGgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Day%2B2%2BWenatchee%2BBridge%2B-%2BWB%2B-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jan got this sweet shot as the train advanced across the trestle and approached the grade crossing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7pavEJOQ7X4/XtQ348ABrrI/AAAAAAAACRs/wvj5wd5CFiAjnHmTGLPE3s8tscIKvvrMACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7pavEJOQ7X4/XtQ348ABrrI/AAAAAAAACRs/wvj5wd5CFiAjnHmTGLPE3s8tscIKvvrMACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_4158.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back near the riverbank, I snapped this shot as the train was emerging from the trees and starting onto the trestle.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Over the pass we drove. We did
encounter some slightly heavier car traffic than I anticipated, but even the
RVs were keeping pretty good pace. We made decent time going over the pass.
Most of the higher peaks still had plenty of ground snow on them, and there
were still significant patches of snow on the ground right up to the highway
shoulders near the pass. We noticed the road down into the Wellington site was
still closed, because of the access road's being impassable due to snow.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
We turned off at the west portal
and parked. We were able to immediately see the westbound train’s headlights in
the tunnel, but it was clearly several miles away still. I explained to Jan
that the tunnel’s bore was dug “as straight as a rifle bore,” according to
accounts of its completion back in 1929. We watched as the light got closer and
closer. We both snapped a few photos with our 200mm lens settings as the
train’s headlights illuminated one of the rails for a long distance. Then we
banged off a number of shots as the train emerged from the portal.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Al0f-4o3UFQ/XtQ6qDMwobI/AAAAAAAACSA/50gJJ45KCooBlEKH49K-rNjKQ_TjHhuvQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Al0f-4o3UFQ/XtQ6qDMwobI/AAAAAAAACSA/50gJJ45KCooBlEKH49K-rNjKQ_TjHhuvQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_4178.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lights of BNSF 7946, a GE ES44C4, shine off the inner walls of Cascade Tunnel as the train nears the west portal.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3VpyYi36W8c/XtQ6p7vo9kI/AAAAAAAACR8/myqBqKprBUY3GpOm4KZ5mPh2iP6DUTNdgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4180_mods.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3VpyYi36W8c/XtQ6p7vo9kI/AAAAAAAACR8/myqBqKprBUY3GpOm4KZ5mPh2iP6DUTNdgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_4180_mods.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> The train is about to emerge from the tunnel's relative darkness, but into a decidedly cloudy afternoon sky.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3A2-PdGd0zE/XtQ6uruJ9QI/AAAAAAAACSE/JBll4CploaYb68VOp2hLmkOThFkieJ2pgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Day%2B2%2B-%2BWest%2BPortal%2B-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="1508" height="212" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3A2-PdGd0zE/XtQ6uruJ9QI/AAAAAAAACSE/JBll4CploaYb68VOp2hLmkOThFkieJ2pgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Day%2B2%2B-%2BWest%2BPortal%2B-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jan pegged this shot as 7946 led its pack of locomotives (and a short string of cars) out of the west portal of Cascade Tunnel.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">The sky was
completely overcast, but the rain held off pretty well at the portal. Then it
was back onto the highway and a sprint to Skykomish. I knew the hairpin curve
at the Foss River crossing (among other things) would slow the train down
enough for us to get to Sky ahead of it, despite the fact it was now rolling
downhill, and had a remarkable six locomotives pulling only 13 cars.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
We parked across from the Cascadian
Inn and I gave an obligatory wave to anyone watching on the railfan cam. We
pulled up the webcam feed on Jan’s cellphone, and realized it was focused in
the middle of its usual viewing range: neither looking left to the east
approach into town, nor to the right and the west end of town. I tried
pantomiming to anyone watching (and who might be managing the camera controls)
that a train was approaching from the east. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwhmSD-7zyVJOv-C2FdecpOwxL7nLQOU0olWETL97m3OhnJbB95oViEzRJw3rTTgWsGDn1NW5QjrabJC0brZg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
We decided to get our photos stationed near
the town’s homage to the Great Northern Railway’s “Rocky,” a mountain goat
shaped steel plate mounted on a large boulder. <span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">The train arrived, and we banged
off some more good shots.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uv0gNMtVGxI/XtQ-ScA35aI/AAAAAAAACSU/g28GejFhc2gO5eeIbdvy290rwpM-eiFtQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Day%2B2%2B-%2BSkykomish%2B-%2BWB%2B-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uv0gNMtVGxI/XtQ-ScA35aI/AAAAAAAACSU/g28GejFhc2gO5eeIbdvy290rwpM-eiFtQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Day%2B2%2B-%2BSkykomish%2B-%2BWB%2B-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jan's photo of the <u>SIX </u>locomotives (pulling only 13 cars!) along the fencing at Skykomish.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KlDp98UM9Rc/XtQ-WF0yBUI/AAAAAAAACSY/bmJV3fbIqjc_SewUIhI9eirDcRoMLmmDgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KlDp98UM9Rc/XtQ-WF0yBUI/AAAAAAAACSY/bmJV3fbIqjc_SewUIhI9eirDcRoMLmmDgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_4217.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Town of Skykomish embraces its railroad heritage, and the generational influence of the Great Northern Railway. Rocky Lives!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--3jpjd2bNlI/XtQ-Wfxs0fI/AAAAAAAACSc/cw3FYXGBBD8O3dTYFkaeViJfHUoW7n2IwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--3jpjd2bNlI/XtQ-Wfxs0fI/AAAAAAAACSc/cw3FYXGBBD8O3dTYFkaeViJfHUoW7n2IwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_4221.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I nab one more going-away shot as this unusual lash-up is about to trip the signals at West Skykomish.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Then we were on the road again, heading generally in
the direction of home. But wait – what about that location we scouted out on
Friday at Index, from the south side of the RR bridge? It was a solid overcast,
so the sun angle wasn’t really an issue. If only the rain would hold off for us
…</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">We charged (safely, at no faster than
the posted speed limits) down to Index and flew around the side streets in town
on only two wheels (well, sort of) and parked by the riverbank. Our luck with
the weather gods finally petered out. It began to rain, rather insistently. But
we arrived in time and got into position. Within only a few minutes, the train
was upon us. We banged out a few more shots as it crossed the river.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2RbkLBNSFHI/XtQ_H8JF_BI/AAAAAAAACSs/f1I52etdiJYhaL15BOOBJRojpQXut_eWQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2RbkLBNSFHI/XtQ_H8JF_BI/AAAAAAAACSs/f1I52etdiJYhaL15BOOBJRojpQXut_eWQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_4226.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One last photo of 7946 and his pals as they cross the trestle at Index - in the pouring rain.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">Content that we had
succeeded in squeezing the last bit of good fortune out of the weekend, we
finally decided that was the last of the railfanning for this trip and we
continued on home.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">I don’t know if I should
take my wife out railfanning ever again. On the one hand, you could say she was
an incredible good-luck charm. On the other hand, she’s going to think all
railfanning is this easy, and will forevermore be thoroughly underwhelmed by any
future trips we might take. Decisions, decisions… But in the end, we got the
better of Cabin Fever (take THAT, quarantine!).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">Yeah, I'd go railfanning with my wife anytime. That was fun! Thanks, sweetie!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9l5JrP6lDqM/XtQ_nHaDVYI/AAAAAAAACS0/atU9Vb3feFUWRCF1r09CBGwGl769ZZpZwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Jan%2Bat%2BGayor_TRAIN%2BHYPE_IMG_3971.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1161" data-original-width="1600" height="232" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9l5JrP6lDqM/XtQ_nHaDVYI/AAAAAAAACS0/atU9Vb3feFUWRCF1r09CBGwGl769ZZpZwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Jan%2Bat%2BGayor_TRAIN%2BHYPE_IMG_3971.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
gnrockyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07136259371043351569noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676017998543024320.post-60536195071985121392016-07-10T05:37:00.002-07:002016-07-11T04:19:27.439-07:00The first electric locomotives on the Great Northern Railway<span style="font-size: large;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--98iiGVkKv4/V4HPMkp5CaI/AAAAAAAACIk/gGpwDH_WWOkMtGVDH4ZIqLTsr_etuRdmQCLcB/s1600/Last%2BYear%2Bof%2Bthe%2BSwitchback%2B-%2B1900_cleaned%2Bup_new.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--98iiGVkKv4/V4HPMkp5CaI/AAAAAAAACIk/gGpwDH_WWOkMtGVDH4ZIqLTsr_etuRdmQCLcB/s640/Last%2BYear%2Bof%2Bthe%2BSwitchback%2B-%2B1900_cleaned%2Bup_new.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>Magazine advertisement, McClure's Magazine, 1900</em></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">On July 10<sup>th</sup>, 1909, the Great Northern Railway
began electrified operations in the Cascade Mountains of Washington state. But
before the electric motors went into service, the GN had to get their trains
over the Cascades via a series of switchbacks. This was a terrible waste of
time and effort (but at the time, it was unavoidable). In 1900, the GN opened a tunnel of about 2.5 miles in length.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M2RUQF-w9ak/V4HQd5eiWYI/AAAAAAAACJU/4AZRhjRLZTQ1_sa5orwl5B_GWyrBAsPbgCKgB/s1600/postcard%2BElectric%2Bmotor%2Bemerging%2Bfrom%2Bold%2BCASCD%2Btunnel%2Bc1910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M2RUQF-w9ak/V4HQd5eiWYI/AAAAAAAACJU/4AZRhjRLZTQ1_sa5orwl5B_GWyrBAsPbgCKgB/s400/postcard%2BElectric%2Bmotor%2Bemerging%2Bfrom%2Bold%2BCASCD%2Btunnel%2Bc1910.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">This tunnel eliminated the switchbacks. However, the combination of heat and smoke emitted by
steam trains operating through this first Cascade Tunnel was so overwhelming
that engine crews and even passengers were overcome. So in 1909, an
electricity-producing power plant was built on the Wenatchee River not far from
Leavenworth, and a section of the line about 4 miles long was electrified
through the first Cascade Tunnel.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qNkVDXa4Y6M/V4HPMdO_UgI/AAAAAAAACIo/rQx-1zS0JtsTDl8ifxQS2F9IEzZWuQvRQCKgB/s1600/GE%2BBulletin%2B4755_Electrification%2Bof%2Bthe%2BCASCD%2BTunnel_June%2B1910_WM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qNkVDXa4Y6M/V4HPMdO_UgI/AAAAAAAACIo/rQx-1zS0JtsTDl8ifxQS2F9IEzZWuQvRQCKgB/s640/GE%2BBulletin%2B4755_Electrification%2Bof%2Bthe%2BCASCD%2BTunnel_June%2B1910_WM.jpg" width="488" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>Cover of GE Bulletin No. 4755, dated June, 1910</em></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">Here are a few images and historic descriptions of this
electrification effort.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">On August 27, 1909, a trade publication called Railway World
published the following explanation of the GN’s strategy to electrify the
4-mile section of their operations over the Cascade Mountains:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">This tunnel has
always been a nightmare to passengers and to trainmen. It required an hour
after each train passed to clear it of smoke sufficiently to pass the next, and
its capacity was thus limited to twenty-four a day. To remedy this, a river
beside which the railway runs has been dammed twenty-four miles from the tunnel
and harnessed to an electric generator. Four electric locomotives are in
service and trains can now be sent through – with comfort to the passengers –
as often as the speed regulations will permit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">On November 14, 1908, the Railway and Engineering Review
published this article about the GN electrification project:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The General Electric Co. has
completed several electric locomotives for the Great Northern Ry. on its order
for rolling equipment for the Cascade Tunnel section of the road. This part of
the line is now in process of electrification and the electric locomotives will
be used for hauling both freight and passenger trains through the tunnel and
over the heavy grades adjacent. The length of this tunnel—about 2 <span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">3/8</span>
miles—together with the fact that it is unequipped with ventilating shafts of
any description, has rendered the employment of some motive power other than
the steam locomotive almost a necessity. In addition to the danger arising from
the gases emitted by steam locomotives, and the possible obscuring of signal light
by smoke, the accumulation of sooty matter has given rise to a slipperiness of
the rails that materially increases the difficulties of the grade, which,
throughout the tunnel, is 1.7 per cent.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>To meet the requirements of the
traffic, four of the electric locomotives have been ordered. Each of these
units will have a weight of approximately 113 tons, this weight being entirely
on the drivers, and will be equipped with four 400-h.p. three-phase induction
motors mounted on two articulated bogie trucks. The locomotive units are
designed to be operated by the Sprague-General Electric multiple unit control,
so that three or four may be operated from one controller on any unit. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In normal operation, two of these
units will haul a train having a gross weight of from 1200 to 1500 tons up a
grade varying from 1.6 to 2.2 per cent at a speed of 15 miles per hour. The
motors will be wound for 500 volts per phase, and will be fed from two
step-down transformers located on the car. They will be controlled by resistance
steps in the secondary or armature circuit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>On down grade the motors will
tend to control the train by regeneration, and at any speed in excess of 15
miles per hour, will return energy to the line, thus tending to assist other
trains that may be ascending the grade at the time. If, at the moment, there is
no such train to utilize this returned energy, it will be dissipated by water
rheostats at the power house. An additional advantage in thus using the
regenerative feature of the motors on a descending grade is, of course, the
braking effect and the consequent saving of brake shoes and tires.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Electric power will be supplied
from a hydraulic plant located on the Wenatchee River, and distant about
thirty miles from the tunnel. The generating equipment will consist of two
2000-kw., 25-cycle, three-phase generators, which will be driven by water
power. From the station the power will be transmitted at 30,000 volts by means
of duplicate transmission lines, and will be stepped down by transformers at
the mouth of the tunnel to 6600 volts. The locomotives will take the current
from an overhead wire, which will be of a modified catenary type, utilizing the
new fish tail strain insulator of the General Electric Co. The voltage on the
trolley wire will be 6600, and this pressure, as indicated above, will be
stepped down before entering the motors by transformers on the locomotive to a maximum
of 500 volts per phase.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">The locomotives placed in service on the newly electrified
section were numbered 5000, 5001, 5002, and 5003. According to the seminal work by Ken Middleton
and Norm Keyes on GN locomotives, published in 1980 in RLHS Bulletin #143, these four
electric motors were delivered to the GN by General Electric in February and
March of 1909. The motors remained in service until they were replaced by new
locomotives in the mid to late 1920s, in preparation for the extension of
electric operations all the way from Wenatchee to Skykomish.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">On November 12, 1909, a meeting of the American Institute of
Electrical Engineers was held in New York City. The keynote speaker of the
event was Dr. Cary T. Hutchinson of the Great Northern Railway. Dr. Hutchinson
provided the essence of a paper he wrote titled “The Electric System of the
Great Northern Railway Company at Cascade Tunnel.” Part of his abbreviated
material was published in an issue of the Electrical Review and Western
Electrician. Here are some
comments Dr. Hutchinson made regarding the first operations of the electrified
section in the Cascades:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The electric service was started
on July 10 last, although one or two trains had been handled previously. From
that time to August 11 practically the entire east-bound service of the company
had been handled by electric locomotives. During this period there were 212
train movements, of which eighty-two were freight, ninety-eight passenger and thirty-two
special. In each case, the steam locomotive was hauled through with the train.
The total tonnage hauled was 275,000 tons. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">Dr. Hutchinson concluded his remarks by enumerating several
distinct advantages of electrified locomotion in this instance:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">1.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Maximum electrical and mechanical simplicity</u><br />
This point is of great importance and was one of a number of reasons for using
the three-phase system. The motors will stand any amount of abuse and rough
use.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">2.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><u>Greater continuous output within a given
space than can be obtained from any other form of motor</u> This is shown by
comparison with other electric locomotives, which is due to the fact that the
losses can be kept lower in the three-phase motor than in any other type.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">3.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Uniform torque</u> <br />
This is important, particularly at starting. The three-phase motor will work to
a three or four per cent greater coefficience of adhesion than a single-phase
motor of fifteen cycles.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">4.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>The possibility of using twenty-five cycles<br />
</u>This is important, as it leads to a less cost and a better transformation
of power-station apparatus; moreover, it is standard and the power supply can
readily be used for other purposes as well as for traction; a commercial supply
can be provided.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">5.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Constant speed</u><br />
This is ordinarily stated as a disadvantage of the three-phase motor. But it is
a distinct advantage in mountain service, particularly the limitation of the
speed on down grades. It has also an advantage on up-grades: meeting points can
be arranged with greater definiteness. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">6.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Regeneration on downgrades</u><br />
This matter has been discussed since the earliest days of electric traction,
but has not been, up to the present time, put into practice. Although this
result can be attained with other forms or motors, yet it is most perfectly
attained by three-phase motors. There being no complications involved. This is
of importance in reducing the power-house capacity required for a given space.
Although no doubt the saving in power-house capacity will not be as great as
indicated by theory, owing to the various emergencies that must be provided for;
nevertheless, there will be a material saving.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">7.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Excessive short-circuit current is
impossible, and consequently destructive torque on the gears and driving
rigging is eliminated</u><br />
There will be no necessity for the complication of the friction connection
between the armature and driving wheels, as in the recent large direct-current
locomotives.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">8.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Impossibility of excessive speed</u><br />
Even when the wheel slips the speed remains constant. Therefore, the maximum
stresses put on the motor are less and are more accurately known than with any
other form of motor.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">To be even-handed about the thing, Dr. Hutchinson then
enumerated six issues he framed as “the principal disadvantages of three-phase
motors for traction use” that were commonly stated to be the following
(although he also countered several of those points as they applied to the GN
operations):<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">1.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>The constant speed</u><br />
This is rather an advantage for this class of service.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">2.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Constant power<br />
</u>The fact is that the motor is a constant power motor, and therefore requires
the same power at starting and accelerating as at full speed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">3.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Small mechanical clearance<br />
</u>In this particular motor the clearance is one-eighth of an inch, which is
ample for all practical purposes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">4.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Inequality of load on several motors of a locomotive
due to differences in diameter of driving wheels<br />
</u>To meet this, an adjustable resistance is included in the rotor of each
motor. The motors are then balanced up and no further attention is required as long
as the wear on the driving wheels is approximately the same.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">5.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Low-power factor of the system<br />
</u>This does not seem to be borne out by practice. The power factor, as shown
by the switchboard instruments in the power house, is eighty-five per cent.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">6.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Two overhead wires<br />
</u>There is no doubt that two wires will cause more trouble than one, and in
case of complicated yard structure, it might not be practicable to use two
overhead wires. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">One of the attendees of the banquet in New York was J. H.
Davis, electrical engineer with the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Davis marveled
at the success of the Great Northern Railway in conquering their motive power
issues through the Cascade Tunnel, saying: “It is the first attempt in this
country to use the three-phase induction motor for handling heavy passenger and
freight trains on a trunk line railroad.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">Dr. Hutchinson practically made a second career for himself
on the speaking circuit, trotting the fruits of his work in the Cascades to
countless groups of professional electrical engineers. One of those sessions
was held in Pullman, Washington, with a group gathered at the State College of
Washington (later to be named Washington State University – my alma mater,
coincidentally). Some in attendance had worked on the tunnel the previous
summer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4egzdcEAhgM/V4HQTPXiRPI/AAAAAAAACJY/F1f4cahQUPo5QEcBFaIA9YBsGoYLhqhkACKgB/s1600/postcard%2BWellington%2Band%2Bswitchbacks_Hotel%2BBailets_c1910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4egzdcEAhgM/V4HQTPXiRPI/AAAAAAAACJY/F1f4cahQUPo5QEcBFaIA9YBsGoYLhqhkACKgB/s400/postcard%2BWellington%2Band%2Bswitchbacks_Hotel%2BBailets_c1910.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">Less than a year after the GN instituted electrified motive
power through the Cascade Tunnel section, a massive avalanche swept down
through the little railroad village of Wellington (later renamed Tye). This
disaster has generated a great deal of research and reporting. Even the
community of electrical engineers had their angle on the tragic events:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It may not be generally known
that the avalanche which occurred at Wellington, at the western end of the
tunnel, on March 1, caused considerable damage to the equipment of the system.
All four of the electric locomotives, with two trains, three steam locomotives,
and a rotary snow-plow, were swept away by the slide. Some idea of its force
may be gained from the fact that the weight of each of the electric locomotives
is 230,000 lb. A portion of the overhead catenary construction was also swept
away. The extent of the damage to the electric locomotives has not yet been
determined. If much of the apparatus has to be rewound, it may be six months before
the electric service can be resumed, as the locomotives will probably have to
be sent to Seattle or some other city for repair.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XB7sMFrtxB8/V4HPNAtliAI/AAAAAAAACJE/QQxHN4EV0SYA_r3UijG27yyEesdOfh0oACKgB/s1600/Wellington%2Bavalanche%2Bphotos_electric%2Bmotors_Electric%2BRwy%2BJournal_March%2B19%2B1910.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="412" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XB7sMFrtxB8/V4HPNAtliAI/AAAAAAAACJE/QQxHN4EV0SYA_r3UijG27yyEesdOfh0oACKgB/s640/Wellington%2Bavalanche%2Bphotos_electric%2Bmotors_Electric%2BRwy%2BJournal_March%2B19%2B1910.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">I don’t know anything about the efforts that took place
putting the line, and the electrification system, back in service after the
avalanche, but suffice it to say the repairs were eventually
accomplished. Jumping ahead several years, a new fleet of electric motors was
purchased to operate over the dramatically lengthened section of electrified
railroad between Wenatchee and Skykomish. The four original electric motors
were retired in May of 1927 as they were replaced with the new Z-1 and Y-1
electrics from about 1926 to 1928, just prior to completion of the new 8-mile
Cascade Tunnel.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RRpLBTODpN8/V4HQTBJ03aI/AAAAAAAACJY/1r-6UkNsdRAfNHBNGVyMwkR_8-Q0Qe15wCKgB/s1600/postcard%2BElectric%2Bmotor%2Band%2Bcatenary%2Bc1910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RRpLBTODpN8/V4HQTBJ03aI/AAAAAAAACJY/1r-6UkNsdRAfNHBNGVyMwkR_8-Q0Qe15wCKgB/s400/postcard%2BElectric%2Bmotor%2Band%2Bcatenary%2Bc1910.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">From a November 14, 1925, article published in Railway Age,
here is an explanation of how the electric motors were operated in conjunction
with steam engines, and the typical times involved with running this motive
power mix over the Cascade Mountains:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A 2,500-ton time freight, out of
Seattle, or rather Interbay, the terminal yard, consisting of about 60 cars,
covers the 80 miles to Skykomish in approximately 5½ hours when hauled by a
250-ton Mikado type 2-8-2 oil burning locomotive having a normal tractive power
of 64,300 lb. At Skykomish, two 2-6 + 8-0 mallet type locomotives of 260 tons
and developing a tractive effort of 78,300 lb., are cut into the train at about
uniform distance apart, to assist on the 2.2 percent grade to Tye. Including a
delay at Skykomish for this operation of one hour and for water at Scenic of 20
minutes, the 21.4 miles to Tye is covered in 4½ hours. On arrival at Tye, the steam
helpers are replaced in 30 minutes by the electric locomotives located two
ahead and two in the center of the train, and from Tye, the run to Cascade
tunnel station is made in 22 minutes. Allowing 15 minutes at Cascade tunnel for
cutting out the electrics and inspecting air brakes, the train when reassembled
completes the remaining 53 miles to Wenatchee in four hours. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zV98AUSZLpI/V4HPM4G75YI/AAAAAAAACJE/4zAGMf--Rv87qbv1Kq46uN4S2XHrWAgZQCKgB/s1600/Power%2Bhouse%2Band%2Bwater%2Btower_Tumwater%2BCanyon%2Bdam.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zV98AUSZLpI/V4HPM4G75YI/AAAAAAAACJE/4zAGMf--Rv87qbv1Kq46uN4S2XHrWAgZQCKgB/s400/Power%2Bhouse%2Band%2Bwater%2Btower_Tumwater%2BCanyon%2Bdam.JPG" width="297" /></a></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">Additional sources
of information about Great Northern Railway electrification:</span></span></u></b></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span></span><a href="https://milwaukeeroadarchives.com/electrification/electrificationpage2.htm"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">https://milwaukeeroadarchives.com/electrification/electrificationpage2.htm</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Web site devoted
to Milwaukee Road electrification – has a ton of great GN material too<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span></span><a href="http://www.gngoat.org/tumwater_dam.htm"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">http://www.gngoat.org/tumwater_dam.htm</span></a><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span></span><a href="http://www.gngoat.org/tumwater_canyon.htm"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">http://www.gngoat.org/tumwater_canyon.htm</span></a><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>GNRHS
Reference Sheet #18 (April 1976), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Great
Northern Three-phase Electric Locomotive</i> by William McGinley, Michael
Oltman, James Vyverberg, Kenneth Middleton, and Charles Wood<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>GNRHS
Reference Sheet #58 (September 1983), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Great
Northern Modernized Class Y-1 Electrics</i> by Stan Townsend<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>GNRHS
Reference Sheet #210 (December 1993), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Z-1
Class Electric Locomotives</i> by Fr. Dale Peterka<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>GNRHS
Reference Sheet #316 (September 2003), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Great
Northern Railway Electrification</i> by Stan Townsend<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
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</span><br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>gnrockyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07136259371043351569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676017998543024320.post-29042337078944154232016-06-10T03:46:00.003-07:002016-07-02T06:38:37.316-07:00June 10, 1929 - The First Run of the Great Northern Railway's Empire Builder<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HuJU8848Nlg/V1i-elQooeI/AAAAAAAACCg/n02C9te9bS4xTFjIKxmD_t37Lox2NYd_ACLcB/s1600/Goat%2Bcover%2B-%2BJune%2B1929%2B-%2Bt-shirts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HuJU8848Nlg/V1i-elQooeI/AAAAAAAACCg/n02C9te9bS4xTFjIKxmD_t37Lox2NYd_ACLcB/s640/Goat%2Bcover%2B-%2BJune%2B1929%2B-%2Bt-shirts.jpg" width="534" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> This date – June 10<sup>th</sup> – is quite
significant in the history of the Great Northern Railway. It was on this date
in 1929 that the Great Northern inaugurated one of the most successful and
popular transcontinental passenger trains in the nation – the Empire Builder.
The name of the train service paid homage to the founder of the Great Northern
Railway, James J. Hill. I don’t know when exactly the public began to refer to
Hill as the “Empire Builder,” but he earned that nickname early in his
railroading career, and it stuck.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g0yRH8eylbE/V1jNjdXVQYI/AAAAAAAACE4/8bjsxKlX9YAYye_X9s_e_QeXf4D0cV63gCLcB/s1600/Poole%2BBros%2Bimage%2B-%2Bclose-up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="344" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g0yRH8eylbE/V1jNjdXVQYI/AAAAAAAACE4/8bjsxKlX9YAYye_X9s_e_QeXf4D0cV63gCLcB/s400/Poole%2BBros%2Bimage%2B-%2Bclose-up.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>James J. Hill - the Empire Builder</strong></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">When Hill died on May 29, 1916, people across
the nation mourned his loss and recounted many of his remarkable
accomplishments. Hill’s insightful approach to building his transportation
empire included the practical notion that he must help build up the territory
served by his railroad in order to provide the commerce required to make the
railroad a success. It was vertical integration at its finest. His railroad was
among the last to be constructed across the western U.S., but it was arguably
among the most profitable, and certainly among the most impactful on the growth
of the west. The formula for success employed by James J. Hill was to operate
the longest trains, with maximum tonnage, over the straightest tracks, using
the least change in elevation. He helped expedite the growth of ranches, farms,
and whole communities across the Pacific Northwest. A book could be written on
this topic alone. In fact, several such books <u>have</u> been written.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ElL19pl64zg/V1i-tSVShoI/AAAAAAAACC4/qhKv0zV6UAkLs4Rn-sOvAtNdsUavEcJegCLcB/s1600/WellingtonWA%2BGr%2BNorthern_cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ElL19pl64zg/V1i-tSVShoI/AAAAAAAACC4/qhKv0zV6UAkLs4Rn-sOvAtNdsUavEcJegCLcB/s640/WellingtonWA%2BGr%2BNorthern_cropped.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Early view of Wellington, Washington, and the Cascade Mountain switchbacks of the Great Northern Railway</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>When Hill’s Great
Northern Railway reached the Cascade Mountains of Washington, the railroad met what
was arguably the most formidable obstacle on the entire system. Even crossing
the Rocky Mountains in Montana was easier by comparison. A route through the
Cascades was located, and when the line was completed in 1893, a series of
switchbacks were employed to move trains up and over the steep slopes and high
elevations of this mountain range. By 1900, a tunnel of about 2 miles in length
was constructed to eliminate the switchbacks. Still, there were much greater
efficiencies to be had, and frequent winter snow slides continued to plague the
line. Just a few years after the death of James J. Hill, the men with whom he
had surrounded himself to run the railroad finally helped fulfill one of his
goals – to dig an 8-mile tunnel under the Cascade Mountains and make that
portion of the line much more conducive to safe and efficient operation of the
railroad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The decade of the
1920s was among the most impactful periods of time in the operation of the GN. Construction
on the new 8-mile Cascade Tunnel was underway by 1926. It was completed in late
1928, and was officially opened to daily operations on January 12, 1929. Then,
just five months later, the railroad inaugurated its new premier passenger
service. The train service itself was called the “Empire Builder,” but
individual Pullman coach cars were named to honor many other “empire builders”
of the northwest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f4TEEw3r5iw/V1jCZDIC0HI/AAAAAAAACDg/4RGTNmb77JkYUfT06krthSFO83oxVzgOACLcB/s1600/Very%2Bfirst%2BEmpire%2BBuilder%2Bad%2Bin%2BSeattle%2BTimes%2B-%2BMay%2B20%2B1929%2Bpg14%2B-%2BWIP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f4TEEw3r5iw/V1jCZDIC0HI/AAAAAAAACDg/4RGTNmb77JkYUfT06krthSFO83oxVzgOACLcB/s400/Very%2Bfirst%2BEmpire%2BBuilder%2Bad%2Bin%2BSeattle%2BTimes%2B-%2BMay%2B20%2B1929%2Bpg14%2B-%2BWIP.jpg" width="202" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">First advertisement for the Empire Builder in the Seattle Times - May 20 1929</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>For weeks prior to the
unveiling of the Empire Builder train, the Great Northern Railway spread the
word that its new varnish would soon be traveling the span between Chicago and
the coast with such speed as to “save a business day.” This was very big news
to many businessmen in those days – very big indeed. The route was structured
so as to operate trains westbound out of Chicago as trains simultaneously
operated eastbound out of Portland and Seattle. The Portland section would meet
up with the Seattle section at Spokane, where they would be consolidated as one
train for the remainder of the trip to Chicago. In the same fashion, the westbound
Empire Builder split at Spokane, with sections continuing to Seattle and
Portland. When you consider the “chicken and the egg” scenario as it applies
here, it is easy to understand that the new service was not inaugurated at all
until complete train sets were positioned at <u>both</u> ends of the route.
This, too, was an advertising opportunity in itself. Just prior to inauguration
of the new service, the trains were put out on static display, and local
citizens were encouraged to come out and see the lovely new passenger cars for
themselves.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U9eJ6no0zPw/V1qZzoBM0QI/AAAAAAAACFg/ynzmG4cRLP8u7subCoYukgZpbi0owUOgACLcB/s1600/GN%2BRoute%2BMap%2Bwith%2BMt%2BBaker%2BNational%2BForest_WM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U9eJ6no0zPw/V1qZzoBM0QI/AAAAAAAACFg/ynzmG4cRLP8u7subCoYukgZpbi0owUOgACLcB/s640/GN%2BRoute%2BMap%2Bwith%2BMt%2BBaker%2BNational%2BForest_WM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The actual routing of the Empire Builder has been altered a few times over its first 87 years, but the map above shows (in red) the primary route.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The basic mainline
route of the Great Northern Railway was between the “Twin Cities” of Minnesota
(Minneapolis and St. Paul) and the coastal cities of Seattle and Portland, with
several vital branches and trunk lines. You’ll notice (if you weren’t already
aware) there is no mention here of Chicago. So the obvious question is: why
would the Great Northern start up a new high-class passenger service that
connected Chicago with the west coast if they didn’t even operate trains in and
out of Chicago? If it’s true that the Twin Cities location was basically the
eastern-most extent of the GN mainline, what’s up with bringing Chicago into
the mix? How did GN trains operate between Chicago and the Twin Cities?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Well, that can be a longer
story than you might imagine, but to be brief, the GN had a “close” business
association with the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad (a.k.a., the
CB&Q, the Burlington, the “Q”, the Burlington Route, etc.). In fact, the
“Burlington” in the company’s name is the same Burlington that paired up with
the “Northern” in the Great Northern and the Northern Pacific names to form
Burlington Northern in 1970. But that’s another story for another time. In any
event, the answer to bridging the apparent gap between Chicago and the Twin
Cities lies in that close business relationship. It was the CB&Q that
actually operated the Empire Builder trains between those points – not just on
the introduction of the new service, but from 1929 until 1970, when the Great
Northern Railway morphed into the Burlington Northern (with the “Q” as one of
those companies that merged together).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>So now we’re back to
the inauguration of a new passenger service that will depart Chicago westbound
and two locations – Seattle and Portland – eastbound. From whence will the
first train depart? Chicago? Seattle? Portland? Perhaps simultaneously from all
three? Simple answer: Chicago.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Many enthusiasts of
the Great Northern Railway and/or the Empire Builder passenger service (myself
included) have for many years now considered June 11, 1929, as the start of
this notable train. Aside from a few service setbacks, this passenger train has
operated continuously (if not daily, throughout its entire history) since 1929.
In fact, Amtrak has now been operating a passenger train on this route and
under this name for more years than it was operated under the GN. In 2004, I
participated in a sizable observance of the 75th anniversary of the Empire
Builder train.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-obM1e6KZqJ0/V1jGQdAPZCI/AAAAAAAACEI/OJKhleX9q8wdXkbdpUP9dH_35LOAvw8sQCLcB/s1600/EB_button_sample_WM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="365" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-obM1e6KZqJ0/V1jGQdAPZCI/AAAAAAAACEI/OJKhleX9q8wdXkbdpUP9dH_35LOAvw8sQCLcB/s400/EB_button_sample_WM.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">As a member and representative of the Great Northern
Railway Historical Society, I designed a commemorative pinback button to share
with train riders and other enthusiasts on that occasion. I also edited and did
the layout for a brochure that Amtrak partnered with and which was included in
a bag of treats presented to everyone riding the Empire Builder on its 75th
anniversary. The date on which we celebrated 75 years of service of the Empire
Builder was June 11, 2004. We were, technically, a day late. [but in our
defense, the brochure I helped to produce did point this out]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gsCPmV9aPSM/V1jDnb0MPtI/AAAAAAAACD4/jiZMa2ZpJfgKA_e3pc-a0L99B5hnXfCmgCKgB/s1600/EB_brochure_sample_two.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="388" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gsCPmV9aPSM/V1jDnb0MPtI/AAAAAAAACD4/jiZMa2ZpJfgKA_e3pc-a0L99B5hnXfCmgCKgB/s640/EB_brochure_sample_two.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Back in 1929, the two Empire Builder train sets from
the west coast did not depart Portland and Seattle until June 11, which was a
Tuesday. However, the westbound Empire Builder departed Chicago on the night of
Monday, June 10. The misapplication of June 11 as the date when the service
began is almost like saying the historic WWII Allied Forces invasion of
Normandy occurred on June 5th, since in fact it was still the evening of the
5th everywhere in the U.S. except the east coast when the invasion was first
reported. I don’t think anyone in their right mind would suggest the history
books be rewritten to say D-Day happened on June 5th. The event itself was on
the northern coast of Normandy, and in the English Channel it was at the break
of day on June 6th.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">As for the confusion among us historians and GN
enthusiasts, there is a logical and very supportable distinction about these
competing dates. None of us went completely batty and jumped on the wrong date
arbitrarily. Remember, this was a <u>Great Northern</u> train, and GN territory
didn’t extend any further east than the Twin Cities, corporate headquarters of
the GN. Although the Empire Builder train did depart Chicago on the night of
Monday, June 10, 1929, it did not enter Great Northern territory (and hence
begin operation completely in the hands of Great Northern train crews and other
employees) until it travelled 430 miles and reached St. Paul the next morning.
Throughout its 81-year corporate history, the Great Northern Railway conducted
executive-level business at its corporate headquarters in the city of St. Paul,
Minnesota. Passenger timetables issued to advertise routes and schedules were generally
limited to those train miles where the GN actually operated their own trains.
So despite the arrangements made with the CB&Q to bridge the gap between
Chicago and the Twin Cities (or more precisely, St. Paul), the Empire Builder
train was only operated by the GN between the coast on the west end and St.
Paul on the east end of the line. The GN’s passenger timetable issued to
coincide with the inauguration of the new Empire Builder train service was
issued with an effective date of June 11, 1929. It was about 8 a.m. on the
morning of Tuesday, June 11, 1929, that the first westbound Empire Builder
train arrived in St. Paul from Chicago and actually began operation as an
exclusively GN train. In the meantime, Empire Builder trains departing
eastbound out of Portland and Seattle did not depart until all the hoopla on
the east end of the line died down – it was later in the afternoon of June 11
that these trains began operation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LCQiwPzp8To/V1i-fAfNlfI/AAAAAAAACDA/dJ939_Q2MeohRzH7g8I5CV1e7-pYIo2dQCKgB/s1600/June%2B11%2B1929%2BPTT%2Bcover%2B-%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LCQiwPzp8To/V1i-fAfNlfI/AAAAAAAACDA/dJ939_Q2MeohRzH7g8I5CV1e7-pYIo2dQCKgB/s640/June%2B11%2B1929%2BPTT%2Bcover%2B-%2B2.jpg" width="292" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cover of passenger timetable issued by the GN</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">at the commencement of the Empire Builder service out of St. Paul</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I think it was a defensible position to say the <u>Great
Northern Railway</u> began operation of the Empire Builder train on June 11,
1929, but for the sake of historical accuracy, I would say we have to massage
that a little and say the Empire Builder train has been operating since June
10, 1929. Even longer than most of us ever imagined – by the margin of, well,
just about a business day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The grand inauguration of the new Empire Builder train
was an ambitious and in some ways taxing event. Commemoration of this new
passenger service between Chicago and the coastal cities of the Pacific
Northwest occurred during the one-hour special radio broadcast on June 10,
1929. The U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Robert P. Lamont, participated from
Washington, D.C. After a few laudatory words heralding the positive economic
contributions to be made by this new, faster train service, Secretary Lamont
tapped at a specially wired telegraph key, an action that triggered a large
gong in Chicago. The sound of the gong signaled time for the train to pull out
on its inaugural run to the coast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7vF68HK53tM/V1i-ezZDPMI/AAAAAAAACDA/3wpQFVqVMLQuWPuqXjw9wWvBVjaNilpmACKgB/s1600/IMG_8147_Sec%2Bof%2BCommerce%2BLamont%2Bwith%2Btelegraph%2Bkey.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="508" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7vF68HK53tM/V1i-ezZDPMI/AAAAAAAACDA/3wpQFVqVMLQuWPuqXjw9wWvBVjaNilpmACKgB/s640/IMG_8147_Sec%2Bof%2BCommerce%2BLamont%2Bwith%2Btelegraph%2Bkey.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A remarkably serious-looking Commerce Secretary, Robert P. Lamont,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">as he readies to tap the telegraph key on June 10, 1929</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><em>Collection of the Minnesota Historical Society</em></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The radio broadcast included speeches by several
notable individuals, including a key representative of the railroad: the
vice-president of Operations of the Great Northern, Mr. Charles O. Jenks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">During the ceremonies captured on that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Empire Builders</i> radio program, the Old
Timer (actor Harvey Hays) actually boarded the Empire Builder train and rode it
out to Seattle. This must have been a real hoot for fellow passengers, once
they realized who he was. If they did, it probably would have been because they
first recognized his voice rather than his face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VnHdlZE-c_M/V1jIgXT0nlI/AAAAAAAACEU/h5TGc4odPIcQGJBC8KOiS-n6TylmxFs4wCLcB/s1600/The%2BOld%2BTimer%2B%2528Harvey%2BHays%2529%2Band%2BMiss%2BChicago%2BCommerce%2B%2528Bess%2BMullen%2529%2Binaugural%2Brun%2Bof%2B1st%2BEB%2Btrain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VnHdlZE-c_M/V1jIgXT0nlI/AAAAAAAACEU/h5TGc4odPIcQGJBC8KOiS-n6TylmxFs4wCLcB/s640/The%2BOld%2BTimer%2B%2528Harvey%2BHays%2529%2Band%2BMiss%2BChicago%2BCommerce%2B%2528Bess%2BMullen%2529%2Binaugural%2Brun%2Bof%2B1st%2BEB%2Btrain.jpg" width="506" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The "Old Timer" (actor Harvey Hays) and Miss Chicago Commerce (Bess Mullen)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Also traveling on that train were some other
dignitaries and representatives of the east, including Miss Chicago Commerce
(Miss Bess Mullen). A small band supplied by the GN was aboard, as was the
singing group that often represented the railroad, the “Great Northern
Quartette.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">In fact, so many fare-paying passengers were
travelling on the first Empire Builder, and so many additional people were
along for the festivities, that not one but <u>two</u> sections of the Empire
Builder train were operated westbound out of Chicago. Onboard the first section
was Operations vice-president C.O. Jenks, but he elected to keep a low profile
so he could concern himself with operating matters. Also on the first section
was W.A. Wilson, assistant general passenger agent of the GN. It fell to Wilson
to marshal the activities and appearances of the Old Timer (Harvey Hays) and
Miss Chicago Commerce (Bess Mullen). The GN’s vice-president, George R. Martin,
represented the railroad onboard the second section. One news report of the day
indicated the crew of the first section to depart consisted of locomotive
engineer Anthony Zinns and conductor Thomas F. Burke. The second section
departed Chicago twenty minutes after the first. It was piloted by engineer M.
Belknap and had John Needham as conductor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Stops were made at significant stations along the
route and brief photo ops were exploited. Miss Chicago Commerce presented
letters of greeting to the various chambers of commerce in the major cities
where the train stopped – the letters were issued by Frank F. Winans, president
of the Chicago Association of Commerce.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Um8jjAVtmKc/V1i-evpoIZI/AAAAAAAACDA/v16SFntBFv44NGkeUsfM9VQdyw2OThnnACKgB/s1600/IMG_0765_St%2BCloud_Old%2BTimer%2Btalking_6-11-1929_cropped.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="412" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Um8jjAVtmKc/V1i-evpoIZI/AAAAAAAACDA/v16SFntBFv44NGkeUsfM9VQdyw2OThnnACKgB/s640/IMG_0765_St%2BCloud_Old%2BTimer%2Btalking_6-11-1929_cropped.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rare view of actor Harvey Hays (The Old Timer) speaking to the throngs of people greeting the first Empire Builder at St. Cloud, MN, on June 11, 1929</span><br />
<em>Collection of the Minnesota Historical Society</em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">In St. Cloud, Minnesota, the new Empire Builder
arrived at the railroad station on June 11<sup>th</sup> at 10:30 a.m., “on-time
to the split fraction of a second.” The St. Cloud <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Daily Times</i> trumpeted the news that the exciting new train was
welcomed there by over 4,000 local citizens. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AnwX95GEKp4/V1i-epx_RyI/AAAAAAAACDA/PfwDa7OcQDQiUzgUxASXiUry7dkMb6HygCKgB/s1600/IMG_0788_City%2Bof%2BMinot%2Bproclamation.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AnwX95GEKp4/V1i-epx_RyI/AAAAAAAACDA/PfwDa7OcQDQiUzgUxASXiUry7dkMb6HygCKgB/s640/IMG_0788_City%2Bof%2BMinot%2Bproclamation.JPG" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: small;">Collection of the Minnesota Historical Society</span></em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">At Minot, North Dakota, the first westbound Empire
Builder train was scheduled to arrive at 8:30 p.m. on the 11<sup>th</sup>. Three
days prior to this, the Mayor of Minot issued a proclamation heralding the new
train and beseeching as many Minot residents as possible to turn out at the
depot for the big event.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MuBdMhP35qk/V1jJZOtLi-I/AAAAAAAACEg/1pX7XfArJTsnHmYUe7SiF4b_PmjiM5LXACLcB/s1600/The%2BOld%2BTimer%2B%2528Harvey%2BHays%2529%2Band%2BMiss%2BChicago%2BCommerce%2B%2528Bess%2BMullins%2529%2Bwith%2Bgoat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MuBdMhP35qk/V1jJZOtLi-I/AAAAAAAACEg/1pX7XfArJTsnHmYUe7SiF4b_PmjiM5LXACLcB/s640/The%2BOld%2BTimer%2B%2528Harvey%2BHays%2529%2Band%2BMiss%2BChicago%2BCommerce%2B%2528Bess%2BMullins%2529%2Bwith%2Bgoat.jpg" width="508" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">When the first westbound Empire Builder arrived in Seattle, someone had the silly idea to bring a billy goat for the photo op.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">At least nobody was dumb enough to drag some poor mountain goat out from the city zoo instead</span>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">In Seattle, both Hays and Mullen (and a few select GN
officials) met with members of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce. Hays and Mullen
even participated on the air in Seattle, on a 30-minute program broadcast over
the NBC affiliate KOMO.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The following day, Mullen thought she was free of appearance
obligations, so she went shopping in Portland. She missed an event at which she
was expected, and, to her dismay, it made it into the newspaper that she had
“gone missing.” Ooops. Thus are the perils of newly-acquired “fame.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rvabarjZMtw/V1jLagLCs_I/AAAAAAAACEs/UemvF8LlziA7eAPFwC-DtEqyyiOEKoEHACLcB/s1600/Amtrak%2BEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rvabarjZMtw/V1jLagLCs_I/AAAAAAAACEs/UemvF8LlziA7eAPFwC-DtEqyyiOEKoEHACLcB/s640/Amtrak%2BEB.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">If you have never travelled on the Empire Builder
train, you still can. And you certainly should. Check it out here:
<a href="https://www.amtrak.com/empire-builder-train">https://www.amtrak.com/empire-builder-train</a> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">or just call Julie at:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
1-800-USA-RAIL.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">She’ll set you up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IQhRmSHqXCQ/V1jCGd3hc2I/AAAAAAAACDo/ZXeJh3j_k84BVeBy8e3U8Kenn-tyH5k_QCKgB/s1600/Julie_Amtrak.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IQhRmSHqXCQ/V1jCGd3hc2I/AAAAAAAACDo/ZXeJh3j_k84BVeBy8e3U8Kenn-tyH5k_QCKgB/s640/Julie_Amtrak.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
gnrockyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07136259371043351569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676017998543024320.post-14122626287369499282016-05-14T11:42:00.001-07:002016-05-15T17:10:57.712-07:00What this blog is about<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">I have a strong interest in the history of the Great
Northern Railway. My plan is to use this blog as a platform to share
information about that history. There are thousands of possibilities,
especially when served up in “bite-sized” portions.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">I’ve been collecting Great Northern Railway artifacts and
memorabilia for over forty years. I do have a few areas of this history that
are particularly intriguing to me, and that focus is reflected in both the
types of things I’ve collected and in the subjects I have elected to learn more
about.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">One thing you will notice quickly as you see the things I post
is that I have very little interest in or knowledge of the actual railroad
operations. To many, that must seem pretty odd. But right from the start I was
drawn in more to the aspects of advertising and human interest. I’m one of
those people, kind of like George Bailey in “It’s A Wonderful Life,” who thinks
the three most exciting sounds include train whistles. They represent the
opportunity to travel somewhere and have great experiences.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3YJLbxWO_HY/VzdvT15Z2kI/AAAAAAAAB_M/snU_UkkYFiwk-67rVh6LAD_8CFhH4U9dwCLcB/s1600/George%2BBailey%2Band%2BUncle%2BBilly%2Bat%2Bthe%2Bstation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3YJLbxWO_HY/VzdvT15Z2kI/AAAAAAAAB_M/snU_UkkYFiwk-67rVh6LAD_8CFhH4U9dwCLcB/s400/George%2BBailey%2Band%2BUncle%2BBilly%2Bat%2Bthe%2Bstation.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="left">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>George Bailey</u></b>: [George hears a train whistle] “There she blows. You know what the three most exciting sounds in the world are?”</span></span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: small;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Uncle Billy</u></b>: “Uh huh. Breakfast is served; lunch is served; dinner... ”</span></span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>George Bailey</u></b>: “No no no no. Anchor chains, plane motors and train whistles.”</span></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"></span><o:p>Here's a web site with a bunch of information about the locale where that train station scene was filmed back in 1946: <a href="http://www.iamnotastalker.com/2010/12/24/the-its-a-wonderful-life-train-station/">http://www.iamnotastalker.com/2010/12/24/the-its-a-wonderful-life-train-station/</a> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">Over the years, I have gravitated to the following topics: the
promotion of Glacier National Park; Great Northern passenger train service
(mostly the promotion thereof); advertising art of the Great Northern
(especially the Blackfeet Indian portraits of Winold Reiss); the origin of
place names attributable to the Great Northern Railway; and the topic that has
really grabbed ahold of me the past 8-10 years, the GN’s radio advertising
campaign called “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Empire Builders</i>.” At
least through summer of 2016, most of my blogging will be focused on the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Empire Builders</i> story. You can find my
blog devoted to that topic here:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><a href="http://empire-builders-radio.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">http://empire-builders-radio.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9_j2MR9Xe_M/VzdwNeQEr_I/AAAAAAAAB_Y/3k3i0wyD7kY6bGxiV-m4NlENIz1eckvigCLcB/s1600/EB%2Bbanner_email.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="90" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9_j2MR9Xe_M/VzdwNeQEr_I/AAAAAAAAB_Y/3k3i0wyD7kY6bGxiV-m4NlENIz1eckvigCLcB/s640/EB%2Bbanner_email.gif" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">My efforts with this blog are driven by two significant
factors: the time I can find to devote to this; and my degree of interest in a
topic (ultimately, I will do whatever I find enjoyable).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">Is there a particular topic of Great Northern Railway
history that you want to know more about? Shoot me an email and let me know. </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z9HjBeBkXvE/VzdwYZaVATI/AAAAAAAAB_c/pQD65_L7xPoiJrWL7Bexm7pjmm9NF7bBwCLcB/s1600/email.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="44" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z9HjBeBkXvE/VzdwYZaVATI/AAAAAAAAB_c/pQD65_L7xPoiJrWL7Bexm7pjmm9NF7bBwCLcB/s400/email.gif" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">
I might very well use your ideas or questions as a topic of a future blog essay.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">Did you have a relative who worked for the GN? Please share
their story.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<h2 align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">~ WANTED ~</span></h2>
<h2 align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">My collection of GN artifacts is fairly extensive, but there
are certain items that I’m always on the lookout for. Please contact me if you
have any of the following items that you are interested in parting with, or
would be willing to photograph or scan for me (as appropriate):<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Anything related to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Empire Builders</i> radio series, but particularly the following:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Copies of original scripts (“continuities”)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Tickets or other passes issued to attend a live
broadcast at the NBC studios in NYC or Chicago<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qLSjVILZNZM/Vzdwu0M0i8I/AAAAAAAAB_g/ZAEhNb3d3JsC1eonPATQIA__kLFr_N9-wCLcB/s1600/NBC019_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qLSjVILZNZM/Vzdwu0M0i8I/AAAAAAAAB_g/ZAEhNb3d3JsC1eonPATQIA__kLFr_N9-wCLcB/s200/NBC019_small.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Vintage press photos showing the performers
and/or technicians <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Vintage press photos of the “Old Timer’s Tour”
of Glacier Park in July, 1931<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Actual off-the-air recordings (on original
aluminum discs)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Ot0YXdIdk0/VzdxJJeZ9yI/AAAAAAAAB_o/57O4Uu4Nr2M615O6M-Ud_4j7EKq2-SFngCLcB/s1600/Cover%2B-%2Bfront.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Ot0YXdIdk0/VzdxJJeZ9yI/AAAAAAAAB_o/57O4Uu4Nr2M615O6M-Ud_4j7EKq2-SFngCLcB/s200/Cover%2B-%2Bfront.jpg" width="164" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Early copies of the Great Northern “Goat”
magazine, from the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, and early 1950s <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The Great Northern Railway “Semaphore” magazine
dated July, 1924 or September, 1925</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
gnrockyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07136259371043351569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676017998543024320.post-72294953888565792902015-12-20T07:17:00.005-08:002015-12-20T07:17:30.423-08:00Christmastime 2015 - a train for the Christmas tree<span style="font-size: large;">How iconic it has become to add to the Christmas ambiance by setting up a model train around the base of the Christmas tree. I've wanted to do this for years, but have always had my heart set on using a locomotive and a set of cars that date back to the late 1920s.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Several years ago I discovered some pre-war American Flyer O-gauge passenger cars marked with authentic Great Northern Railway logos and (most of them) bearing the "name-train" moniker of Oriental Limited. Over time I picked up over a dozen of the cars, nearly all through eBay auctions.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ciI1sdL1Ajk/VnbFCTc6E2I/AAAAAAAABtI/gaIE0Qx4wto/s1600/Eastside%2BTrains%2Blogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ciI1sdL1Ajk/VnbFCTc6E2I/AAAAAAAABtI/gaIE0Qx4wto/s1600/Eastside%2BTrains%2Blogo.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Over the past summer I finally got to searching for one or two operating American Flyer locomotives of the same vintage as the passenger cars I had been accumulating. I found two in short order, and took them both to <a href="http://www.eastsidetrains.com/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: blue;">Eastside Trains in Kirkland, WA</span></strong></a>, for servicing. Neither one required significant repairs (although one was not initially operating). Both were cleaned and lubricated, and they run fine.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nbDl1vrZkw4/VnbFNSV_INI/AAAAAAAABtQ/VhOqmj20DIc/s1600/AF%2B3112%2Blocomotive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nbDl1vrZkw4/VnbFNSV_INI/AAAAAAAABtQ/VhOqmj20DIc/s400/AF%2B3112%2Blocomotive.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A circa-1928 American Flyer 3112 box cab electric locomotive,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">like the one I have and used in the video below.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">As Thanksgiving neared (and with it, the pivot point on the calendar where the last morsels of leftover turkey are quickly disappearing and the Christmas decorations are going up in earnest), I went back to Eastside Trains and picked up a sufficient number of Fastrack curved sections to run a complete 5-foot diameter circle under our tree. I also bought an MTH RailKing Z-1000 transformer to power the train.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I laid down the track and hooked up the transformer. To accommodate the power cord for the Christmas tree lights, I put down a vintage O-gauge pressed steel tunnel that I had picked up in November at the annual <a href="http://www.bemrrc.com/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: blue;">Boeing Employees Model Railroad Club</span></strong></a> swap meet. The power cord lays over the tunnel so as to not interfere with the train and tracks.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uThA2WhL1bA/VnbFl8NTp4I/AAAAAAAABtY/iPeVgPbPixI/s1600/1929%2BAF%2BChristmas%2Bad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uThA2WhL1bA/VnbFl8NTp4I/AAAAAAAABtY/iPeVgPbPixI/s400/1929%2BAF%2BChristmas%2Bad.jpg" width="306" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I'm not much for "smart phones." They intimidate me to no end. They make me feel dumb. They're "smart," and me, not so much. "Oy vey!" as my Scandinavian forebears used to say. (that's a joke. Uff da!)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Anyhow, I finally figured out through trial and error (mostly error) how to shoot some video with my smarter-than-I'll-ever-be phone. I managed to download it to my computer, and edited the video by adding a couple of opening and closing frames and a sound track of the Glenn Miller Orchestra performing "We Wish You A Merry Christmas." If you are a fan of the Christmas standard "Christmas Story" that came out in 1983, you'll likely recognize this tune from the closing scene of the movie.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">So, here it is, my first and fledgling effort at slapping together a video with my smarter-than-I'll-ever-be phone, and some video editing software.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">And to paraphrase Glenn Miller and his orchestra, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong><em>I wish you a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!</em></strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span>gnrockyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07136259371043351569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676017998543024320.post-59876082043964627832015-08-09T19:31:00.001-07:002015-08-10T19:04:14.235-07:00GNRHS invited to participate in BNSF-Interbay celebration<br />
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<span style="color: #336600; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">BNSF Railway's 20th anniversary celebration<br />
Interbay Roundhouse, Seattle, Washington<br />
Saturday, August 8, 2015</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">BNSF – the corporate combination of the Burlington Northern
and Santa Fe railroads – came about with the formation of a holding company
back in September of 1995. Although the two companies did not formally merge as
BNSF until December of 1996, the origin of the holding company is generally
used to acknowledge the genesis of today’s BNSF. Ergo, the company is currently
celebrating the 20<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> anniversary year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ten years ago, GNRHS was invited to join BNSF and its
Interbay (Seattle) locomotive servicing employees in observing their 10<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
anniversary. GNRHS was ably represented at that time by members Bill Sornsin
and Lindsay Korst. [Read about that event here:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><a href="http://www.gngoat.org/bnsf_turns_10.htm"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.gngoat.org/bnsf_turns_10.htm</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This year, both of those gents were unavailable, but in
their stead GNRHS was represented by Bob Kelly, Andrew Klamka, and myself
(Scott Tanner).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CnhwBO5gqvs/VcgGnDXfDSI/AAAAAAAABcg/nLGSIl9Ud4s/s1600/BNSF%2BInterbay%2BYard%2BMap_Andrew%2BKlamka%2Bphoto_cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="394" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CnhwBO5gqvs/VcgGnDXfDSI/AAAAAAAABcg/nLGSIl9Ud4s/s640/BNSF%2BInterbay%2BYard%2BMap_Andrew%2BKlamka%2Bphoto_cropped.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Map of Interbay Roundhouse. Photo by Andrew Klamka.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This event was once again organized for the purpose of
recognizing current and former BNSF employees and their families with a day of
fun. Many younger couples came out with their kids, while some older employees
and retirees brought grandkids. This non-public event ran from 1100 to 1600,
but set-up was well underway by the time we all arrived.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bob, Andrew and I arrived at about 0900 and quickly set
about putting up our displays. The temperature was in the mid-60s. BNSF had two
large tents set up side-by-side. The weather that day was a tad iffy,
especially for early August. It remained mostly overcast during much of the
day, but it never rained. In fact, the sun made grudging appearances through
the afternoon, and that warmed up the temperature to the mid- to upper-70s by
day’s end.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-flroB6bMR8M/VcgGJj7yWeI/AAAAAAAABb0/qj2k7JvRobs/s1600/Me%2Band%2Bmy%2Bdisplay.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="396" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-flroB6bMR8M/VcgGJj7yWeI/AAAAAAAABb0/qj2k7JvRobs/s640/Me%2Band%2Bmy%2Bdisplay.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Scott with some GN display items.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Standard 6-foot tables were arranged under the tents, toward
the outer edges, in a large U-shape to maximize the space in the interior for
folks to walk about. Bob brought a few hundred GN pinback buttons to hand out,
along with an ample supply of “Rocky Booster” stickers. He also brought good
supplies of GNRHS membership brochures and flyers about the Pacific Northwest
Railroad Archive, the Skykomish Historical Society, and the “Great Northern Day”
scheduled in Skykomish this year for Saturday, September 12<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>.
Andrew Klamka will be a featured speaker at that event. He has been researching
the movement of aircraft and aircraft parts by the Great Northern Railway over
the years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On one early break, I made it over to the check-in table
that had been set up for employees and their families. I explained who I was
and what I was doing there, and the nice guys running the tables quickly had me
loaded up with a complimentary BNSF t-shirt, a meal ticket for the big picnic
spread, and a couple of raffle tickets. I reported back to Bob and Andrew, and
they made it over to pick up their goodies, too.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RecLPKQ0HME/VcgGnOmnoaI/AAAAAAAABb8/eGyC7WLJGSM/s1600/Check-in%2Btable_shirts.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RecLPKQ0HME/VcgGnOmnoaI/AAAAAAAABb8/eGyC7WLJGSM/s640/Check-in%2Btable_shirts.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Check-in table. Blue BNSF t-shirts in nearly every size.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Alisha Walker was our contact at BNSF and to my knowledge
was one of the key organizers (or perhaps THE key organizer) for the whole
event. She works in Mechanical Administration for the Interbay Locomotive unit
in Seattle. The set-up for the employees and their families was very big, and
well-organized. It appeared that everyone, of every age, found fun things to
see and do all day.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bob, Andrew, and I took turns spelling each other at the
tables. We all took a tour of the beautifully restored Great Northern caboose
which was on display and open to all for a look-see. I had quite a conversation
with BNSF’s Jim Lee (who helped coordinate things 10 years ago, and was the liaison
for GNRHS that time) and a couple of other BNSF employees who had worked on the
caboose. </span><br />
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<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gH12-RrBX0I/VcgGoZwWX0I/AAAAAAAABco/g0oe0tj3TpM/s1600/Jim%2BLee_photographer.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gH12-RrBX0I/VcgGoZwWX0I/AAAAAAAABco/g0oe0tj3TpM/s200/Jim%2BLee_photographer.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jim Lee of BNSF shoots a photo</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">for a BNSF employee and family.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ukzo7LBUQxI/VcgGsKLWYsI/AAAAAAAABdY/S3tDf41foC0/s1600/caboose%2Binterior.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ukzo7LBUQxI/VcgGsKLWYsI/AAAAAAAABdY/S3tDf41foC0/s200/caboose%2Binterior.JPG" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caboose interior.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There was a certain amount of disagreement and uncertainty about
whether the caboose was first constructed by BN in 1980, or was of older
vintage and was in fact originally GN. I asked one of the men who worked on it
if the intention had been to utilize the GN markings to in some way keep old
trademarks current for legal reasons, but he said he had never heard of any
such intention. He said all he knew about it was that someone felt it would be
a nice showpiece for Interbay to salute the GN heritage.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oFs-nJi1G-E/VcgGnxq3myI/AAAAAAAABck/h99ejt29b7s/s1600/DSC_0021_Klamka_cropped.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="448" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oFs-nJi1G-E/VcgGnxq3myI/AAAAAAAABck/h99ejt29b7s/s640/DSC_0021_Klamka_cropped.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Photo by Andrew Klamka.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-scXv7-q4dDs/VclU28i9i1I/AAAAAAAABeA/koRnqz-P1PU/s1600/Traction%2Bmotor_cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-scXv7-q4dDs/VclU28i9i1I/AAAAAAAABeA/koRnqz-P1PU/s400/Traction%2Bmotor_cropped.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Traction motor on display. Andrew Klamka photo.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iGczmhoRxDA/VcgGqxgvmSI/AAAAAAAABdQ/gg3cBMz4-QE/s1600/Tour%2Bguide%2BJeff%2Bdescribes%2Bdisplays.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iGczmhoRxDA/VcgGqxgvmSI/AAAAAAAABdQ/gg3cBMz4-QE/s320/Tour%2Bguide%2BJeff%2Bdescribes%2Bdisplays.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jeff leads the tour.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Andrew and I also went on a tour of the Interbay Roundhouse,
led by recently-retired Interbay worker Jeff Sappenfield. Jeff retired with
over 40 years in railroading. He gave us a great tour of the facilities,
beginning with a quick introduction to several mechanical items out on display.
We walked through the massive Materials Department, where tons of spare and
replacement parts are inventoried. Next we went into the 6-bay locomotive servicing
area. The two outer bays do not have overhead cranes, because the clearance is
much narrower in those bays and cannot accommodate the tracks needed at the
ceiling to run the cranes.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k3TGV9X7eAM/VcgGnmoBg3I/AAAAAAAABcU/QX8a8vCPCZY/s1600/Cylinder%2Bhead_liner_piston%2Bdisplay.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k3TGV9X7eAM/VcgGnmoBg3I/AAAAAAAABcU/QX8a8vCPCZY/s400/Cylinder%2Bhead_liner_piston%2Bdisplay.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cylinder components.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">One of the locomotives, BNSF #6903 (SD40-2), was open to
visitors to climb aboard and inspect. We were encouraged to have a seat in the
engineer’s chair, which of course I couldn’t pass up. Andrew noticed the
placement near the center of the cab window of a “Loco Cam.” A BNSF employee
confirmed our suspicion that it is used primarily like an aircraft’s “black box”
to provide a video record in the event of a mishap of any kind. As far as I know,
#6903 dates back to about 1973, when I presume it began life sporting “Cascade
Green.” It was later painted in one of the BNSF Heritage schemes, but on this
day was sporting the so-called “Nike swoosh” scheme.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TZzU97CeeeA/VcgGod5AKBI/AAAAAAAABdc/s2_SCrYivwY/s1600/Fake%2Bhoghead.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TZzU97CeeeA/VcgGod5AKBI/AAAAAAAABdc/s2_SCrYivwY/s400/Fake%2Bhoghead.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Phoney hoghead.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IcU2PSyzcGM/VcgKWbXwYzI/AAAAAAAABdo/SrRstiOz4X8/s1600/Locos%2B6903%2B%2528SD40%2529%2Band%2B8122%2B%2528SD60%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IcU2PSyzcGM/VcgKWbXwYzI/AAAAAAAABdo/SrRstiOz4X8/s400/Locos%2B6903%2B%2528SD40%2529%2Band%2B8122%2B%2528SD60%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BNSF 8122 (an SD60) takes a roundhouse bay alongside BNSF 6903 (an SD40).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Through one of the open roundhouse bays we could all view a
nicely cleaned up SW1000 yard switcher, BNSF #3606. Built in 1972 and run as BN
#381, this SW1000 is now used exclusively for yard service at Interbay (and in
fact may have been from its start). We were told it has an alternate electrical
power system that allows it to act a lot like one of the airplane tugs at the
airport, shuttling the bigger locomotives into the roundhouse bays for
servicing so the roundhouse does not fill up with diesel exhaust.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R7JAjplsFzs/VcgGqi2h9UI/AAAAAAAABdg/3M1Y4xDU_jc/s1600/SW1000_3606%2Bon%2Bturntable.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R7JAjplsFzs/VcgGqi2h9UI/AAAAAAAABdg/3M1Y4xDU_jc/s640/SW1000_3606%2Bon%2Bturntable.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bob Kelly brought a 7-foot-long photocopy of a circa 1922
blueprint of the Interbay Yard. This drew a lot of attention, especially from
the older rails. Bob explained to some of the folks who came by that the
roundhouse had originally been in another location. Or two (I wasn’t in on
those discussions). I do know that at least one Interbay veteran was surprised
to hear that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZVai8FQU_Ps/VcgGnLlROvI/AAAAAAAABcQ/RI6FEkxO6-A/s1600/Balloon%2Bsculptor.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="201" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZVai8FQU_Ps/VcgGnLlROvI/AAAAAAAABcQ/RI6FEkxO6-A/s320/Balloon%2Bsculptor.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balloon Master Sculptor Adam Lee<br />
at work (and play, at the same time!). <a href="http://adamlee.net/">http://adamlee.net/</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Under the two tents we shared there were people representing
“BNSF Wellness” (an employee health and fitness organization), the BNSF Police
Force (with Operation Lifesaver materials), Employee Assistance Program, and a
diversity council. There was also a fellow hired to entertain the kids (and
adults!) with his terrific and creative balloon figures. He brought an elaborate
balloon sculpture representation of a BNSF locomotive, which was a huge hit.
Especially for the lucky kid he gave it to near the end of the event.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Topsy Turvy Bouncers also provided some bounce houses for
the kids to play in, as well as a dunk tank that featured several foremen and managers
that their employees delighted in getting wet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZtrRgZaFD6w/VcgGounoM9I/AAAAAAAABcs/lTrNG0gZIjM/s1600/Raffle%2Bcrowd.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZtrRgZaFD6w/VcgGounoM9I/AAAAAAAABcs/lTrNG0gZIjM/s400/Raffle%2Bcrowd.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">People literally pulled up chairs to listen hopefully for<br />
their tickets to be called. Nearly everyone took home something.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sXIfbcqW1N4/VcgGphSi-tI/AAAAAAAABc8/7YHwrnoR7To/s1600/Raffle%2Btable%2Band%2Bprizes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sXIfbcqW1N4/VcgGphSi-tI/AAAAAAAABc8/7YHwrnoR7To/s400/Raffle%2Btable%2Band%2Bprizes.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Two separate raffles were held, with dozens of prizes handed
out. Between us, Bob, Andrew, and I were issued a total of 6 raffle tickets.
Five of our numbers were called. Bob and Andrew each decided they didn’t need
any more coffee mugs or beer coozies at home, so I ended up with all of those.
When the two “big prize” tickets were called (both during the first of the two
raffle sessions), all that was left was a little girls’ pink bicycle. None of
us had use for that, so we told the folks to draw again. Other “big prizes”
were more very nice bicycles, a BNSF golf bag, several beginner fishing pole
sets with lures, and a 3-burner gas grill. There were plenty of happy folks who
took home goodies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This was once again a very nice event, and a lot of fun for
the GNRHS to participate in. Several rails showed keen interest in the GN
history and even the possibility of joining the society. A few of the older retirees we visited with are honest-to-goodness GN veterans, so they seemed to especially appreciate the effort to keep the GN spirit alive and on people's minds. Some folks we spoke with said they have
historic photos they’d like to share, and Bob made contact with them for
follow-up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It would be great to be able to do something similar again
some time – with any luck, maybe sooner than ten years out. But even if it’s
another ten years, we’ll be willing!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O3IKg4pOvSg/VcgGpyNNb3I/AAAAAAAABdE/v8Bh_D5TKOw/s1600/Railfan%2Bgrab%2Bshot_Nike%2Bscheme%2Bon%2Bpoint.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O3IKg4pOvSg/VcgGpyNNb3I/AAAAAAAABdE/v8Bh_D5TKOw/s640/Railfan%2Bgrab%2Bshot_Nike%2Bscheme%2Bon%2Bpoint.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">There's always time for a railfan grab shot! BNSF 6236 is on the point, sporting the paint scheme BNSF introduced in 2005 to help celebrate the 10-year anniversary. How appropriate.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
gnrockyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07136259371043351569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676017998543024320.post-22830764747806165002014-12-24T09:35:00.003-08:002014-12-24T09:35:34.199-08:00Wishing you a GREAT (Northern) Christmas!<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><em>Here's a little treat from the newspaper archives:</em></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NotKMH2dm58/VJr5CfRqBiI/AAAAAAAAA58/5UENvTJUYUk/s1600/JJ%2BHill%2B-%2BSanta%2B-%2Bapples_sepia%2Beffect.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NotKMH2dm58/VJr5CfRqBiI/AAAAAAAAA58/5UENvTJUYUk/s1600/JJ%2BHill%2B-%2BSanta%2B-%2Bapples_sepia%2Beffect.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Artist George Hagen. Published in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 1905</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
gnrockyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07136259371043351569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676017998543024320.post-18407989840450816142014-03-01T22:30:00.000-08:002014-03-01T22:38:19.628-08:00A tribute to Frank Perrin - GN publicity man<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UK1kEHc6uIo/UxLLwmJXfzI/AAAAAAAAAWw/9kdeWfe8xrQ/s1600/Frank+Perrin+-+CASCD+Div+video+capture+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UK1kEHc6uIo/UxLLwmJXfzI/AAAAAAAAAWw/9kdeWfe8xrQ/s1600/Frank+Perrin+-+CASCD+Div+video+capture+2.JPG" height="620" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Frank Perrin addressing the GN Cascade Division Reunion on September 13, 1995</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Frank Perrin passed away on February 22, 2014, in Lacey, Washington, at the age of 96.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">This blog post about Frank Perrin is a personal tribute to a
man I knew only a little bit. I first met him in 1995, and although he lived
for several years in Lacey, Washington, in the same retirement community as my
own parents, I failed to go see him more than a couple of times. Visits with my parents
are always far too short, and I regret never finding more time to break away to
say hello to Frank. I did not interview him beyond the few brief chats that I
had with him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is not an obituary – I did not know him nearly well
enough to write something like that with any authority. Rather, what you read
here consists of a few snippets of things I recall about him and fragments of the
few conversations we had. I’ve also located a few relevant sources on the
internet to fill in a bit more detail, although I have not yet located more
than a death notice (<a href="http://www.theolympian.com/2014/02/27/3005857/death-notices-for-feb-27.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">in the Daily Olympian newspaper</span></a>) since his passing –
certainly not an obituary.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">In 1995, the annual reunion of the Cascade Division GN
veterans extended a welcome to any interested GN supporters and enthusiasts,
specifically any interested members of the Great Northern Railway Historical
Society (GNRHS). I accepted that invitation and attended the event in Everett,
Washington. I brought along my rather primitive (by today’s digital standards)
Hi-8 video camera and managed to record Frank’s presentation on his days in the
service of the Great Northern Railway.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Franklin F. “Frank” Perrin was born about 1917 or 1918 to
Lona and Neva Perrin. His brothers John and Douglas predeceased him, as did his
wife Jeanne, who passed away in 2006. I believe Frank and Jeanne had children,
and grandchildren, but I did not get to know him well enough to report about
them at all.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">When my Reference Sheet about Winold Reiss was published by
GNRHS in June, 1996, Frank was kind enough to take the time to write me a
letter and congratulate me on the article. I certainly took this as high
praise, coming from a man who worked in publicity and advertising for the GN
while Reiss was still living, and while Reiss’s work was still being prominently
utilized in GN advertising. It meant a lot to me that Frank enjoyed my article,
and that he wrote to tell me that.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Frank served our country in the U.S. Navy during WWII. Upon
his discharge in 1945 (shortly after V-J Day), Frank signed up with the Great
Northern Railway in the position of “Public Relations Representative.” A
graduate of the University of Minnesota’s School of Journalism, Frank honed his
skills in photography in the Navy, then applied those skills photographing
nearly every significant event along the GN – specifically in the Cascade
Division – for a period of about ten years.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Describing his career with the GN, Frank once stated “my job
took me into every department and virtually every operating area of the
railroad.” He was issued a pass when he first took the job, which granted him
access to locomotives and cabooses to travel and conduct his work. He described
his reaction to this fact as feeling like a kid in a candy shop.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">When the Hedrich Blessing photography company of Chicago was
hired by the GN to produce a large portfolio of publicity photos, they involved
one of their younger photographers, Bob Harr. Frank told me once that Bob Harr
always liked to have people in his photographs (or this may have been a
preference of either GN or Hedrich Blessing management). When you see some of
the iconic GN publicity photos of the 1950’s and 1960’s, you immediately
recognize this style. Perhaps there is a cowboy on horseback, waving at the
locomotive crew from a ridge above the railroad grade. There might be a
fly-fisherman casting in a stream as the gleaming Empire Builder rolls by. In a
couple of commonly used photos of the Empire Builder skirting Puget Sound, two
men are seen just off shore in a small skiff. In many of those photos, Frank
Perrin was on hand to supervise the shoot, and on more than one occasion filled
in as a “warm body” to appear in the image. He told me he was one of the two
men in the skiff in the shots along Puget Sound. The little boat the men are in
has “Picnic Point” painted on its side. The photo was likely taken just south
of Picnic Point, which is located between Edmonds and Mukilteo, Washington.
With two dome cars and a great dome car visible in the image, this photo was probably
taken in 1956 when the dome cars were introduced. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OdJcnCrY9h4/UxLNYiynnSI/AAAAAAAAAW8/q5LnMQL2QC0/s1600/Empire+Builder+on+Puget+Sound+c1956_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OdJcnCrY9h4/UxLNYiynnSI/AAAAAAAAAW8/q5LnMQL2QC0/s1600/Empire+Builder+on+Puget+Sound+c1956_small.jpg" height="496" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Great Northern publicity photo by Hedrich-Blessing, circa 1956, taken near Picnic Point south of Mukilteo. Frank Perrin is one of the two men in the small boat.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Frank was transferred to St. Paul in about 1956, where he
worked with Charles W. “Dinty” Moore. When Moore retired as Executive Assistant
of Public Relations for the GN on July 1, 1968, Frank Perrin was promoted into
that position to replace him. Pat Stafford then took Frank’s old job.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">During his presentation at the Cascade Division Reunion in
1995, Frank thoughtfully acknowledged the contributions of all of the GN
veterans in attendance. Speaking to the audience, he said “if there’s one thing
I learned in more than 30 years in PR, it’s that most of you have some pretty
solid ideas of your own about public relations. In one way or another, you’ve
all helped shape the Great Northern’s public image. It is to your credit that
the GN was, and still is, regarded as one of America’s <u>great</u> railroads.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g3t1DLhs87c/UxLOU2kr5wI/AAAAAAAAAXI/hND_xdqsQnc/s1600/1949+Jun-Jul-Aug-Sep+_first+thick+border+with+OO-PG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g3t1DLhs87c/UxLOU2kr5wI/AAAAAAAAAXI/hND_xdqsQnc/s1600/1949+Jun-Jul-Aug-Sep+_first+thick+border+with+OO-PG.jpg" height="308" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Later in his talk, Frank also extended special appreciation
for others who have done their share to help ensure that the history and the tradition
of the Great Northern Railway live on. Please view to video clip below to see and
hear Frank in a message that could have been recorded today, rather than nearly
20 years ago. He may have been addressing you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxVtM9CFaPs867Dcfm_E8zj_rOm4BZtfuFas4-VOdO2BqlYN6WkjNB8GVmKGX7_kJLUAg_unqzlAAmqiHh_3A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
</div>
gnrockyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07136259371043351569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676017998543024320.post-73282129704282981532014-03-01T14:19:00.002-08:002014-03-01T14:19:54.385-08:00Franklin "Frank" Perrin<span style="font-size: large;">I am sorry to report the passing of Frank Perrin, aged 96, on February 22, 2014.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I just learned of this news today.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Frank was in the Advertising and Publicity Department of the Great Northern Railway.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I will attempt to find and report a little more information about Frank in the near future.</span>gnrockyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07136259371043351569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676017998543024320.post-35102130057594189272014-01-24T16:38:00.003-08:002016-05-25T04:00:35.520-07:00William P. Kenney<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">January 24 - On this date in 1939<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lEyu-BMp9ic/UuMFyleiO_I/AAAAAAAAARA/CDcPL8629oA/s1600/Wm+P+Kenney+-+Pres+of+GN+Ry+-+May+1936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lEyu-BMp9ic/UuMFyleiO_I/AAAAAAAAARA/CDcPL8629oA/s1600/Wm+P+Kenney+-+Pres+of+GN+Ry+-+May+1936.jpg" width="506" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">William P. Kenney, President of the Great Northern Railway (1932-1939)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></o:p> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">Exactly 75 years ago, William P. Kenney passed away. At the
time, he was just beginning his eighth year at the helm of the Great Northern
Railway. Kenney was promoted into the position of President upon the departure
of Ralph Budd, who was hired at the outset of 1932 to run the Chicago,
Burlington, & Quincy Railroad (also known as the CB&Q, or “Burlington
Route”). Bill Kenney’s tenure with the Great Northern was 37 years, with
another 17 years in railroading prior to that. He was 69 at the time of his
death; he started out in railroading at the age of 17 with the Chicago Great
Western Railway, joining the GN in 1902.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">There’s a story that less than one year prior to his death,
Kenney received an extortion note at his office, demanding $100,000 and
threatening him with kidnapping and bodily harm. The people threatening him
tried to negotiate their criminal deal through newspaper want ads, but
abandoned their scheme when it was revealed that Federal investigators had
entered the case. Nevertheless, a guard was assigned to keep watch for him for
many weeks.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">From an obituary published in <em>The Daily Interlake (</em>Kalispell, MT<em>) </em>at the time of his death, here’s
some more background on his career with the Great Northern Railway:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">“In 1902 he joined the Great Northern as Chief Clerk in the
freight department and advanced rapidly under the regime of James J. Hill. In
1904 he became assistant general freight agent, advanced a few months later to
assistant to the vice president in charge of traffic. In 1907 he became
assistant traffic manager, in 1911 general traffic manager, and in 1912 he
became traffic vice president.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">It was from this position as traffic vice
president that Kenney ascended to the office of president of the railway.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NzTY_DPuwzs/UuMFxw92I5I/AAAAAAAAARQ/-WD-S152Fns/s1600/Budd+congratulates+Kenney+on+becoming+Pres+of+GN+1931-32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NzTY_DPuwzs/UuMFxw92I5I/AAAAAAAAARQ/-WD-S152Fns/s1600/Budd+congratulates+Kenney+on+becoming+Pres+of+GN+1931-32.jpg" width="508" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>Good luck, pal - you're gonna need it!</em></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Ralph Budd (standing) congratulates Bill Kenney (seated) on his ascension to the position of President of the Great Northern Railway</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">It is worth noting that William Kenney took the helm of the
GN when the company was struggling through one of its most challenging financial
times. With the 1929 stock market crash still a fresh memory, the Great
Depression had taken hold of the nation when Kenney took ultimate
responsibility for one of the largest railroads in the country. In all its
history (right up to the 1970 merger that resulted in the formation of
Burlington Northern), the Great Northern Railway never failed to pay dividends
to its stockholders. With the weight of that legacy on his shoulders, it is
understandable that Kenney counted among his highest priorities the need to
reduce expenses across the board. I do not pretend to be an expert on the
business history of the Great Northern Railway, but from what little I’ve read
about this era of the railway, Kenney seems to have done an admirable job
guiding the company successfully through this rough patch.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">There is a tale – a legend perhaps – that credits Bill
Kenney with the inspiration to incorporate the image of a mountain goat into
the company’s logo. The story goes that a young Bill Kenney sold papers in
Minneapolis (a claim that appears to be credible, according to other accounts
of his life). A Great Northern press agent known for spinning outrageous yarns,
one Hoke Smith, released a press statement around 1922 claiming that Kenney, as
a lad, decided to haul his papers around in a goat cart. He owned a few goats for this purpose, but eventually he is said to have sold his
goats to a man in Midvale, Montana (later named Glacier Park Station, and known
today as East Glacier), who had a wild idea that he could breed these billy
goats with Rocky Mountain Goats (which as I understand it are more closely
related to antelopes). It seems highly unlikely – impossible? – to interbreed
these animals. In any event, Kenney made it back to Midvale several years later
(apparently, not long after Glacier National Park was created in 1910), and was
informed that the fellow he had sold his goats to had passed away. When asked
about the fate of the goats, his informant declared the hills were full of
them. While inspecting the area with Louis W. Hill, President of the GN at that
time, Kenney spied a goat that reminded him of his long-bearded billies, and he
told Hill it must be a descendant of one of his own goats. To that, Hill
allegedly replied, “here’s our trademark, Bill.” [<em>My thanks to author and
Glacier National Park historian Ray Djuff for sharing this story with me</em>]<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><em>Some examples of early uses of goat motifs in Glacier National Park/Great Northern Railway publicity - these are luggage stickers from the 1912-1918 era (author's collection):</em></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0QXvGxah6NQ/UuMFx5LTaCI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/WRIFRDQb85A/s1600/Goat1-c1912.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="393" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0QXvGxah6NQ/UuMFx5LTaCI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/WRIFRDQb85A/s1600/Goat1-c1912.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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gnrockyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07136259371043351569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676017998543024320.post-30958595434544271252014-01-16T20:40:00.004-08:002014-01-16T20:42:27.580-08:00Railroad or Railway?<span style="font-size: large;">Which is correct, Great Northern Railroad, or Great Northern Railway?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Click here to find the answer:</span><br />
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<a href="http://empire-builders-radio.blogspot.com/2014/01/when-you-try-to-seek-out-information-on.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-size: x-large;">Railroad or Railway</span></a><br />
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gnrockyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07136259371043351569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676017998543024320.post-81604673550113009152013-12-14T13:36:00.006-08:002014-03-02T08:50:34.281-08:00Contact me!<span style="font-size: large;">If you have information about the <strong><em><a href="http://empire-builders-radio.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Empire Builders</a></em></strong> radio series (i.e., you have or know where to find press photos or scripts, or you are the descendant of someone who was associated with the radio series, etc.), please contact me at:</span><br />
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gnrockyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07136259371043351569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676017998543024320.post-16717981636506450242013-12-14T13:04:00.001-08:002013-12-23T16:21:05.216-08:00Welcome to GN Rocky's new blog!<br />
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I do not have much technical understanding of the operations
of a railroad company. You might find that surprising, given the topic of this blog. I hate to say “show me one locomotive and I’ve seen ‘em all,” but that’s
not far off the mark for me. I am a collector of Great Northern Railway
artifacts and memorabilia, and from these items I get the inspiration to learn
more and to share the results of my research.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
I plan to begin my blogging with information about a 2 ½ year
advertising campaign conducted by the GN from 1929 to 1931. This was the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Empire Builders </i>radio series, broadcast
coast-to-coast on NBC radio.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://empire-builders-radio.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: cyan; color: blue;">Click here to go to GN Rocky's EMPIRE BUILDERS Blog</span></a> </div>
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Eventually, I expect my blogs will evolve to
include information on a range of topics concerning GN history and the
artifacts that we can use to learn about it all.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
While I am happy for others to find value in my material and
incorporate it in their own work, I request that users of this site will
respect my time and talents in how they use that material. Please follow
established “fair use” guidelines and applicable copyright laws. If you make
use of my material, I ask that you contact me to let me know how and where you
plan to use it, and obtain my permission first if you plan to distribute the
material in any way. Any distribution of my material or significant use of the
content of this site should be acknowledged with a standard form of attribution
or citation for your source.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Having said that, please contact me immediately if you are
aware of any specific concerns about how I have used any material on this site.
Let me know if you have factual evidence that I have used anything that is
protected by copyright held by you or someone else.<o:p></o:p><br />
<o:p> </o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Please feel free to post comments and/or contact me
directly regarding anything on this site. I am eager to have your
participation, and maybe we can generate some good discussion among many site
visitors on topics found here. I reserve the right as blog owner to moderate
all content in order to preserve a place for open and respectful discourse. If you encounter any content, posted by me or anyone else, that you have issues with, contact
me at:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span><br />
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<br />gnrockyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07136259371043351569noreply@blogger.com0