I have seen referance to a branch from Bluestem to Davenport on maps and here on Trainboard but while going to and from Wentachee on the trains I can not see any visable evidence of a right of way at bluestem. Was the ROW covered up by roads or has it just been gone that long that is has eroded away? THanks, Kevin
I heard it was graded but rail was never laid. Can anyone confirm? I would assume this was prior to the Dam building projects so parts of it might be underwater.
I seem to vaguely recall a proposed branch. They had a number of them on the table, until after World War I/USRA era. At which time, a lot of these ideas came to a halt. The expansion days essentially were finished. Boxcab E50
It was GN's stillborn Hawk Creek Branch. It left the GN mainline at Bluestem and was intended to run to Klaxta and/or Peach on the Columbia River. Parts of the line were graded in 1913 and can be seen in several places west of SR 28 between Bluestem Creek Bridge and Davenport. This is from a post to the GN yahoo list, where I asked pretty much the same question. I have a Bureau of Reclamation map that shows the line.
If you can get a copy of many state railroad maps, pre-depression era, you'll see quite a few "dotted lines." These can be great fun for speculation. Or proposing a fictitious model RR. Such as those for here in Montana. GN had possible lines from Great Falls to Kalispell. And another in conjunction with the Milwaukee Road, running east from Lewistown toward Glendive. I often wonder- If these had been built, would they still survive today? Boxcab E50
What business were they going to tap? Grain shippers? What is the line at upper right? Long Lake. That must be something coming off the GN as well? From their line running NW out of Spokane? Boxcab E50
The big map I have shows it to be the Chamokane Contracting Co. coming off the GN (SF&N) at Springdale.
Wel just by looking at my Washington map book, Benchmark maps I do not see any RR Grades in the area, mabey a proposed branch off the Kettle Falls line? Kevin
Found a link to where I got my copy of the map (free). http://content.wsulibs.wsu.edu/sid/bin/show.plx?client=maps&image=wsu364.sid LOTS of other maps at the same site.
I have seen that map before, my wife is a archaeologist and works at EWU and that map is hanging in her office along with a ton of others from other era's that show lots of rail lines. Kevin
