GN Flathead Tunnel

HemiAdda2d Apr 14, 2006

  1. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Kevin-

    If you ever get a chance to visit Haskell Pass, you'll quickly see why they changed that routing.

    The approaches to that tunnel, either side, were a nightmare in bad weather. Snow slides, etc. Plus the east side had a lot of winding along the mountain. The new route eliminated these headaches.

    Also, noting the passage twomule quotes, about controversy- Whew. I can only imagine how Kalispell might be today. Especially with the dolts in current city government. Whining, whimpering. Ugh. The RR must be glad just because of this!

    Boxcab E50
     
  2. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Yes. We have certainly heard plenty about this. :tb-sad:

    Boxcab E50
     
  3. Kurt Moose

    Kurt Moose TrainBoard Member

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    Hey, thanks to "twomule" for that site! I thought I had seen every GN related sight out there!
     
  4. Rosemary

    Rosemary New Member

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    Hi, I found this board because I was doing some research on the RR near Lost Prairie/Pleasant Valley. My husband and I are going exploring this spring, and we are going to try to find some of the old line. The reason that I am posting is because I saw that you were discussing Lost Prairie. I'm not very old, (33) but I was born and raised in Lost Prairie. I went to Pleasant Valley School until the ninth grade. It was a one room schoolhouse. :) The skydiving airport is right next door to me. I remember that terrible accident last summer. It was just awful.

    I just wanted to say hi, and thank you for all of the links. That really helps me! I think my husband and I might hang around for awhile and learn some things.

    ~Rosemary & Paul
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 19, 2008
  5. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Rosemary-

    Welcome to TrainBoard!

    A good portion of the old grade is still there. Although it's slowly being wiped out. Look at all the houses being built in Marion, and up toward the Lake.

    I have not been up to the former (Haskell Pass) tunnel in a few years. But am told the access at it's east end isn't as in the past. Those old support tumbers inside were always fascinating for me.

    Boxcab E50
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 19, 2008
  6. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Welcome aboard, Rosemary!
    I gotta get up there someday. So much history!
     
  7. ladybngnfan

    ladybngnfan TrainBoard Member

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    FYI: Anybody wanting to know more about the dam itself, and the circumstances surrounding its construction, there is an old book that I have read several times over the years. It's called "Taming the Columbia River" by Sabra Holbrook, copyrighted 1968. The book is written for young people, but it tells the story quite nicely from the perspective of the various groups of people involved in the project and about the challenges they faced. Libby Dam is one of four dams that were part of a treaty between the US and Canada to build dams on the Columbia River in Canada. The Columbia begins at Columbia Lake near the BC/Alberta border, next to Banff and Jasper National Parks. At one time, the Columbia was prone to flooding, so the US and Canada got together, and after some work between the two governments, the two nations put together a treaty to build and operate the dams. As I said before, there are four dams that are part of the treaty: Libby, which is the only dam of the four in the US and the only one that is not directly on the Columbia, instead on the Kootenai, a tributary of the Columbia, Hugh Keenlyside (formerly known as Arrow, but now named for one of the elected officials who helped to bring the treaty into existence), Duncan, and Mica Creek. Anyone wanting to know more about Libby Dam and the other dams that are part of the treaty, should read this book. It's quite fascinating. It does not have much to say about the railroad and how it was affected by the dam, though.
     
  8. Kurt Moose

    Kurt Moose TrainBoard Member

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    Hi Rosemary!! Great to see another "Goat" follower on here!!:teeth: Welcome!!
     
  9. Geared Steam

    Geared Steam Permanently dispatched

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    Hello Rosemary, welcome to the "board".
    Remember, if you go exploring, take many pics and post them here! :tb-rolleyes:
     
  10. Geared Steam

    Geared Steam Permanently dispatched

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    Great Northern station Libby Montana 1948

    [​IMG]
     
  11. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Sweet! Very nice shot of GN F's in action!
     
  12. Geared Steam

    Geared Steam Permanently dispatched

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    Ken, while I was in the area, I dropped by Stumptown Museum, they had a nice map of the old Haskell Pass Grade. Thanks for the mention of the museum on another thread. The had some great pics, but they are copyrighted so I will not post them here. For those interested in the old route..


    Area 20-14 and 25 is the location of Haskell Pass and the tunnel.
    Area 6 is Marion MT where the ROW leaves Hwy 2
    Area 7 along the East shore of Little Bitteroot Lake.
    Area 26 is Pleasant Valley
    West of Area 29 is where it joined the Wolf Praire/Fisher River region.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 31, 2009
  13. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    One thing I do not like- That black wrought iron fence! It makes valuable photos of the Bruck, and Rocky, impossible.

    We have a friend who attended school at Pleasant Valley. Still lives out there part time.

    Boxcab E50
     
  14. grant-sar

    grant-sar E-Mail Bounces

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    Just got back from blasting around in this area. Had a bunch of questions that were answered here and with a browse of Google Earth. Fascinating stuff. Will have to get back and look for the tunnel at the top of Haskell Pass.

    Hemi you in??
     
  15. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Grant-

    Got any pictures of this recent adventure?

    :D

    Boxcab E50
     
  16. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    I'm always up for a railfan trip. Trouble is my work schedule is fierce. Getting vacation time off is like pulling teeth. Can't hurt to try... Weekends are OK, too.
     
  17. grant-sar

    grant-sar E-Mail Bounces

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    Just a trip to see where I ended up. Didn't even take the camera out of the bag. Will definately go back and explore more of what is there. I tell you it's not a place to be pacing Z trains!! Got overtaken and left in the dust by an Eastbound just before the the Flathead tunnel. No hope catching up before Whitefish.....
     
  18. grant-sar

    grant-sar E-Mail Bounces

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    Maybe I'll try to get down for a weekend and we'll go bushwhacking. Not sure when but we'll touch base if the mood strikes.
     
  19. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Roads out there can be a bit lower quality, etc. Nice scenery though. From the train, at the height of summer, there are a few nice views.

    Boxcab E50
     
  20. Kurt Moose

    Kurt Moose TrainBoard Member

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    One of the best places to ever railfan at....right where you were standing in Whitefish! Got the wife and kids all snuggled into bed at the hotel, and stood on that platform from 11PM till about 4:30AM! Everytime I went to leave, I could see a headlight shining on the rails. Between the trains, the overly friendly crews, and ghosts of trains past, this place is hard to beat!:cool: Never made it into the Great Northern Bar, though.
     

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