Layout Pictures

Since Cashmere was the only town sceniced, the following four vignettes were taken there. Plus at the end a few other places on the layout.

Vignette #1

Number 2 the Empire Builder passes through town

The Section gang is happy to see the green markers. They mean a second section is following and they'll several extra minutes to relax before the main will be clear and they'll have to get back to work.

The solarium observation of the westbound Builder is in the hole as the eastbound Builder passes. On the GN, like most roads, eastbounds are superior to westbounds of the same class.

Ol' Clem is busy telling the boys about the big one that got away, as the Eastbound Builder roars past.

Later in the afternoon, an extra finds itself in the hole waiting for Freight 401 to pass. 401 is a westbound time freight and a second class train. During the wait, the engineer takes the opportunity to 'oil around' and the brakemen exchange greetings.

Vignette #2

The Ice Dock

Extra 930 west arrives in town ready to do some switching.

Extra 930 picks up a freshly iced Santa Fe reefer and leaves town.

Later, an F-8 consolidation, running as Extra 1152, stops for a drink.

After refilling its tender, the 1152 spots a WFEX reefer for icing.

Vignette #3

Another day on the Mainline

Extra 1967 West, a drag freight, is about to cross the fabled Cascade Northern Railway.

Extra 1967 is a low priority drag freight consisting of coal and gravel loads and empties.

Until Sunset finally imports one, this is the only O gage M-2 in existance.

 

 

The freshly painted model of M-2 1967. This loco was built for me by Bud Jaggers about 1991. It looked fine but was not the best runner. Again I gave it Doug Cockerham to rebuild the drive. It came back running better than I thought possible. I've temorarily put PFM sound it her but a Tsunami or a new Phoenix Sound P5 board is in her future.

Extra 748 is seen in the distance.

Extra 748 East, a caboose hop, meets X-1967 West.

The freshly painted model of G-3 748. Like the1967, this loco was also built for me by Bud Jaggers about 1991. It looked fine was but not the best runner. I gave it Doug Cockerham to rebuild the drive. It came back running better than I had ever hoped. I finally got around to adding more details, including a backhead, and painting it. When the Tsunami decoder become available, I added one and changed the motor to a high torque low amp Pittman. Previously she operated with PFM sound

 

Vignette #4

The Afternoon Eastbounds

The dispatcher has put Extra 1147 East, a peddler, in the hole at Cashmere in advance the Empire Builder and several manifest freights. Due to the length of its consist, it is fouling the Cascade Northern crossing.

The first section of Number 2, the Empire Builder rips through town.

 

Next, manifest freight train number 402 arrives. It has reduced speed as it passes through the east side Cashmere.

The big mountain with its bell ringing is a rare sight on a freight but was called at the last minute when the assigned locomotive developed a compressor problem.

 

Caboose X-419 brings up the markers on the first section of freight 402.

In the distance can be seen the meager engine facilities of the Cascade Northern.

The buildings are actually HO models I built about 30 years ago and create distance through a forced perspective.

10 minutes later, the second section of freight 402 passes through Cashmere, at a restricted speed. On the point is GN 3144, on O-1 mike, whose bell is ringing loudly but the workers on both sides of the track do not even look up.

With it bell also ringing, GN 3391, an O-8 mike leads the third and final section of train 402 out of town.

The caboose of the third section crosses Main Street or Hwy 2, in an era when the road had far less traffic. The semi-finished area in the foreground is the site of the to-be-built depot.

 

Finally, the third section crosses Old Olds Road on the east end of town. Olds is a wide spot in the road between Wenatchee and Cashmere. The gravel road as well as the paved Main Street above were about the last additions to the pike.

Other Places

Action at Fidalgo

An AMH 4-4-0 crosses the 40" Howe truss bridge to Fidalgo. It will not go much further since the track currrently stops at the end of the bridge. The engine was acquired on Ebay for less than $75 and runs very well. - running light that is! Pulling is not its forte.

Tracks have reached the town of Fidalgo!

Most of the trackage is temporary code 148 flextrack. It was laid to create a place to switch local freights. It was to eventually be replaced by handlaid code 125 and code 100 rail.

The dark gray areas are the locations of additional track per the track plan.

Three reefers are fresh off the barge dock and laden with Calif produce. After being iced they will be sent east towards thier destinations in Montana.

Those gorgeous orange Santa Fe reefers are Pecos River imports.

 

After finishing putting ice in the reefers, Ole and Sven have sat down to take a break and chew the fat. To the left Oscar is trying to ignor them.

GN 1152 is caught switching the yard at Fidalgo. It appears the fireman is bragging to the station operator about something he caught while fishing.

 

Another view of freight train 401.

Action at Appleyard

Ten-wheeler 930, an E-6 takes a spin on the turntable.

The Ten-wheeler has been called to take an extra to Fidalgo.

 

Work has resumed on the engine terminal. All the ties are in and ballasted.

GN 2125, a 2-10-2 quietly simmers in the roundhouse awaiting its next assignment.

To the right is the floor of the soon to be erected 11 stall roundhouse that will follow plans for a standard GN 116' structure. Some ties have been laid but no rail yet.

The fact that there are no rails does not prohibit the 'new-to-me' G-1 class Twelve Wheeler from taking a spin. The model's complete history is still unknown to me. I recently obtained it from an estate and the papers indicate it was hand built by the founder of Tenshodo Models. Its drive was rebuilt by Fred Icken and runs like a Swiss watch.

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