Burlington Northern's Scenic Subdivision

[Kevin C]

This has been a very interesting tour for me around parts of the State of Washington.

N Kalanaga, Your knowledge of the History and Geography of the area is amazing. Thank You again for sharing.

[robert3985]

Pasco, according to the most popular theory, was named by a railroad construction engineer in  the late 1800s, who had worked at Cerro de Pasco, Peru.  He found the hot, dry, windy weather, and frequent sandstorms, very familiar.  Thanks to irrigation, the sandstorms are rare today, and the humidity is much higher than when I lived there, so now they have summer thunderstorms instead!

I was born and raised in the Tri-Cities (born in Richland, raised in Kennewick, just across the Columbia from Pasco) from 1949 to 1972, and we were always told that Pasco was named after The Pacific Steamship Company, which had a major port there.  Did a Google search on the subject, and many references agree.

Just sayin'

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[nkalanaga]

Kevin:  Since you're modeling the Wenatchee area, you might want to contact Chuck Geiger.  He's just moved there, and might be able to get specific pictures.  He's been posting pictures from his new house, overlooking the Columbia and BNSF south of Wenatchee.

Bob:  I've also heard the Pacific Steamship story, but consider it a little less likely than the Peru connection, mainly because the town was named by the railroad, and why would they name it for the competition?  The port on the Pasco side was built after the town was founded, because there wasn't anything there until the railroad arrived, and they owned the land, as one of their land grants.

If the town was named for Cerro de Pasco, then it actually means "Easter", in Spanish.  There is also a Pasco County, Florida, and the original Spanish name for the state was "Pasqua Florida", literally, "Easter Flowery", because the first explorers arrived when everything was in bloom.  I've never heard it as a theory, but Pasco might have been named by someone with ties to Florida.

I was born in the Tri-Cities, and lived in Pasco from 1957 to 1978, so we were there at the same time.  I usually say I was born in Pasco, but it was actually Kennewick General Hospital.  Why I wasn't born in Lourdes Medical Center, then Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, I don't know, because that was the official railroad hospital.

[Kevin C]

Over the last few weekends I have continued to work on the scenery on two of the "sections" on the upper level. I started to concentrate more on the corner piece as the access to this section is difficult so the sooner I can get it complete, I do not have to worry about it again.

There is still alot to do but the photo below shows progress up to now :-

 



I have taken previous suggestions into consideration:-

I think if you're trying to model the east slope of the Cascades (e.g. Peshaston) in the model scene above you should make the rock much browner as well.  If you study the proto photo, there is relatively little contrast between the trees, grass, and rock in the distant hillside.  You should avoid the temptation to make them too dark, because you're indoors, but darker than they are currently.

I have stained the rock a shade darker. In the following photo I found on the internet I have noticed that the rock in the Peshastin area is more of a grey color so I am trying to head in that direction.



 

Kevin, do you have an airbrush?  I suggest a light overspray of the vegetation with either red or light gray to tone it down a bit.  Most of the WS colors are a bit intense.

Scott. I have bought some paint for my airbrush as you advised but have not tried it yet. I did find a packet of Woodland Scenics burnt grass turf which I have used and found that it did tone down the green blend alot. When I reach the point where I can say that the scenes are complete, I may do as you suggest and give some of the areas a light overspray. I am still trying to achive a scene where the vegetation is a nice rich green color as can be seen in the photo below taken just outside Peshastin. The photo was taken in July 2010. I would imagine that this is the time of the year when the area recieves a fair amount of rainfall as the distant hills are covered with green grasses amoungst the trees.

 

Also, I'd recommend using more static grass than ground foam, as it's too easy to have WS ground foam (& one "blend") create a "carpet" effect.

I have ordered myself a Static Grass applicator which should be delivered in the next week or two. I have seen how effective it is on some of the other layouts of the Railwire members on this forum. I am looking forward to giving it a go.

Till the next time.. 

[chuck geiger]

Kevin let me know what you need picture wise.

[Kevin C]

Thank you for the offer Chuck. That will be great.

A further decision I have made with regards my layout is that I will concentrate only on the Scenic Subdivision and not the Columbia Subdivision aswell as I mentioned in a previous post. This means that the left hand side of my visible staging yard will represent the rail yard located at Wenatchee and not Spokane.
As I have two " Balconies " on my main helix which protrude from the helix itself, I am looking for two scenes located between Wenatchee and Peshastin that I can model which will end up being small dioramas with just a double mainline passing through. My layout is freelanced so I am hoping that modelers licence allows for a little deviation from the Prototype as I am sure most of this stretch of railroad is single mainline. There may be a few great rail fanning spots along this section of track that include sizable passing sidings.

I will send you and e-mail Chuck where we can discuss the subject further.

[Scottl]

Nice work Kevin.  Don't forget to add lots of fallen timber.  It is a detail that really makes that kind of forest scene and is easy to do. 

[nkalanaga]

At least in 1994 you won't have to build the "Electric Shop" building at Appleyard.  It was destroyed in the 1974 explosion:

http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=8154

One obvious error in the article is that it wasn't a "Burlington Northern" tankcar that exploded.  I have no idea whose it was, but it was a private owner car of some kind, as most North American tankcars are.

[Blazeman]

Maybe you can work this into your ops scheme as the concept dates from the mid 90's.

http://www.progressiverailroading.com/shippers/news/Washington-officials-to-update-State-Grain-Trains-business-plan--47916?

[basementcalling]

Love seeing the plans evolve and grow. Nice layout concept.

Chuck, now you move there? Dang it. 

Funny how good photos large enough to be backdrop material of the Cascade Range are hard to find. Nothing back east comes close to looking like Washington state.

[chuck geiger]

This intrigues me:

The Cascade and Columbia River Railroad (reporting mark CSCD) is a short line railroad that interchanges with BNSF Railway in Wenatchee, Washington and runs north to Oroville. The former Burlington Northern W-O Branch was purchased by the RailAmerica Corporation in September 1996.[2] Genesee & Wyoming later acquired the railroad in late 2012.

This line from Wenatchee to Oroville was built in 1914 by the Great Northern Railway[3] to link the main line at Wenatchee to the Washington & Great Northern/Vancouver, Victoria & Eastern (Canada) line at Oroville.[citation needed]

The railroad line follows the Columbia River Valley north from Wenatchee to the Okanogan River Valley and north to Oroville, just north of where the Smilkameen River joins the Okanogan River.

Commodities hauled on the railroad consist mainly of timber products, as well as limestone. CSCD moved around 5,200 carloads in 2008.[1]

[conrail98]

This intrigues me:

The Cascade and Columbia River Railroad (reporting mark CSCD) is a short line railroad that interchanges with BNSF Railway in Wenatchee, Washington and runs north to Oroville. The former Burlington Northern W-O Branch was purchased by the RailAmerica Corporation in September 1996.[2] Genesee & Wyoming later acquired the railroad in late 2012.

This line from Wenatchee to Oroville was built in 1914 by the Great Northern Railway[3] to link the main line at Wenatchee to the Washington & Great Northern/Vancouver, Victoria & Eastern (Canada) line at Oroville.[citation needed]

The railroad line follows the Columbia River Valley north from Wenatchee to the Okanogan River Valley and north to Oroville, just north of where the Smilkameen River joins the Okanogan River.

Commodities hauled on the railroad consist mainly of timber products, as well as limestone. CSCD moved around 5,200 carloads in 2008.[1]

Chuck, Bob Sprague did a layout plan on this shortline and it was published in Model Railroader with information about the line. You can see it here and here,

Phil

[Kevin C]

Nice work Kevin.  Don't forget to add lots of fallen timber.  It is a detail that really makes that kind of forest scene and is easy to do. 

Thanks Scott. A small detail I have overlooked up to now.

At least in 1994 you won't have to build the "Electric Shop" building at Appleyard.  It was destroyed in the 1974 explosion:

I read the attached article and am amazed at the amount of damage caused by this tragedy.

Maybe you can work this into your ops scheme as the concept dates from the mid 90's.
http://www.progressiverailroading.com/shippers/news/Washington-officials-to-update-State-Grain-Trains-business-plan--47916?

Blazeman. I have so far acquired all six of the "Grain Train" ACF 3 Bay covered hoppers that Micro Trains have released. I have also reserved three "Grain Train" 4750 cu ft 3 Bay rib side hoppers that Intermountain will be releasing later this year. There was an article about this many years ago which I came across. It definitely will be an interesting feature to include in an ops session on a layout of this area. 

 

Love seeing the plans evolve and grow. Nice layout concept.

Thank You Peter.

[nkalanaga]

We were camping in the Methow Valley, north of Wenatchee, when the explosion occurred.  Little radio reception where we were, so no news, until we got back to Wenatchee.  We stopped somewhere, gas, food, i don't remember, at the north end of town, and the first thing I noticed was the newspaper in its vending box.  I still have that one at the bottom of a pile of papers in my closet.  Leaving town, the highway crossed the Columbia River just north of Appleyard, and there was still smoke from the surrounding area.  From the East Wenatchee side the yard is easily visible, and the damage was obvious.  Most of the hill to the southwest of the yard was burned, and one could see fire damage on the East Wenatchee side, where burning debris had crossed the river.  Some of it made it across the highway into the residential areas, including one report of a roughly 3 foot piece of rail going through a house roof.

Looking at your Google map, the through route, State 28, is up the east side, crossing the river at the north end of Wenatchee.  That route wasn't available in the 70s, as there was no highway bridge across the Columbia at the north end.

Trivia:  The old highway bridge, just to the north of the current south-end (George Sellars) bridge, now carries an irrigation canal and bike trail.  The story has it that the bridge was paid for by James J. Hill, of the GN, on the condition that it be built strong enough for a streetcar line.  None ever ran over it, but the extra strength has allowed the bridge to be repurposed and survive long after most of its contemporaries were scrapped.

[Kevin C]

I am still busy with the scenery on two of the sections of the upper level. Presently I am trying to get the color, texture and weathering of the concrete retaining walls to a point where I am happy with the result. In my mind I still have a way to go. Every spare moment I get is spent searching the internet for photo's that will shout out as the perfect example.

I also received my Grass Tech Static Grass Applicator in the mail on Friday so I started practicing with that today. I have a few small patches done next to the front facia on each side of the retaining wall. The photo's do not show the detail very well. I hope to get some decent photo's done in the not too distant future with a good quality camera.

This is where I am up to now.