| Posted by SES on January 26, 2023 | |
Great to see part of this once large branch line still operating today. This line also was once used by the Milwaukee Road thru trackage rights from Renton to Sumas. It was part of a concession with the ICC for the Milwaukee to reach a connection with Canadian Pacific RR after the BN merger in 1970 to help them compete and not be at such a huge disadvantage to the new merger. The line also helped the Milwaukee reach its own feeder trackage around Bellingham. Before the agreement, the Milwaukee had to route the Bellingham local from Tacoma to Cedar Falls, then backtrack Northwest to Monroe to reach these same points.
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| Posted by Dan I. on January 26, 2023 | |
When I drove a truck until a few years ago, Stella-Jones was one my pick-up points for either lumber or utility poles. Seems like every time I went to the place, there was always centerbeams, polecars, flatbeds, or boxcars at the lumber part and the large pole yard which at the back of the complex. Occasionally I would see the BNSF switchers doing their thing switching the railcars in and out of the place.
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Good stuff SES and Dan I. Would have loved to see the Milwaukees then but if I did I was too young to remember. Also to see the last of the NP EMD FTs in the late 60s hauling 80-100 car drags between Auburn and Sumas would have been pretty cool.
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