September 1959
September 23 NO HELPER ON Hill - Test Runs for a while
October 1959
October 2 6 - GP-9 units handled 56-35 4900 -- Single
Train Wenatchee to Skykomish. Single. See attached from Gaynor
SKYKOMISH OCT 2 59
RHS WBJ TWM - SEATTLE
REPORT ON EX WEST 711 WITH ENG 711-30-18-14-12-23 ENGR FROST
56 LOADS AND 35 MTYS REGISTER TONS 4900. RAIL CONDITION GOOD
ALL THE WAY DRAG SPEED ON CHUMSTICK 16.8 MPH MPH ON 2.2% START OUT
OF MERRITT PASS TRACK MAX SPEED AT FOOT OF GRADE 29 MPH AND IN
FIVE MINS MOMENTUM RUN OUT AND SPEED SETTLES DOWN TO DRAG SPEED
12.8 MPH AT WHICH SPEED UNITS ALL BEGAN TO SLIP ON DRY RAIL AT
875 AMPS LOSING SPEED TO 11.6 MPH SANDERS WERE USED ALL THE WAY
UP HILL AND DRAG SPEED 12.8 MPH HELD. BAD SLIPPING ON ALL CURVES.
IF RAIL CONDITION HAD BEEN LESS THAN PERFECT SLIP DOWN OR BROKEN
DBS [drawbars] WOULD RESULT. THIS TRAIN TESTED OUT BOTH ON 1.6 PER AND
2.2% AS 4750 TONS. MAX TRAIL HEAVY SMOKE AND GAS IN TUNNELS ON CHUMSTICK
GAYNOR . . . 950AM.
July 1972
July 18 88-18 Hopman & Craig 6601 6634 6485
47-34 4968 Helper Skykomish-Leavenworth
77-13 Stuart & McCulloch CS904 CS914 6518
38-72 4822 Helper Leavenworth-Skykomish
83-15 McGaha & Nye 6639 6448 6446 9861
47-25 5200 Helper Cashmere-Skykomish
July 19 88-19 Galbreath & Beale 6518 CS914 CS904
62-19 5037 Helper Skykomish-Leavenworth
2/81WE-19 Woitte & Toico 6334 6525 6303
26-57 4346 Helper Leavenworth-Skykomish
83-16 Holevas & Dootson 6451 6428 6305
36-63 4856 Helper Leavenworth-Skykomish
July 20 88-20 McKinnon & Mason 6488 6564 6543
67-17 5015 Helper Skykomish-Cashmere
2/81WE-20 Stuart & Abdo 5743 6487 2519
37-30 5320 Helper Cashmere-Skykomish
83-17 Gorman & Noble 5744 5756 6609 9853
46-64 6169 Helper Cashmere-Skykomish
Broke Drawbar EJE 72031 MP 1695.5 East of Berne
2/130-20 Woitte & Park CS868 6411 6390
42-16 5650 Helper Skykomish-Cashmere
August 1972
August 29 Three unit pusher tests (1797-805-1826)
88-29 Eng 6501 6621 6532 6459 Holt & G. Leu
69-39 5980 Helper Engr Williams
2/81WE-29 Eng 5762 5712 5746 5702 Dead In Multiple Pick up 5750 Cashmere
Frost & Frost 56-32 6206 helper Engr Williams
2/130-29 Eng 6679 6305 6415 6489 McGaha & RJ Smith
49-28 6010 Helper Engr Moser (2513 vs 1797)
83-26 Eng 6541 6491 6447 pick up 6489 Cashmere Scalf & Nicklen
53-67 6186 Helper Engr Moser (2513 vs 1797)
1/130-30 Eng 6633 5318 6439 6337 Durler & Vaughn
36-59 6145 Helper Engr Henderson
83-27 Eng 6486 6630 6618 6337 Woitte & Worthington
67-34 6478 Helper Engr Witler
1/88-31 Eng 6337 6618 6630 6631 Galbraith & Mirabelli
65-29 6190 Helper Engr Henderson
December 1972
December 6 2/82-7 Eng 6643 6517 6450 6631 with
73-1 6300 solid train of pulp from
Wards Cove destined eastern points
left Interbay 610pm Arrived wenatchee 1210am
got 3 unit pusher helper at Sky
October 1973
October 29 Helper Service discontinued
Between Wenatchee and Skykomish
November 1973
November 3 One helper eng re-established Westbound
Only on a temporary basis.
On Nov 2nd had the following tonnage
on hand: Interbay 10-12 1100 Gavin
63-166 10050 East Shorts
Delta 94-5 7575 Gavin
61-78 8337 East Short
November 7 One helper engine re-established
Westbound train only on a
permanent basis. Eastbound
train continue to run single.
December 1973
December 4 Second helper re-established on the
hill. Sections of Train 130 only
to Be furnished helper. Primary
symbols continue to be run single.
December 14 Helper No 188 & No 88 - Looks
like will revert to helping
everything except No 82 as
previously done.
November 1974
November 4 Test train 2/83-2
Condr Rhodes & Engr Sutherland 35-39 4500
Eng 6400 6917 CS924 849 1799
Dynamometer car B-10 Behind engine
Single train
Wenatchee 345pm
Leavenworth 420pm
Merritt 510pm
Berne 530pm
Scenic 600pm
Sky 630pm
November 5 Test Train - Single 52-13 4365
Condr Fox Engr Craig
Eng 6913 CS919 CS923 6539 1770
Sky 858am
Scenic 935am
Berne 1010am
November 23 97-21 with test units 2092 2090 2089 2091
Palella & RJ Smith with 60-8 4223
Left Wenatchee 640pm arrived Interbay 125am
No exceptions noted up 2.2 grade
Further advice reveals down to 8-10 MPH & in red
November 25 82-25 with test units 2098 2089 2090 2091
& Car B-1 Condr Clarke Engr Zybura with
38-35 4076 stalled at MP 1725.6
about 7 miles east of Skykomish.
Backed into Sky & got helper engine
December 1975
December 15 Standard operation will to shove Westbound
with 1100 ton Buffer but to cut in
eastbound trailing 2100 tons & No Buffer
except must have short car Between
Helper & any long car directly ahead.
October 1976
October 13 Test train to check engine air
intake temperatures in Cascade Tunnel
1/130-12 Eng 6487 6606 6521 1799
Helper Eng 1426 803 1797
61-24 5948
1 Left Scenic 120pm Arrive Berne 155pm - 1 Fan Helper throttle 6
Left Berne 320pm Arrive Scenic 355pm
2 Left Scenic 455pm Arrive Berne 530pm - 2 Fans Helper throttle 6
Left Berne 715pm Arrive Scenic 745pm
3Left Scenic 920pm Arrive Berne 1000pm - 1 or 2 Fans Helper throttle 8
Left Berne 715pm Arrive Scenic 745pm
4Left Scenic 1150pm Arrive Berne 1230am - Helper take air
from running board level - Helper unit
1797 failed on 4th trip thru tunnel
November 1976
November 10 Test train to further check ventilating system in
Cascade Tunnel: 1-130IB-10 - 6496 - 2514 - 6616 - 6435
Helpr - 1789 - 807 - 1795.
1 Hi speed Test - 5300 tons - Trn Eng 8th throttle - Helpr - 6th throttle
Bay 11 reduced Trn Eng to 7 acct Hot Eng alarm - Bay 5 - alarm
off - increased to 8. Speeds varied 16 MPH to 20 MPH.
2 5800 Tons - Trn Eng 8th throttle - Helpr 6th throttle
Bay 13 - Hot Eng alarm - reduced Trn Eng to 7. Bay 6 - Alarm off -
increased to 8. Speeds varied 14 MPH - 18 MPH.
3 5800 Tons - Trn Eng 6 throttle - Helper Eng 6th throttle
No over heating. Speeds varied 11 mph - 13 mph
Record of final test not received. train departed Interbay 625AM -
Arrive Wenatchee 1005pm. Dog Catch Crew from Interbay to Scenic by Taxi &
relieved crew returned to Interbay.
February 1977
February 15 Test runs to up-date analysis of diesel
smoke inside Cascade Tunnel:
88-15 Condr Scalf Engr Noble
Eng 6918 803 6628 6485
with 77-5 5780
Helper Engr Busk & Bookwalter
Engine 1771 801 1799
Sky 728-938AM
Scenic 1115-1140AM Meet 83 & Flush
Berne 1225-220PM No 3 & Flush
Scenic 245-430PM Dog Caught By Fresh
Crew from Interbay
Berne 525PM
Wenatchee 710PM
Broke Knuckle at MP 1725.5
5 miles east of Skykomish
September 1977
September 27 No 74 Back to Helper - train
operation
September 28 No 82 Helper - train 5000 ton limit
September 29 Helper Engs Can shove on long cars
provided they are cut in at
full rated tonnage
Covered By Bulletin No 109

Transcription of the Great Northern Railway Seattle Chief Dispatcher's diary Copyright 1998 Thomas A White

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