The Whistlestop
Newsletter of the
Great Northwestern Railway
Volume 1, Number 3 December 14, 2004
Warm Springs Yard
Nearing Completion!
The
Great Northwestern announced this week the Warm Springs Yard is essentially
complete. The yard features a 3-track
classification yard, a 2-track passenger yard and an inbound/outbound
track. Also included in the construction
is a 2-track engine facility, plus a Repair In Place (RIP) track. “This will become the hub for the GNW,”
stated a senior planning officer of the Railway. “From here we will be able to serve local
industries, interchange with the SP and other railways, and maintain our
equipment.”
The railway made the announcement knowing full and well there is much still to be done. The tracks still require ballast, as well as the dirt the ballast is supposed to be on.
As a part of this opening, the region will see the first
“heavy rail” commuter service since the
The
GNW plans to continue its expansion to the south, and it is expected commuter
service will soon reach some of the local communities.
Motive Power Arrives!
The Great Northwestern announced this week the first two
locomotives arrived on-site this week. The
first, a leased GP-35 from the Southern Pacific, allowed the railroad to test
the yard and associated service tracks as soon as they were completed. “The geep is a bit heavy for our lines right
now, but it gives us a lot of 
flexibility.”
The unit, rated at 2500 HP, required modification prior to placement in service on the line. Decoder chips required installation to operate on the railway’s system. “Of course, the SP required us to install the Mars lights per the SP’s specifications. “Kind of a pain, but there is no question about the pedigree of that power!”
The second unit is a 1500 HP SW-1500, the railways first GNW owned unit on the property. “This unit also required modification, but we installed the standard rotating beacon for safety on this engine.” The railway officials reported great pleasure with the new equipment, claiming they are finally a viable railroad. “Hey, when you can actually move something, it is a great day.”
GNW Reaches Sand Creek!
The Great Northwestern announced this week they have completed the line up to Sand Creek. This allows us to start serving two of our biggest customers: Del Monte and the machine shop. The new customers of the GNW reported jubilation that they finally will not have to truck everything out. “The railway makes shipping our preserves a ‘sweet deal’,” said a representative from Del Monte.
Opponents of the railroad still argue the new line is a waste. “It still does not go anywhere,” said one resident, “and I am still not happy with the pink ground. Now we have a pink creek-bed. What is this world coming to?” GNW officials have assure residents that this concern will soon be addressed.
