The Whistlestop
Newsletter of the
Great Northwestern Railway
Volume 1, Number 4 December 30 2004
GNW Develops Downtown Area!
The
Great Northwestern announced this week the line has finished rough grading for
roadways and rail with key downtown area industries. The railway now serves a major machine shop
as well as completed the Del Monte canning factory spur. Additionally, the railway has gained access
to the prized warehouse district. Work
is proceeding on roadway construction including curb and gutters on major
highways.
A
key element of the expansion was extensive grading. “Grading of the property was fairly easy as
the ground seems to come off and lay down in sheets,” stated the Railway’s
chief civil engineer. “We were able to
simply build up or cut down what we needed, wherever we needed it.
Downtown residents and
business owners of the area are also excited about the progress. “Up to now, our property was anything but
stable. With the Railway done with this
grading, we can finally get settled into our own property lines.” This jubilation was echoed by the placement
of buildings and sidewalks throughout the downtown area over the Christmas
holiday. “The place is getting right
comfortable to live in,” commented a local store owner.
The
machine shop is served by a 2-track lead.
Del Monte is a single track spur that actually drops some 7’ in
elevation. And finally, the warehouse
district is elevated above the main by some 7 feet, and is served by a single
track spur. Goals for the coming months
are to complete the Sand Creek area and push the line to points south.
Still,
some are not happy. The GNW received an
unsolicited letter last week stating:
“What’s up with this pink ground?!
Buildings, trucks, cars…all look normal.
And then we have pink ground!
What is this, some kind of fairy land?!”
GNW officials failed to give specifics, but indicated the solution is at
hand.
