Looking For Black River Jct. WA State info.

[Capt. Grimek]

I'm proto-freelancing Black River Jct. (Between Tacoma and Seattle WA) especially in the '30s and '40s. Railroad routes/maps through/near the Jct., Photos, histories, etc. The amount I've been able to find online is extremely meager...

Any books written about Black River Jct. (WA) that someone can direct me to?

Thanks, Jim

[DSchmitt]

I asume you have probably seen this site which has some info on the junction

https://blackdiamondhistory.wordpress.com/

The Milwaukee Road electrics ran on Columbia and Puget Sound  rails sound from  Maple Valley to Seattle. 

The book Ships and Narrow Gauge Rails by Gerald M Best has a photo of C&PS 2-8-0 #15 hauling a train under a covered bridge near Black River in 1951.  The Milwaukee Road ovehead is visible. 

The Milwaukee Electrics by Noel T  Holley has a photo of Fairbanks Morse passenger diesel # 6ABC at Black River Jct in 1947

Under Milwaukee Wires by Bill Marvel has four photos taken in the vicnlity of Black River.  Two from 1951 are of Bipolars.  The other two photos also showing electric locomotives are from 1959. 

The Electric Way Across the Mountains by Richard Steinheimer has a photo of a silk train headed by a Bipolar at Black River Junction. There is a photo C&PS 2-6-2 (the loco has a pilot on both ends because there was no way to turn locos at Union Station) shuttling a Milwaukee passenger train between Black River Jct and Seattle before the overhead was completed. There is also a photo of a Bipolar sitting at the Junction waiting for the passenger train to return. There is a one page article about the electrification by Nole T Holley.  THe electrics commenced operating through to Seattle on July 5, 1927.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[train18393]

Have you read the article at www.oil-electric.com? I just accidently came across it looking for something else, and remember you asking, but I had nothing at the time.

Paul

Dayton and Mad River (model) Railroad