THE OFFICIAL WEBPAGE
OF ROBERT D. WEST
On April 16, 2005, in order to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the club, the membership of the Longview, Kelso & Rainier Model Railroad Club rode the Weyerhaeuser Woods Railroad from the Weyerhaeuser Mill in Longview, Washington to the "Weyerhaeuser Regional Landfill Facility," or simply "Landfill," 17 miles away and back. The Longview Daily News even covered the event, albeit a month after it happened. You can view the Daily News article by clicking here. The train consisted of six locomotives (All EMD SW1500s) and three cabooses. Yes, the train was a little overpowered.
The Weyerhaeuser Woods Railroad is one of the last logging railroads in the US. It does not actually carry logs anymore; instead it carries rough-cut lumber and wood chips from the Green Mountain Mill near Toutle, Washington to Longview, and garbage from Longview to Landfill. Washington's actual last log-carrying railroad was the Simpson Timber line operating out of Shelton, but aside from a few miles between the Shelton mill and a log sorting yard, the Simpson operation has been abandoned, so the way I see it, Weyerhaeuser's Longview "Woods Line" is the last logging line, even if there aren't any actual logs on it anymore.
The map below shows the route of the trip, in yellow. The Weyerhaeuser Woods Railroad actually continues east from Landfill to the Green Mountain Mill near Toutle (Toutle is just off the map, to the northwest of Silver Lake), and though I didn't show that part of the route on the map, it is still in operation. The trip to Landfill starts at the Weyerhaeuser Mill in Longview on the Columbia River, circles around the city of Longview and parallels the West Side Highway north before crossing over the bridge over the Cowlitz River, going around Rocky Point, and following Ostrander Creek into the woods. There's a tunnel on the line, plus lots of small bridges and waterfalls, making for a beautiful trip. The round trip took about three hours.
First, here is the consist of the train, on the Weyerhaeuser Mill Site in Longview, ready to depart. The consist order is: Weyerhaeuser Locomotives 305, 302, 306, 312, 308 and 307, Weyerhaeuser Caboose #1, Columbia & Cowlitz Caboose #5 & Weyerhaeuser Caboose #4.
Engine
305. This was the lead engine on the trip to Landfill. I rode in its cab
on the return trip. #305 is an SW1500, acquired used by
Weyerhaeuser in the late 1990s.
Engine
312. This was the 4th engine on the way up. It is an SW1500
Weyerhaeuser acquired used in 1998.
Engine
308. This was the 5th engine on the way up. It is an SW1500,
originally built in June 1972 as Southern Pacific #2659. It was
used on the Manufacturers Junction Railway and the Indiana Harbor Belt
before being acquired by Weyerhaeuser.
Engine
307. This was the trailing engine on the way up. It led on the trip back
down. It is an SW1500, built new for Weyerhaeuser in December
1972.
Engine
306, the 3rd engine going up. The 2nd unit, 302, is behind a building. I
got it later at HQ. #306 is an SW1500, built new for Weyerhaeuser
in May 1968.
Weyerhaeuser
caboose 1, The lead caboose going up. I rode in this caboose on the trip
up. It was originally built in 1980 for use on Weyerhaeuser's
Oregon, California & Eastern Railroad based out of Klamath Falls.
It was transferred to Longview in 1991 after the OC&E shut down.
Caboose
5 actually belongs to Weyerhaeuser's other Longview railroad, Columbia &
Cowlitz. It was in the middle of the group of cabooses. The
Columbia & Cowlitz was incorporated on April 9, 1925, and was built from
1926-1928. While the Weyerhaeuser Woods Railroad serves only
Weyerhaeuser facilities, and generally does not interchange equipment
with other railroads, the Columbia & Cowlitz interchanges with the
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad at Rocky Point, and serves
customers such as NORPAC, Solvay Interox & Northwest Freight Car, in
addition to Weyerhaeuser's Longview Mill. In addition to this
caboose, Columbia & Cowlitz owns 3 locomotives and about 1500 freight
cars. The Columbia & Cowlitz only operates 6.5 miles of track from
Longview, far enough to access Rocky Point Yard. Technically, the
boundary between the two is Ostrander. From there on, the line is
solely operated by the Weyerhaeuser Woods Railroad. In addition to
having separate equipment, the two railroad operations also have
separate groups of employees, even though they share much of the same
track.
Weyerhaeuser
caboose 4. This was the end of the train on the way up. It was
originally built in 1980 for use on Weyerhaeuser's Oregon, California &
Eastern Railroad based out of Klamath Falls. It was transferred to
Longview in 1991 after the OC&E shut down.
The trip begins with the train moving west through the Weyerhaeuser mill. The tracks skirt the north boundary of the mill property, and just on the other side of the fence are the tracks of another railroad, the Longview Switching Company. Longview Switching was once known as the Longview, Portland & Northern Railway. The LP&N was owned by International Paper. Like Weyerhaeuser, International Paper owned its own railroads. The original LP&N went from Longview north to Ryderwood, but was later cut back to operation between Longview and a connection to the Northern Pacific (now BNSF) at Longview Junction. As International Paper built more mills in other parts of the northwest, they built more railroads as well, and all these railroads were part of the LP&N. When International Paper's Longview Mill closed, the railroad, which still served other customers, was sold to become Longview Switching. Today there is no operating LP&N; the last of International Paper's railroad operations was at Gardiner, on the Oregon Coast.
Just on the other side of the Longview Switching tracks is Industrial Way. Eventually, the Weyerhaeuser tracks turn north, crossing first the Longview Switching tracks, and then Industrial Way.
A
view of part of the Weyerhaeuser Mill as we cross Industrial Way,
looking west. Weyerhaeuser was invited to Longview in May 1924 by
the Long-Bell Lumber Company, a competitor, to add jobs to the city.
Weyerhaeuser purchased 700 acres in 1926 for a lumber mill, and started
construction in 1927. The mill began operating in 1929.
Since then, the size of the mill has increased considerably, while
Long-Bell, the company that created Longview in 1923, has since faded
into history.
Just after crossing Industrial Way, one of Columbia & Cowlitz's customers, Northwest Freight Car, is on the east side of the tracks. The railroad crosses Washington Way, and forms a border between a residential area to the east, and the developing industrial area known as the Mint Farm to the west.
Just before reaching the Ocean Beach Highway, the railroad passes by some apartments. One of these is the home to an elderly woman who makes a point to wave to every train that passes. Even in the dark, she comes out with a flashlight. The Weyerhaeuser Company has noticed her efforts, and invited her to a safety dinner as thanks for her support.
The railroad crosses the Ocean Beach Highway (Washington State Highway #4) at an angle as it turns west to parallel the highway just out of sight behind Fred Meyers, Safeway, Sinnett's Market Place, and numerous other businesses and homes. Near the Catlin Cemetary, the railroad turns north again, to parallel the Cowlitz River and the West Side Highway.
A
view of the Cowlitz River as we start up the bridge approach, near an
area known to the train crews as Milco. The West Side Highway
(Washington State Highway #411) is in the foreground.
Approaching
the bridge over the Cowlitz River.
A
better view of the bridge. This bridge was completed in 1926.
The west approach of the bridge was originally a long wooden trestle;
one of the largest in North America. On July 2, 2001, the trestle
caught fire, and about 800 feet of the trestle was destroyed. This
part of the bridge, the part over the river, was not damaged. This
bridge also carries a natural gas line that supplies the Weyerhaeuser
mill.
The
train starting onto the bridge.
The
Cowlitz River from the bridge, with homes on the riverbank, and a train
of autorack cars on the BNSF mainline visible through the trees.
Another
view of the Cowlitz River from the bridge. The Rocky Point railroad yard
is visible on the left. The white smoke in the distance is from
the mills in Longview.
The
freight train heading south on the BNSF main line through the Rocky
Point yard. The Columbia & Cowlitz uses this yard to interchange
cars with the BNSF. At the base of the bridge a spur comes off to
connect to the yard. The Weyerhaeuser Woods Railroad does not use
the yard.
North
Kelso from the bridge, & the end of the freight. On the trestle, the
locomotives of our train were actually directly above the freight train
for a moment.
The
south end of BNSF's Rocky Point Tunnel. Rocky Point is a large
rock outcropping on the east bank of the Cowlitz River. The BNSF
Railroad tunneled through Rocky Point, while the Weyerhaeuser line goes
around, clinging to the edge of the rock.
Ostrander
Creek. From this point on to Headquarters, the route is entirely uphill.
Horses
along the line. In some areas, the railroad passes right by some
small farms and homes; in other areas, it seems isolated deep in the
woods.
The
end of the line, at least for us. This is Landfill. On the way up
we had passed right through Headquarters without stopping, though we
were promised we would stop there before heading back down to give us a
little break. At Landfill, the train was turned with an unusual
technique. The train stopped, just before reaching the siding, the
locomotives cut off and ran ahead, and the switch was thrown for the
siding. I think they were hoping that the cabooses would roll on
their own into the siding, and they could use the hand brakes to stop
them and then couple the locomotives to the other end, but the cabooses
wouldn't roll, so the locomotives came back, gave the cabooses a tug,
and then uncoupled and ran ahead again. The switch was thrown and
the cabooses coasted into the siding, then the locomotives ran back,
backed into the siding and coupled on again for the trip down the hill.
The
view from the caboose of the engines stopped at Headquarters, on the
return trip. At Headquarters the train stopped to give us a chance
to stretch our legs and change seats.
Maintenance
Equipment at Headquarters. Headquarters is the maintenance base of
operation for this part of the railroad. In the past, Headquarters
was much more important than it is today, but it is still an important
facility. Traces of Headquarters' former glory could be seen
around in remaining concrete foundations of buildings long gone.
Speeder
#322. Notice the chrome horns on the roof. Speeders were used on
the Weyerhaeuser Woods Railroad from the beginning. Some speeders
were capable of speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. Speeders were
essential for transporting workers into the woods before logging roads
were built, as well as for getting railroad workers to places along the
line to work on the track.
Larger
Speeder #313, with more chrome horns. Weyerhaeuser takes their speeders
seriously! It even carries welding equipment. This is very large
for a speeder. Speeders have all but disappeared from most
railroads in favor of hi-rail trucks, but Weyerhaeuser still seems to
use them extensively.
Engine
302, the one I couldn't get a photo of in Longview. I was able to get a
photo at Headquarters. It is another SW1500, like the others.
Notice, however, that they are all a little different if you look
closely.
Weyerhaeuser
Woods Railroad herald on the cab of engine #306. Of the 6 engines on the
train, only 306 had a herald like this, though speeder #313 also had
one. This is a very cool herald, so cool I replicated it for use
on the top of this page. Note that the herald includes the words
"Since 1928." The Columbia & Cowlitz was completed in 1928, so the
Weyerhaeuser Woods Railroad built from where the Columbia & Cowlitz left
off. Presumably enough railroad had been built by 1929 to support
the operation of the mill.
From
the cab of #305, the locomotives preparing to leave Headquarters. Note
the yellow speeder in the distance on the siding.
The
impressive view from Headquarters, to the north.
A
glimpse of Silver Lake in the north from Headquarters.
The
train entering the tunnel on the return trip. In both directions,
diesel exhaust is so thick in the tunnel that we were warned to close
all the windows when the train went through the tunnel. Notice
that the tunnel is straight and not particularly long; you can see clear
through it. Also note that the tunnel was originally simply dug
without any kind of concrete liner or portals.
The
train emerging from the tunnel. The tunnel did originally have a
timber liner, and some remnants are visible here. The inside of
the tunnel has caught fire more than once in the past, and today the
inside of the tunnel has been sprayed with a fire proof reinforcing
coating to provide a nonflammable liner.
Passing
under Interstate 5, near the highway's milepost 42. Just on the
other side of the freeway, the railroad crosses over the BNSF and goes
around Rocky Point.
The
Weyerhaeuser Woods Railroad crosses over the BNSF Railroad on a bridge
just north of Rocky Point. The bridge is directly in front of the
north portal of the Rocky Point Tunnel. Here is a view looking
north of BNSF's Main Line, as we cross right over the north portal of
the Rocky Point Tunnel. If you look south from this location,
there is no sign of the BNSF railroad, as it is in the tunnel. An
interesting location.
The
train starting up the big bridge. Notice that some of the old wooden
trestle survived the fire and is still in use. Also notice the
proximity of homes to the trestle. During the fire, a serious
concern was preventing any homes from being destroyed as well.
Many residents found themselves desperately spraying their roofs down
with garden hoses as a defense against the sparks.
Now
the train is on the new part of the bridge. Notice the very different
construction, and the lack of vegetation below, where it was cleared to
rebuild the bridge, and has yet to grow back.
The
train approaching the main span.
Last
picture: the Cowlitz River from the bridge again, looking north this
time. The town of Lexington, Washington is in the background.
Weyerhaeuser Links:
Also See:
PLACES: Kelso-Longview, Washington
'Choo-Choos' Charm Young and Old Alike
All website content, including graphics and pictures are © Robert D. West unless otherwise noted. Content is not to be used out of the context of this webpage without expressed permission. Any opinions expressed herein are mine and are not necessarily shared by the Milwaukee School of Engineering, or anyone else.
Questions? Comments? Critiques? Corrections? Concerns? Email me at westr@msoe.edu.