Steam & Excursion > Not The Usual Place You Expected To See A Passenger Train!

In yesterday's post I showed the Northern Pacific passenger excursion train that came to Shelton, Washington on May 15, 1938. Here is that same train earlier in the day after it arrived at Camp 3 on the Simpson Logging Co. railroad behind Simpson's 90-ton Baldwin Mike #3. Harold A. Hill was along and took this fine image of #3 at Camp 3.

One of the thrills experienced by the passengers was the trip across the huge Vance Creek Bridge on the way up to Camp 3. The second photo is by Al Farrow who took this fine view of South Fork of the Skokomish bridge just past Camp 3 on the trip that day.

A full NP passenger train up into the woods on a logging railroad behind one of the steam logging lokies - that was a trip for the books!

Martin



Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 06/17/17 17:05 by LoggerHogger.

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Nice images! I first learned of that bridge from an old issue of Trains magazine. I forget how high above the creek it is, from memory something above 400 ft. Nice to see a photo that shows the structure so well, most others I have seen are treed in. There is a video on youtube of a Blackhawk helicopter hovering under the bridge while performing a rescue!

Mike N.

Hell of a bridge for a logging railroad.

Helo-Mech Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nice images! I first learned of that bridge from
> an old issue of Trains magazine. I forget how high
> above the creek it is, from memory something above
> 400 ft. Nice to see a photo that shows the
> structure so well, most others I have seen are
> treed in. There is a video on youtube of a
> Blackhawk helicopter hovering under the bridge
> while performing a rescue!
>
> Mike N.

The bridge is now listed at 347 feet, not sure how accurate it is. I think the Blackhawk rescue you saw was at what's known as the Steel Bridge, just down the road from Vance creek. The footage of that rescue is incredible, even more so when you see the area in person. Pilot was interviewed on the news shortly after, he was quite young, and absolutely cool as a cucumber.

Cheers, Dave

They really cleaned up #3 for the trip; looks great. Amazing that these photos are still around from that time period for us to enjoy today.

I don't pretend to be any expert on stem; but I look forward to your photos and stories that make the history come alive. I'm sure everyone here appreciates your posts.

Brian N.

Photo of Camp 3 at this link. Camp 3 is about a mile or s0 south of the Steel Bridge. I was at the bridge when the helo flew under. I dont think they will do that again.

http://digitalcollections.lib.washington.edu/cdm/ref/collection/clarkkinsey/id/1704

Great photos Martin!
Roger B

I take exception to photo #2 being the Vance Creek bridge. It is actually the South Fork of the Skokomish bridge just a half-mile above Camp 3 (365' high).

Pete

Thanks Pete, you would know. I wonder if Al walked up to catch this shot of the bridge.

Martin