Station 1 - Brady (BJ)

Location.

 
Brady is (was) a farming community, formerly a logging town, four miles northeast of Montesano in southeast Grays Harbor County on the Satsop River. In 1917, the name Brady was given by Northern Pacific Railroad Company in honor of Emily Brady, from whom a right-of-way had been acquired. Earlier names were Woods (Wood’s) Crossing and Juno (not to be confused with Juno in Whitman County, Wash.

History.

Brady was home to the Schafer Brothers Logging Company. They had a 8 track logging yard located north of the NP main line, a main line that ran north into the timber, an automated crossing of the NP main, and a spur that ran south to a two track log dump adjacent to the Chehelis river where log rafts were constructed and then floated down to sawmills in Hoquiam/Aberdeen Wash.

The Northern Pacific employee timetables listed a 75 car siding at Montesano, Washington, located downtown at the depot. They also list a 10 car commercial spur at Brady for interchange with the Shaefer Logging Company, however the plat map of Brady does not show it clearly.







The alternate history expands this location from a commercial siding and controlled crossing to a junction. The junction consists of the NP main line, the WWSL main line and a NP controlled crossing of the NP main line. A separate track would act as an interchange lead track to a multi-track interchange yard. 

Operations. 

By convention and law, a railroad wanting to cross over another railroad at grade would be responsible for operating the junction and paying the annual operating costs, (maintenance and personnel costs). Originally the NP had an automated crossing at Brady. With additional traffic over the crossing based on the alternative history, a junction tower would be established at Brady Junction to control the junction. That tower and its corresponding equipment would be built and maintained by the WWSL.

Design Considerations.

This module opens up alot of opportunities in its design. It is a real place, it serves as the main interaction point with the outside world (in particular the Northern Pacific Railway), and it is the one point that actually has signalling!

I have decided to attempt to render the NP portion of the module as best as possible. This means I should if possible include:

1. Olympic Highway (selectively compressed) behind treeline.
2. NP boundary fence - 4 strand wire 
3. NP Main Line with non-operational Semaphore Signals. The NP main line would be non-operational, it can be used as a photo-staging location for freight locomotives and rolling stock. 

For the WWSL portion I want to include a (one way) operational junction per prototype practices. His would include: 

1. WWSL Main Line with operational Dwarf Signals that crosses the NP main line.
2. An interchange track at Brady Junction that connects with the NP Main Line headed east.
3. A interchange yard. This is the holding area that collects all interchange traffic between the NP and the WWSL and can be used as a storage yard for unassigned empty cars. The yard consists of 6 visible stub-ended tracks and two transversers. Each track is four feet long and can hold 6 cars.
4. A coach yard.

Track Plan

(place holder)


Roadway.
 

• NP right of way. I know in my heart that the NP roadway was relaxed standards at best in the mid 1950's. However I think I will portray the NP right of way as well maintained branch line track. I will give an example of Class 1 roadway to operators and visitors that will show the difference between Class 1 and Class 3 track.
• WWSL right of way - second class standard (built in 1935)
• Interchange yard - third class (dirt)
• Passing Track - second class standard

Cantenary/Signaling

• (C) Cantenary on main line, interchange yard lead and wired coach storage track.
• (S) NP Main Line with Semaphore Signals
• (S) WWSL Main Line at junction with Dwarf Signals.
• (S) WWSL Dispatcher will act as the WWSL Towerman for purposes of signaling. Signal system will be activated through DCC accessory decoder.

Scenery. 

 

Topographical maps of the Brady area show a wide range of moderate hills north of the Northern Pacific main track. I googled Brady Washington and found that the area was mostly flat with distant hills in the background. I will be paint the background so it looks something like this:




 

If you have never traveled the Tacoma - Centralia WA area you wouldn't know that Mount Ranier (an extinct volcano) is such as visible landmark for a large number of miles. When in the service at Fort Lewis I  lived in the Bachelor Officers Quarters), I had a 'get out of bed morning view' of the Mount Ranier. Mount Ranier can be seen from the Montesano area and I will use this picture as a painting guide for the east end of the interchange yard backdrop.

Locomotives. The NP motive power at Hoquium in 1955 was a GP7.  I am not sure the specific number stationed there but some research will allow me to model the locomotive for layout photography purposes.

Rolling Stock. The NP used cabooses at the end of their locals. I have identified two cabooses stationed at Hoquium - 1522 and 1663, each a different type, so I will model both for layout photography purposes

Structures.

 

Structures located at this station will include:

• Junction tower
• Junction signalling equipment
• MOW sheds
• Coach yard service facilities
• Car inspection facilities

 

PRINT REFERENCES

Montesano area topographic 1940

Northern Pacific Employee Timetable and Special Instructions

 

Brady Plat map