0.2.3 Operational Theme

 Era. Summer 1955

Concept. The Western Washington Short Line ('Whistle') is a small class 3 railroad located in the Olympic Peninsula region of Washington State. The WWSL originates and forwards natural resources, (stone, wood products and coal) to markets east and south. Most traffic originates from two private industrial lines: the Olympic Peninsula Logging Company (OPLC) in the north and the Saginaw Timber Company (STC) in the south. The WWSL interchanges with the class 1 railroads Northern Pacific Railway at Montesano Washington and the Milwaukee Road and the Union Pacific Railroad at Preachers Slough, Washington. 

Stations.

Brady (BR). Brady is simulated by a staging area. Its main function is to stage the NP transfers which come from Hoquiam, Washington to work the interchange tracks at Montesano.

Montesano (SM). Montesano is the division point and headquarters for the WWSL. 

 

Demaine Yard (DE). Main yard for the WWSL. SM has a two track arrival and departure yard, a three track classification yard. Yardmaster classifies North and Southbound WWSL trains, Class 1 transfers, and picks up and delivers cars at local industrial spurs.

1^st Subdivision

Schafer Prairie (HE). Passing siding.

Camp 1 (CA). Location of OPLC Camp 1 which maintains engine servicing facility and 2 track log reload facility. Passing siding. Interchange with OPLC.

 

Headquarters (HQ). 

 

OPLC (OP). Location of OPLC sawmill operations, consisting of two track arrival departure yard, one track millpond, one track sawmill, one track chipping mill, dry kilns, one track planing mill, locomotive servicing area and turntable. Interchange with OPLC.

Basalt (BS). Location of Northwestern Portland Cement quarry, consisting of  two track crushing plant facility.

 

Coal Grove (CG). Location of O.King Coal mine, washing and loading operation. 2 tracks for mine loading by grade, supply track. Scale track, RIP track (OPLC). Location of OPLC Camp 1 which maintains engine servicing facility and 2 track log reload facility. Western Washington Power Company plant spur. Interchange with OPLC.

 

Reload (RE).  Location of OPLC Camp 11 and reload. 2 track log reload facility. Interchange with OPLC.

2^nd SubDivision

Chehelis River (CR). WWSL crossing of the Chehelis River.

 

Preachers Slough (PS)  Its main function is to stage the MILW and UP interchange tracks. Passing siding. Location of one track spur to Y. Knott Lumber Company tie treatment plant and Cascade Pole.

Wickwood (WK). Location of American Pulp and Paper Mill and the Clemons Logging Company. Two track yard, RIP track, joint WWSL/OPLC/CLC locomotive repair facility. Western Washington Power Company plant spur. Team track. Engine servicing facility. Interchange with CLC.

Industries.

The Pacific Northwest is a large producer of wood products such as lumber, pulp, paper and specialized building products. Most of the industries on this layout are based on actual industries located on the Olympic Peninsula, which hopefully will provide an authentic feel. The industries are:

O. King Coal Company.  Coal is mined and shipped in hopper and gondola cars to power plants and major industries located in Aberdeen, Hoquiam, Centralia and Olympia Washington.

Olympic Peninsula Lumber Company, Dimensional umber is produced at this mill and shipped in boxcars and flat cars. Peelers are shipped to veneer and plywood plants located in Aberdeen, Hoquiam, Centralia and Olympia Washington.

Northwestern Portland Cement Company. Sand and gravel is quarried crushed and shipped in hoppers, covered hoppers, gondolas and boxcars to the cement plant in Tacoma, Washington and distributors in the Northwest.

American Mill Company. This mill produces corrugated paper for paper bag and corrugated box manufacturing operations. The paper, both rolls and bales, are shipped by boxcars. The mill requires chemicals in tank cars and covered hoppers and wood chips in boxcars gondolas and hoppers.

Burn-Moore Coal Company. Coal will be delivered in hopper cars for distribution locally by truck.

Planck Lumber Company. Boxcars and flat cars will carry the dimensional lumber to this local distributor.

Caster Oil Company. Fuels delivered in tank cars and lubricants in boxcars for distribution locally by truck.

Buyher Propane Gas.  Propane delivered in tank cars for distribution locally by truck.

Cascade Pole Company. Large timbers and poles shipped in gondolas and flat cars.

Y. Knott Lumber Company. Gondolas and flat cars will carry dimensional lumber and poles from this mill for wood preservation treatment. Tank cars will deliver wood treatment chemicals.

Miracle Building Supply Company. Building materials will be delivered in boxcars and flatcars for distribution locally by truck.

Traffic Patterns.

1^st Subdivision. Traffic pattern is primarily empties in and loads out for coal lumber and stone. Some lumber moves northbound from Headquarters to Coal Grove for weighing. OPLC logging trains between Coal Grove and Headquarters based on trackage rights.

2^nd Subdivision. Traffic pattern is primarily loads in and empties out for paper mill and power plant. CLC chip train from CLC main line to chip spur.

Interchange yard. Transfer runs from SM yard to NP, MILW and UP interchange tracks and vice versa.

 

Traffic mix.

WWSL operates 5 days per week, and moves about 50 carloads a day. Yard switchers, Transfers and Way freights (Turns). 

OPLC operates 5 days per week and moves 30 carloads a day. Yard switcher and logging trains.

CLC operates 5 days per week and moves about 30 carloads a day. Yard switcher.

NP, MILW, and UP operate 6 days per week and move about 50  carloads a day. Transfer runs.

 

Motive Power. The Northern Pacific Railway, the Milwaukee Road and the Union Pacific Railroad utilize first generation diesel-electric locomotives. The WWSL uses electric locomotives and the Olympic Peninsula Logging Company and Clemmons Logging Company continue to operate steam locomotives.

Number of operators. One to five operators.