The Whistlestop
Newsletter
of the
Great
Northwestern Railway
Volume
1, Number 6 April
25, 2005
Sand Creek
is “Flowing” with Business!
Warm
Springs Downtown Growing!
New businesses flourish with rail
service. Railroad turns first quarter
profits.
Regular local and interchange
trains are making their impacts in the local community, not only with the noise
of the engines, but with the ring of the cash register!
The Great Northwestern,
having pushed its rails south into the Sand Creek industrial area, has
completed several spurs to serve local industries. And the result is not only a better bottom
line for their business, but also for the railway.
“We are not sure where they
get all the stuff we are shipping in and out for them, but we sure move a lot
of freight for them,” remarked one of the engineers running the local trains.
This journalist was able to
ride along on one of the local trains.
This photo essay shares the news!
Our locomotive is the ol’ reliable
SW-1500 1715. Here we see it making up
our train.
One of GNW’s hacks, a bay window
caboose, will be our quarters for the trip.
We arrived at Sand Creek Industrial Area
shortly after receiving clearance.
(Very shortly)
After cutting the caboose off, the
SW-1500 drops off the cars at the Sand Creek area shippers.
The warehouse district is set well
behind the main
and is accessed by a separate spur
further down the line.
After returning to Warm Springs, we saw
the progress in the Downtown Warm Springs area.
It appears someone cried “fire” in a
crowded theater.
We got back in time to see one of the
local commuter trains pulling out….
…and were able to catch it as it raced
through Sand Creek!
We could hear the rails pop as they warm
in the summer sun.
For all the growth, however,
it seems there is a decided lack of population.
“While there are people talking, no one seems to be around!” A quick survey revealed the truth of that
statement. “A city has to have citizens,
by golly,” remarked the mayor, “even if I have to glue them here myself.”
GNW officials shared the
mayor’s concern. Although there were
rumors there were “boxes” of people ready to be resettled, they did not seem to
appear in time for this newsletter release.
