Rebuilding the Cowlitz, Chehalis, and Cascade Railway


NWR #200

Irish Expatriate
It has been a while since I've posted here and a very long while since I did any major modeling work. My new layout which is in the works right now is the Cowlitz, Chehalis & Cascade Railway. This was an actual railroad that operated from the early 1900s until May 9, 1955. It's main purpose was to haul logs out of an area known as Winston Creek, South of the present day Mayfield dam in Southwest Washington.

I am going to play god and have the railroad resurected. THE NEW HISTORY: In the early 1950s, the Longbell Lumber Company was taken over by timber giant Weyerhaeuser. The new owners quickly brought the CC&C up to the standards of it's other logging railroad operations in Washington by ordering FM H 10-44s. As on Weyerhaeuser's other line, the Chehalis Western, did in the 1970s, the CC&C purchased two ex-NKP GP-7s rebuilt by Morris Knudson. These replaced the aging FMs.

The expansion of Weyerhaeuser's Longbell Mill in Onalaska, the midpoint of the railroad, in the late 1970s brought increased traffic and an increasing need to aquire new power. The CC&C opted to purchase two brand new EMD GP 38-2. Chehalis Western opted to do the same, accept they purchased a set of four.

With the eruption of Mt. St. Helens in 1981, the Weyehaeuser Woods Line running from Longview into the vast timber regions surrounding the mountain's flanks was faced with a surplus of locomotives. With a nearly all switcher fleet, the Woods line sent an SW-9, #305 (which it aquired new in 1953,) to the CC&C. The new locomotive would be pressed into switching the Chehalis Yard and the interchange with the Burlington Northern.

Today, the CC&C is still a profitable line for the timber giant and will continue to be for quite some time. All five locomotives are still hard at work. Occasionally locomotives are sent to Western Junction, the center of operations and maintenance for the CW, or to CEECO (Coast Engine and Equipment Company) to get major work done. This results in leased foreign power from BNSF or UP.

The CC&C, though a subsidiary of Weyerhaeuser Corporation, is a common carrier and hauls general freight as well. South of the Cowlitz River Trestle, (a newer steel span which replaced the original wood span) there is a large quarry that ships by rail. Near Onalaska, there is a distributor of commercial corn sweetener which revecives 2-3 tank cars in a two day period. The expansive mill complex in Onalaska receives logs from the Winston Creek reload and ships out milled lumber on centerbeams and bulkheads, in box cars, and also exports wood chips to Weyerhaeuser's paper mill in Longview, via BNSF. A small industrial park exists in Chehalis which has two main shippers. One is a Fred Meyer Merchandise transfer Wharehouse and the second is National Frozen Foods. A Washington State National Guard Armory is located between Chehalis and Onalska and occasionaly ships vehicles and equipment utilizing DODX 60' flat cars.

A typical day begins with the "LOGGER" leaving Chehalis in the morning with empties to the reload at Winston Creek. At the reload, the MTs are exchanged for loads and are then taken to the mill. Here, loads are exchanged for MTs and are then taken up Winston Creek. The MTs brought up in the morning are now loaded and are taken down to the mill where they are exchanged with the loads brought down earlier in the day which are now MT. These are taken to Chehalis where the crew ties down their train and spots their power at the barn, a newer corugated structure. The mill switcher leaves about midday to switch the Onalaska mill complex. Basically empties are exchanged for loads. The mill switcher will also switch the Corn syrup distributor and quarry should they need work. The Chehalis switcher works the industrial park and spots cars at the BNSF interchange. Special trains are run for the Army National Guard on an as needed basis.

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Well that is a break down on every little detail of the CC&C. Sorry to put you through it but I needed to get this out and "published" so I can attempt to commit to this project. Currently my paint schemes of locomotives will reflect Weyerhaeuser practices of solid yellow with a black roof. I am still working on a logo for my route. The one I have attached is based on some old CCC letterhead paper with the C's interlooping. Tell me what you think!

For power I plan on using 2 PROTO 2000 GP-7s, 2 PROTO 2000 GP 38-2s, and a PROTO 2000 SW-9. All will be painted and detailed following Weyerhaueser Practices. I'd also like to get an Atlas WV caboose or two and paint up CCC.

Here are some links for more information on Weyerhaeuser logging lines and photos of lokies:

http://www.trainweb.org/cwwr/longview/index.html

http://www.trainweb.org/cwwr/cw-roster.html

http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5614&highlight=Longview+woods+line
 
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Gee what a great story Seth, geez it's believable. Keep us posted as you progress with your road. Hmmm! some pics too. Nice photos in the links too.
Cheers Willis
 
I like the theme. Sounds like some serious research and thought went into it. Time to build that bad boy!
 
Thanks Everyone. My family just bought a new house, so I have two places to choose from. My room, 11x13' which limits my abilities. Or, most preferable, a storage shed that used to hold kayaks. It would allow me 7x22' of layout. The shed is water proof, bug proof, etc., like a minihouse. Downside, my parents want it for storage. I'm currently working on a design and hope to begin construction by the end of summer. My next paycheck just might go into the purchase of a couple of GP-7s or an SW-9. I'll keep you posted.
 
Here is the scheme the corporate officers at Weyerhaeuser headquarters in Federal Way Washington have selcted to be the scheme of the CC&C. Pure safety yellow accept for the under carriage, roof, and top of the short nose. The scheme is basically the same for the GP-7. The SW-9 will be the same except for the undercarriage will be silver and the lettering will be different. The original "Weyerhaeuser Company" title will read across the nose with the WEYCO tree in triangle logo on the cab with the unit's number beneath it. There are also white safety chevrons on the pilot.
 
Its nearly 4 AM, I don't have to be at work for 13.5 hours, and very bored, so I painted the Sw-9 for ya... Just might have to do the GP-7s as well...
 
Sharp looking colors Seth. Myself I prefer the simple paint schemes because I can handle them with an airbrush. When it gets to colorful stripes and logos they better be decals or I don't do them :D
Cheers Willis
 
To tell the truth, that is one of the reasons I had Weyerhaeuser take over the CCC, easy paint job :D I also hope to begin construction of the benchwork this month. It still has to be passed through the land management officials (Parents :D ) before any construction can begin. Does anyone have a good recomendation for benchwork for a around the wall layout? Currently I'm thinking L-girder with foam insulation on top.
 
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Also, as stated in my first post, I planned on using PROTO GP 38-2s. Does anyone feel that that the Atlas versions are higher in quality?
 
Thought I'd put the GP-7 up here for ya' too. I kept the original NKP gyralight on the engine because I am a BIG fan of gyralights, whether MK was or not :D
 
You might want to wait a couple of months and see if you'd prefer the Atlas Trainman GP38-2s over the P2Ks.

They certainly will be less expensive.
 
Jeff, is the Trainman series as good in quality as there other models?

I also have a numbering scheme for those of you running a fictitious railroad. The first two numbers of the 3 digit number are the year the locomotive was aquired. The third is the number of the engine. This can also be expanded into a four number system if you have more than 9 engines. Lets use for example the GP-7 shown above, #755. The locomotive was purchased in 1975 giving the first two numbers. This was the 5th diesel the CCC purchased. Combine them all and you have the 755
 
The mechanism for the GP38-2's is supposed to be the same as the rest of Atlas - like the GP38 and GP40. The detail level of the models will be lower - no spinning fans for instance.
 
Seth, I'd swear by the Atlas stuff.

BTW, I'd stick to the 38's just for weight/size, they should perform nicely. But if you have to go switcher, I'd advise the Stewert Baldwins. They are big and hefty and very nice runners.
 
Alex, I'm just goin off weyerhaueser practices as seen with the Longview woods line and the Chehalis Western. However, I might just have to make a model of our favorite CCC Baldwin Mikado.
 
NWR #200 said:
I also have a numbering scheme for those of you running a fictitious railroad. The first two numbers of the 3 digit number are the year the locomotive was aquired. The third is the number of the engine. This can also be expanded into a four number system if you have more than 9 engines.

Actually, it can be used for more than 9 engines, as long as no more than nine are purchased in one year.

If you start your count with zero, you could do up to ten engines per year.

Another that is common is HHSS or HHYY, e.g. your GP7 could be 1801 (1750HP rounded to 1800, first unit in this series,) or 1875 (1800 HP, bought 1975.)

Many shortlines use HP rating as part of the numbering system, so as to define engine "classes" that are easy to understand at a glance.
 
Ok, I have decided that I'd like to hand lay my track so I can give it that "shortline feel." I was planning on using Code 70 (100lb) rail on the main with Code 55 (80Lb) on the siding. I figure this is a good ratio for a shortline. I'm going to probably use BK Industries switch kits for turnouts or I just may venture out and build my own. Any tips or tricks will be greatly appreciated. :D
 



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