1. It’s a pleasant spring morning in 1983, as the Nelson Turn heads out
of the Kettle Falls yard led by GP38-2 #2092. The turn passes the Kettle
Falls depot. This train’s crew is prepared for its three-day, 208 mile trip
up the branch line from Kettle Falls, WA to Nelson, British Columbia, on
the route known as the Nelson Line.
The scratchbuilt depot is a replica of the one that was in Kettle Falls
until the late 80’s. This structure earned first place at the junior cat-
egory contest at the 2012 National Narrow Gauge Convention. The
model and photo are the work of
David Stringfellow.
Yes, it’s a model - 1
3. (next spread): Iowa Interstate 708 “The Tramp” pulls an empty box-
car towards Fleur Drive yard. There it will be set out for pickup by the
east road freight for delivery to Chicago. James McNab took the photo
on his Iowa Interstate Railroad, Grimes Industrial Track. See more of
his work at
1
2
2. Our photographer got lucky. He was able to park his car next to the
water tower at Cresco and set up in time to catch a Ruphe & Tumbelle
local as it stopped for water. After taking shots of the locomotive,
he decided to take a photograph of the caboose as it passed by.
Fortunately for us, he was using the newfangled color film.
Dale Olson took the photo on his layout and as captured that back-
woods look of a more relaxed era.
MRH-Jul 2014
