Rationale for the Railroad Part 3 - Planning for Operations

The railroad will be a part of a freelanced 4th Subdivision of the Cascade Division of the Great Northern. The 4th Subdivision travels eastward from Port Gulick Bay, intersects with the North/South GN mainline at Ferndale, WA, and then travels into the Cascade Mountains to the town of Greenstone. Port Gulick Bay, on the Puget Sound, has potential for a small shipyard, bulk petroleum operation, lumber shipping, log dump, lumber mills, and canning operations. Located in Whatcom County, and inspired by the 3rd Subdivision in Skagit County, the railroad has a heritage of support to timber and agricultural production. Plus, in a totally fictional history, a rich series of veins of ore were discovered in the Cascade Mountains, near the Badger River, leading to the founding of Greenstone and several mines. Copper and silver ore continue to be mined into the 1950's with the ore shipped by rail to the smelter in Tacoma.

The first part to be built is an interchange junction of the 4th Subdivision with the Puget Sound and Badger River Railway, a logging road inspired by the Puget Sound and Baker River RR, east of the Mainline at Ferndale, but still in the valley/lowlands. The interchange is at Willow Junction and the initial layout also includes Willow Springs, a station on the 4th Subdivision. Willow Junction includes a small yard and engine facilities for the road switcher stationed there. Willow Springs includes several  opportunities for switching.

First-draft track plan: Willow Junction at the top with Willow Springs at the bottom.

Among the possibilities for industries at Willow Springs are a box factory, canning company, produce warehouse, grocery distributor, team platform, fuel company, freight house, and small foundry. Any of these have prototype examples in the lowlands of Skagit or Whatcom counties. While not shown on the track plan, staging will be provided at both ends of the "U" shaped initial layout.

The operating scheme is designed for solo operations or operations with two or three operators. Car movements will be orchestrated using car-cards and waybills as well as switchlists. Train movements will essentially be sequence operation, although a time element could be added. One small scheduled passenger train will pass through Willow Springs eastward and then return later in the day. One scheduled freight, a turn from Port Gulick Bay will pass through daily and return.  The turn may drop off or pick up cars at the runaround, while the Willow Junction road switcher will be in charge of  spotting the cars and blocking cars for pickup.