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On November 25, 1915, a three-track
landing
was put in operation at Port Townsend. Its switch engine was assigned to work 6 days a week.
The operation of the barges depended on the volume of business. During World War
II, on many days 2 trains a day were
operated between Port Angeles and Port Townsend. At times there were
as many as 80 eastbound loads backed up at Port Townsend. The
barges would then operate on continuous turnaround service. The Port
Townsend switch crew worked double days. The Port Townsend local
operated 6 days a week until the early 1960's, when it was cut back to a 5 day operation, however if enough eastbound cars
were left over from Friday night barges, coupled with whatever
the Crown Zellerbach Port Townsend mill loaded on
Saturdays, the barges would operate on Saturday to clean out Port
Townsend.This type of operation continued until the middle of the 1970's when
the Milwaukee instituted the weight restriction of the Port Townsend
slip, and imposed the $150.00 surcharge on any traffic that did not
move via Mobridge, S.D.
Used by permission from Edward R. Emanuel's
post on
Yahoo's MILW mail group. |
