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The Rusty Dusty

Great Northern’s Wenatchee–Oroville Branch

Mac McCulloch and John E. Langlot

$35.00

The Rusty Dusty charts the historical development of the Great Northern Railway in Washington State, and places particular emphasis on the Wenatchee–Oroville route, the last significant artery the company constructed in the state. The line brought modern mechanized transportation to eastern Chelan and Okanogan Counties.

Yakt Publishing, Inc.

Illustrations / maps / notes / bibliography / index / 417 pages (2016)

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Description

The first study of this important Pacific Northwest branch line, The Rusty Dusty charts the historical development of the Great Northern Railway in Washington State, and places particular emphasis on the Wenatchee–Oroville (W–O) route, the last significant artery the company constructed in the state. The line brought modern mechanized transportation to eastern Chelan and Okanogan Counties, and served the area’s agricultural industry. In its best years, the W–O shipped about ten thousand carloads of fruit—predominantly apples, but also some pears—to markets nationwide. In addition, the volume discusses the other important infrastructure piece—irrigation—and its significant role in the region’s successful fruit culture, as well railroad mogul James J. Hill’s support of early Wenatchee area irrigation projects. Finally, it offers new information about competition with Canadian lines serving the same region.

Mac McCulloch received his MBA from the University of California Berkley in 1983. His career in the railroad industry spans four decades. He grew up in Wenatchee and worked as a clerk for the W–O in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

John Langlot worked for the Great Northern, and BNSF at Spokane for 45 years and his hands-on experience informs these accounts of the W–O line.

Yakt Publishing, Inc.

Illustrations / maps / notes / bibliography / index / 417 pages (2016)

Recognition

“Two veteran railroaders begin their history with a review of the coming of railroad service to the Pacific Northwest, but quickly move into details of the construction, operation and economic impact of the former Great Northern Railway’s Wenatchee–Oroville branch line, a line that became one of its highest revenue branches. Unlike many books on railroading, this book does not consist only of photos of trains and railroad station buildings. Instead, it is a serious study of what was required to support the movement of thousands of cars of apples, lumber, grain and minerals to market centers to the east. Readers will be impressed by the authors’ focus on the strong ties the railroad company developed with the parties who had a stake in building the economy on this part of the GN’s system.”

—Earl Currie, Senior Vice President, Maintenance and Transportation, Burlington Northern Railroad

Additional information

Dimensions 8.5 x 11 in
Format

Hardbound