A Place Called Sky
Skykomish, known affectionately by railway employees, railfans and those who call it home as "Sky" got its start in life from the Great Northern Railway. In 1889, James J. Hill decided to extend his railroad from Montana west to the Pacific. Hill hired John F. Stevens, famed as the builder of the Panama Canal and his work with the China-Trans Siberian Railroad, to determine the exact route of the railroad.
After discovering Maria’s Pass in Montana Mr. Stevens continued west to Spokane and the Columbia River. Crossing the Cascade Mountain Range they settled on building the railway through the pass that now bears his name. John Maloney was hired to help survey and design the railroad and was advised to develop a homestead seventeen miles east of Steven’s Pass, in an area called the “flat spot”.
Later, during the construction of the line in 1892, the soon to be town was called “Maloney's Siding”. But as the story goes, John was a humble man and preferred to name the new railroad town after the river or the first people in the valley: the Skykomish. “Skaikh” is inland or upriver in Lushootseed, one of the Coast Salish family
languages; and “mish” means people. In February of 1893 Great Northern officially changed the name to Skykomish, and in June
Skykomish Post Office was established with John Maloney as postmaster.
The first scheduled train came through town on June 18, 1893 and this modest wooden depot seen here was built a year later. Its original location was on the south side of the tracks at 5th Street. In 1922, the depot was moved to the the north side of the tracks at 4th Street as seen in this image. The last passenger train called here in 1971 though Amtrak's Empire Builder still passes daily without stopping. In 2012 the modest wood structure moved again back to the south side of the main to become the center piece of Town Center Park on three acres of railroad land after the railroad donated the depot and leased the land. The park features the 1/8 scale Great Northern and Cascade Railway and to learn more check out this link: greatnortherncascaderailway.com/#
On a typical misty gray day a short work train consisting of two geeps, two ballast hoppers, and two cabooses rolls east on the siding on BNSF's Scenic Sub at MP 1732.3. While little remains of its once glorious past, Skykomish was the one time helper terminal here at the base of the mountains for the 30 mile and 1900 foot climb to the top of Stevens Pass at Cascade Tunnel. From 1929 until 1956 Sky was the west end of GN's 73 mile long stretch of electrification east to Wenatchee. To learn more about the town and see some photos check out this link on the towns official page: skykomishwa.gov/about
And for the loco nerds among you BNSF 2914 still in BN Cascade green at the time is a rebuilt GP39E that was originally blt. May 1964 as a GP35 for the Burlington wearing Chinese red and number 686. And a decade later she still appears to be on the roster wearing the modern BNSF swoosh scheme.
Skykomish, Washington
Tuesday June 7, 2011
A Place Called Sky
Skykomish, known affectionately by railway employees, railfans and those who call it home as "Sky" got its start in life from the Great Northern Railway. In 1889, James J. Hill decided to extend his railroad from Montana west to the Pacific. Hill hired John F. Stevens, famed as the builder of the Panama Canal and his work with the China-Trans Siberian Railroad, to determine the exact route of the railroad.
After discovering Maria’s Pass in Montana Mr. Stevens continued west to Spokane and the Columbia River. Crossing the Cascade Mountain Range they settled on building the railway through the pass that now bears his name. John Maloney was hired to help survey and design the railroad and was advised to develop a homestead seventeen miles east of Steven’s Pass, in an area called the “flat spot”.
Later, during the construction of the line in 1892, the soon to be town was called “Maloney's Siding”. But as the story goes, John was a humble man and preferred to name the new railroad town after the river or the first people in the valley: the Skykomish. “Skaikh” is inland or upriver in Lushootseed, one of the Coast Salish family
languages; and “mish” means people. In February of 1893 Great Northern officially changed the name to Skykomish, and in June
Skykomish Post Office was established with John Maloney as postmaster.
The first scheduled train came through town on June 18, 1893 and this modest wooden depot seen here was built a year later. Its original location was on the south side of the tracks at 5th Street. In 1922, the depot was moved to the the north side of the tracks at 4th Street as seen in this image. The last passenger train called here in 1971 though Amtrak's Empire Builder still passes daily without stopping. In 2012 the modest wood structure moved again back to the south side of the main to become the center piece of Town Center Park on three acres of railroad land after the railroad donated the depot and leased the land. The park features the 1/8 scale Great Northern and Cascade Railway and to learn more check out this link: greatnortherncascaderailway.com/#
On a typical misty gray day a short work train consisting of two geeps, two ballast hoppers, and two cabooses rolls east on the siding on BNSF's Scenic Sub at MP 1732.3. While little remains of its once glorious past, Skykomish was the one time helper terminal here at the base of the mountains for the 30 mile and 1900 foot climb to the top of Stevens Pass at Cascade Tunnel. From 1929 until 1956 Sky was the west end of GN's 73 mile long stretch of electrification east to Wenatchee. To learn more about the town and see some photos check out this link on the towns official page: skykomishwa.gov/about
And for the loco nerds among you BNSF 2914 still in BN Cascade green at the time is a rebuilt GP39E that was originally blt. May 1964 as a GP35 for the Burlington wearing Chinese red and number 686. And a decade later she still appears to be on the roster wearing the modern BNSF swoosh scheme.
Skykomish, Washington
Tuesday June 7, 2011