The Skykomish Express
by Joe Schofield
Title
The Skykomish Express
Artist
Joe Schofield
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Skykomish, known affectionately by railway employees, rail fans and it's citizens as "Sky" got its start in life from the Great Northern Railway.The name "Skykomish" derives from the Skykomish or Skai-whamish tribe (originally considered a subdivision of the Snoqualmies) who inhabited the area before European settlement. The townsite was settled in 1889 by John Maloney, a guide for the surveying team on the Great Northern Railway. The town of Skykomish was officially incorporated on June 5, 1909.
From the 1890s to 1974, Skykomish was a maintenance and fueling station for the Great Northern Railway, which eventually became part of the Burlington Northern Railroad, and presently the BNSF Railway. It was also once the western terminus for electric operations (1928–56) on the Cascade Tunnel route all the way to Wenatchee. Here, steam or diesel locomotives were changed or coupled to electric locomotives. Skykomish's population peaked at around 8,000 in the 1920s and shrank to under 300 by 1990 due to the loss of businesses and jobs.
I can vouch for the fact that there's nothing quite like the earthquake-like sensation of sitting at the bar and having a beer with a local or two at the Whistling Post when the BSNF rolls through just a short distance way.
Uploaded
August 20th, 2021
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Viewed 2,679 Times - Last Visitor from New York, NY on 04/19/2024 at 8:27 PM
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