PC&E Layout Tour
Visit Orchard Yard
INTRODUCTION
THE PORT COLUMBIA & EASTERN RAILWAY
A railroad is a transportation system designed to efficiently move goods
and people from one point to another. As part of a larger national system,
a railroad receives cars from other roads as well as originating loaded cars
on its route.
The Port Columbia and Eastern Railway (PC&E) is a fictitious railroad
running from Waitsburg in southeastern Washington state across the Cascade
Mountain range via White Pass to the tidewaters of the Columbia River with
its ocean ports.
Primarily a bridge line forwarding merchandise and agricultural products
received from the Great Northern, Northern Pacific, Seattle, Portland and
Spokane, Union Pacific and the Milwaukee Railroads to the Pacific ports on
the Columbia River, the PC&E does generate traffic of its own.
Agricultural products including grain, beef and fruit from the eastern slopes
of the Cascades provide seasonal traffic. Tumwater Mining Company's
electrified branchline adds car loads of rich ore exported to the Far East
which comes back in the form of costly imports which travel east across the
PC&E. Cascade Timber Company operates one of the last remaining railroad
logging lines in the Northwest. It attracts many logging buffs who like to
photograph and observe this fascinating lumbering operation. Agriculture,
warehousing, light industry and manufacturing add to the traffic on the west
side.
Since the operating era of the PC&E is the decade of the 1950s, there
still are passenger operations, though a bare skeleton of what they once were.
During the summer months elaborate "rail fanning" tours travel this scenic
route.
Visit Rimrock
THE SC&W RR ASSOCIATION
The PC&E's parent organization, Swamp Creek and Western Railroad
Association (SC&W) is incorporated as a non-profit in the State of
Washington. The SC&W began in 1974 at Chi-Bar Hobbies (ex-Hobbyland)
just up the road from its current location in Lynnwood. Shop and railroad
expansion led to the search for new quarters. In April of 1977, a lease
was negotiated with the Burlington Northern Railroad (now BNSF) for the
Edmonds depot (ex-Great Northern) 28' x 30' freight room. The building
is shared with Amtrak. Plans are in the works for the grounds and platform
to be upgraded for Sound Transit commuter rail. The SC&W layout should
not be affected.
Visit Dudman's Trestle
VISITING
Brief drop-in visits are welcome the third Tuesday of the month, from
7 to 9 p.m., during our regular operating sessions. Open house operating
sessions are conducted in conjunction with many local events. See offical
web site for next date. Often we operate informally on second Saturdays. And
our Grand Holiday Open House is held each year in early December in
conjunction with Amtrak.
BNSF freights visit Edmonds depot daily
STREET MAP
Actually, it's pretty easy to find us. We are just north of Seattle.
Take State Route 104 west off of Interstate 5 and follow the signs down
to the Amtrak Station.
Pay parking is abundant. Free street parking in
the area is limited.
Click here to enlarge this Street Map
Edmonds Depot
Visit Methven Summit
DESCRIPTION
The PC&E is an HO scale (1/87th) model railroad depicting an imaginary
but plausible route over the Cascade Mountains of Washington state, roughly
following State Route 12 over White Pass, from the Yakima area to tidewater
on the Columbia River.
Click here to enlarge this Map
Benchwork height is 42" from the floor and rises to 70" with trackwork
and up to 90" with scenery. Open grid benchwork with risers and track board
cut to shape are employed. Scenery is conventional hard-shell (Hydrocal
plaster soaked paper towels over chicken wire) covered with a Vermiculite
"mud" and scenic colored ground cover with cast plaster rock work. The
backdrops are hand painted on masonite. Viewing is at eye level. A variety
of hand-built structures inhabit the landscape.
LAYOUT PLAN
We are in the process of mapping out the layout to scale. It's not quite
done. When it is we will post it. In the meantime here is a simple plan
that will give you the general idea.
Visit Coldwater
STATISTICS
The mainline is nearly six scale miles in length (356 ft.) and is a
point-to-point design with three track holding loops at Holden and Waitsburg.
In 1996 a hidden transfer track was installed between the east and west ends
to add operating flexibility and allow for continuous runs. About 135 track
switches are installed to date. It is estimated that the total track placed
will approach 2,000 feet. Major double end freight yards are located at
Orchard on the east and Willow Grove on the west. Rimrock and Coldwater are
busy spots as well, supporting interchange with Tumwater Mining and Cascade
Timber branches, respectively.
Visit Bald Mountain, Cascade Timber Co.
CONTROL SYSTEM
Unique to the PC&E is the lineal control panel. Track diagrams follow
the edge of the layout. Train crews follow their train and line up power and
route locally as they traverse the line. Power is supplied by six mainline
conventional DC throttle units and walk around plug-in hand controls.
Momentum and braking are built in. An elaborate signaling system is planned
to control train movement. Motorized PFM switch machines that throw the
turnouts are also controlled from the lineal panel.
Visit Crooked Crow Creek
MEMBERSHIP
SC&W membership is limited by the size of our modest quarters, with
about twenty board positions available. Qualified applicants who would like
to contribute to our scale cause may be invited to join. Associate memberships
at reduced dues are granted to youth 18 and under. Women are welcome as
members too. The model railroad display is supported by membership initiation
fees, monthly dues, an annual Model Railroad Show, various fund-raising
events and donations from visitors.
Visit Mt. Brynion
Visit Willow Grove Yard
PORT COLUMBIA & EASTERN RY
LAYOUT TOUR INDEX
INTRODUCTION
ORCHARD
RIMROCK
TUMWATER MINING Co.
METHVEN SUMMIT
COLDWATER
CASCADE TIMBER Co.
MT. BRYNION
PORT COLUMBIA and WILLOW GROVE
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