PC&E Layout Tour

PORT COLUMBIA and WILLOW GROVE

We've reached the City of Port Columbia and Willow Grove yard.

PORT COLUMBIA

We have now reached the mighty Columbia River and the bustling city of Port Columbia. Lewis and Clark ate lunch here and not many people know this was once the capitol of the Territory of Washington until it was moved (cowardly in the middle of the night!) northward. It remains a busy commercial center with manufacturing, warehousing, retailing and a variety of cultural offerings such as the famous Smelt Carving Festival in May or the Banana Slug Round Up in late September.

The east tower controls train movements into and out of Willow Grove.

The City of Port Columbia rises up behind Willow Grove roundhouse.

WILLOW GROVE

The principal western terminus of the PC&E, Willow Grove yard serves Port Columbia commerce, through traffic and the roundhouse engine facilities provides light service for PC&E locomotives here. The mainline vanishes down the river gorge to Holden and connections with the SP&S, UP and SP Railroads. A secret passage, "The Gorge", also reconnects with Orchard from this point.

Farley's "Floorless" factory.

East view of Willow Grove.

The west end of Willow Grove.

PACIFIC BAY

Salt water at last! We wish we had larger quarters to depict the exchange between rail and ship but this small corner will have to do. Petroleum fuel facilities are located here along with freight docks and commercial fishing. What is that smell? Just another low tide in the mouth of the Columbia.

Pacific Bay is at the far west end of out layout.

The east and west ends of our layout are connect through a hidden track we call The Gorge. Staging tracks and return loops are also connected to these hidden tracks.

We have reached the end of our journey. Thanks for riding with us.