(Reporting mark SNCT.) Incorporated September 20, 1979. Start up of operations
was on March 24, 1980, operating through June 2, 1984. In bankruptcy proceedings,
on December 12, 1984 came an offer from BRAE Corporation, to purchase the entire
property, upgrade and return it to operation. However, there was opposition from S&NC,
creditors and others, (including ITEL Corporation, the other freight car owner,
which had also expressed some initial interest), so this was never formalized
and quickly fell through. On December 16, 1984, the Court ordered both abandonment
and dissolution of the corporation to be on December 17, 1984. The assets were
offered publicly January 16, 1985 by the Trustee, with an ending date of
January 21, 1985. No proposals for the SNCT were received. On March 4, 1985,
the Bankruptcy Court awarded possession of the property back to the Chicago,
Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad Company. An offer to sell the four
S&NC passenger cars was posted on April 24, 1985, closing on June 10, 1985. Some
further interest was expressed by Port Townsend Paper Corporation, but there
was no local support for their idea. Thereafter scrapping of the railroad began
west of Port Townsend. A sad story ends.
**********
(Predecessors, alphabetical)
Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company:
Name changed from Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company on February 11,
1874. Voted by Board of Directors to enter receivership March 17, 1925. Deeded
to the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific RR December 31, 1927.
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad Company:
Incorporated on March 31, 1927 to operate reorganized Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Ry.
Officially began operating January 13, 1928. Filed voluntary petition to reorganize
December 19, 1977. Embargoed operations of "Lines West" effective 12:01AM March 1, 1980.
Court approved abandonment of all lines west of Miles City, Montana, April 2, 1980. Sold
to Soo Line RR, becoming The Milwaukee Road, Inc., on February 19, 1985. Absorbed into
Soo Line RR on January 1, 1986.
Discovery & Quilcene Railroad:
On October 16, 1925, Port Townsend Southern RR sold their line from Discovery
Junction to Quilcene. This was operated as the Discovery & Quilcene RR until 1933.
As far as is known, thereafter not operated and unknown date, later abandoned.
Northern Pacific Railway:
During 1902, until or into 1914, (exact dates still being sought), the NP operated
the former Port Townsend Southern RR line from Discovery Juntion to Quilcene.
It has been stated this was a purchase. Somehow it was returned back to PTS RR
ownership. As it was reportedly never prosperous, and NP could not make it go,
PTS RR buying it back would seem rather interesting. Was it actually a reverted lease?
Port Angeles Railway & Terminal Company:
For reasons unknown, very little information exists about this company. It was
a predecessor to the Port Ludlow, Port Angeles & Lake Crescent Railway Company,
doing preliminary survey work. The few documents ever located show it was in
existence at least by 1907. At some point in time, after the PL,PA&LC was
incorporated, the PAR&TC was absorbed into PL,PA&LC. More information is wanted!
Port Ludlow, Port Angeles & Lake Crescent Railway Company:
Incorporated November 27, 1911. Name changed to Seattle,
Port Angeles & Lake Crescent Ry on December 19, 1911.
Port Townsend Railroad:
Port Townsend Southern Ry renamed Port Townsend RR January 1, 1945. Sold to Chicago,
Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific RR May 30, 1975. Last day operated June 5, 1975.
Port Townsend Southern Railroad Company:
Operated May 28, 1929 through December 31, 1944.
Name change to Port Townsend RR January 1, 1945.
Port Townsend & Puget Sound Railway Company:
Leased Port Townsend Southern RR May 31, 1914. Operated June 1, 1914 through
May 27, 1929. Property reverted back to Port Townsend Southern RR May 28, 1929.
Port Townsend Southern Railroad Company:
Chartered August 19, 1887. Incorporated September 28, 1887. Operated August 30, 1890
through May 31, 1914. Leased to Port Townsend & Puget Sound Ry May 31, 1914.
Seattle, Port Angeles & Western Railway Company:
Subsidiary company of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway. Incorporated
January 20, 1915. Operated April 10, 1915 through December 31, 1918. Deeded to
the Chicago, Milwaukee & St.Paul Ry on December 31, 1918. Became the
CM&St.P RY Olympic Division January 1, 1919.
Seattle, Port Angeles & Lake Crescent Railway Company:
Name change from Port Ludlow, Port Angeles & Lake Crescent Ry December 19, 1911.
Deeded to Seattle, Port Angeles & Western Ry January 25, 1915.
********** Note: Yes. As seen above, the name "Port Townsend Southern Railroad" was used twice!
**********
(Successor operation)
The Olympic Railroad Company:
(Reporting mark OLYR.) The Olympic Railroad operated the terminal trackage
at Port Townsend, being organized to provide rail service to the Port Townsend
Paper Company mill. Incorporation application was filed on April 21, 1988. OLYR began
operation in June of 1988 using EMD SW1 #52, (ex-SNCT #52). Date of official cessation
of Port Townsend operations is uncertain. The Railroad itself continued operations
with a fleet of lease cars. Port Townsend & mill trackage was removed in 1996.
**********
(Other area significant operations. NOT ever part of the Family Tree!)
Clallam County Railroad:
(a.k.a. "The Spruce Railroad") Owned by U.S. Spruce Corporation, an agency of the
Federal Government. Spruce was a vital component of World War One airplane construction.
Proposed in 1917. Grading began June 29, 1918. Laying rails October 26, 1918. Scheduled
to start official operation November 30, 1918. Not completed or operated due to WWI ending
November 11, 1918. In 1922 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sold it to Lyon-Hill & Company,
who finally completed the construction in 1925. Port Angeles Western RR was incorporated
on February 11, 1925, to operate the line when construction was completed that same summer.
Port Angeles Western Railroad Company:
Incorporated on February 11, 1925 to operate the as yet not completed former Clallam
County Railroad. PAW was using tracks of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, from
Disque (pronounced "Dish") at MP 68.2 to Port Angeles MP 50.6, in 1927. At some point those
tracks were were leased from the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad. (Unknown
the date when that lease was consummated. The only hint so far located is possibly 1938.)
(CMSt.P&P and PAW trains operating over that trackage were dispatched thereafter by PAW.)
PAW operated from August 25, 1925 until October 31, 1951. On that latter date, the company
failed to make payroll and the employees quit. A trustee was appointed on March 24, 1952.
Abandonment was approved October 22, 1953. The PAW was abandoned on November 20, 1953.
