Beiber, CA depot pic's?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

As part of a project to build a Free-mo module set depicting the GN-WP interchange at Beiber, CA, circa ‘47-‘50, I have started with the north end trackage, and am also in the process of kitbashing the Laserkit 30’x60’ standard GN depot into the needed 26’x104’ Beiber depot. I have pictures of the west side and north end, which I am starting construction of, but I have no pictures or information on the east side and south end. I need information on windows, personnel and freight doors, and the platform layout. Also was the south end roof hip like the north end, or gable, and was there a bumpout to the east side like the operator’s windows on the west? Any help at all would be appreciated. jc5729 John Colley, Port Townsend, WA

2

Have you seen the picture on page 65 of Jeff Asay’s “Track and Time” book? Looking at the picture and the map, I think it’s showing the south and east sides of the building (I could be very wrong here). Also, you may want to join the yahoo WP group http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/wplist/ and ask over there.

Good luck.

3

John I’m doing a book on the WP depots. Have some photographs on Bieber but they are all from trackside. Yes the roof was a hip on both ends…

I tried the GN group for photos but got no replies… I’ll look through my collection and see if there is anything I have forgot. The south nend has 3 windows, the two are on the outside, about a foot from the edge. The other is centered. Matches the north end.

WP Steve

4

Thanks, Steve, that tidbit is of real help. The various pictures I have sure look like the south end was gable roof. So I will have to change that to hip. I appreciate the south end windows information. The reason I hadn’t pursued the WP group is because the WP trackage ended at the south end of the yard, which, with the facilities was all GN. Although in day to day practice the northbound WP from Keddie ran all the way up to the house track south switch, cut off power and ran them onto the back track to idle while the GN units waiting in front of the depot drifted down and picked up the train to K. Falls/Bend. I would appreciate any info on the procedures used by southbound trains that may have differed. I also need any info on the engine service trackage and operations. Any old GN/WP heads out there that can help me out? jc5729 John Colley, Port Townsend, WA

5

Have you tried the California Railroad Museum? They have an awful lot of info and might have both photos and architectural drawings of the station.

Andre

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Thanks, Andre’ I’ll do that. I very much appreciated your suggestion. This is another example of folks sharing ideas and information to enhance the hobby experience. John Colley