The following is a report of the proposed line from West Coast Branch to mouth of Wenatchie River:
I. ENGINEERING FEATURES.
Engineering details of the new route.The proposed line will leave the West Coast Branch at a point six miles south of Snohomish City, running east, crossing the Snohomish River on drawbridge at the junction of the Snoqualmie and Skykomish rivers: thence up the right bank of Skykomish on a 1 per cent. (52.8 feet per mile) grade, a distance of forty miles from point of beginning. Thirty-five miles of 2 per cent. (105.6 feet per mile) grade carries the line to Cady's Pass and mouth of tunnel. The tunnel will be 3,500 feet long, in granite rock; probably little or no lining will be necessary.
Descending to the east by a 2 per cent. grade, following the Wenatchie River, a distance of twenty miles. Descending and level grades alternate for the next twenty-five miles, where 1,000 feet of tunneling will be required in the divide between the Wenatchie and Chumstick rivers. This tunnel saves eight miles of distance in the following eighteen miles, and avoids entering the box cañon of the Wenatchie, a difficult and expensive piece of work.
The development in the Chumstick valley is especially easy. Thence into the Wenatchie valley again, on a 1 per cent. grade, a distance of twenty-seven miles, to the mouth of the Wenatchie River.
A summary of the distances and grades shows a very prettily balanced scheme for operating cheaply and effectively.
SUMMARY OF DISTANCES AND GRADES.
| DISTANCE. | GRADE. | |
| West Coast Branch to end of 1% grade, | 40m. | × 1% |
| End of 1% grade to tunnel, | 35m. | × 2% |
| Tunnel section, | 3,500 ft. | |
| Tunnel to foot of 2% grade, | 20m. | -2% |
| Foot of 2% grade to Wenatchie | 52m. | -1% (or less.) |
The introduction of 1 per cent. grades, though higher than the water grades of the Wenatchie and Skykomish rivers, is justified as balanced against the 2 per cent. mountain grades and the saving effected thereby in the bench country, which prevails along both rivers mentioned.
While tunnel is being driven, a 4 per cent. cross-over through Cady's Pass can be cheaply put in if necessary.