Northern Pacific Railroad in Redwater Valley

Northern Pacific Railroad in Redwater Valley. . Competition between railroads to get into the Redwater Valley ended with the Interstate Commerce Commission giving the Northern Pacific permission to build the 62 mile line from Glendive to Circle/Brockway. This happened on May 27, 1927 with Foley Bros getting the contract to begin construction immediately. Some surveying had already been done and continued and other projects started as road beds, bridge, fences, wells. corrals, laying rails, etc. Approximately 1500 people were employed including locals that lived in tents or boxcar camping along the way with horses and equipment provided. Sidings were at Green, Woodrow, Lindsay, Rimroad, (the rim of Sheep Mountain) Valgate, Circle, and Friend, ending with Brockway with dreams of going further west. Depots and agents were in Lindsey (sic), Circle and Brockway. Wool houses in Circle and Brockway which were combined in Circle. The Circle Depot and Wool House ended at the McCone County Museum. The cost was over $2,500,000 which included the 2 million board feet of lumber, 10,000 tons of steel rail, 200,000 ties. Horses and mules purchased and hundred of things used for construction. Over the years the train carried everything imaginable besides animals and farm products relief items for those suffering during depression, grasshopper poison for tha (sic) insect invasion, during oil boom in 50's it carried many of things for oil industry. They even sent special care out for sic lady. On June 2, 1928 Circle celebrated the completion of branch line and 10,000 people were on hand for the festivities. That included the Governor, President of the NPRR, Rathe news, Indians, pilots and our neighbors. We had speeches, parades, free train rides to Brockway, saw the golden spike driven, we ate barbecued meat of 3 steers and 2 hogs, and danced the night away. For the youngsters it was the first time they heard the puffing, whistle and bells of the iron horse. Brockway also celebrated a month later with much rejoicing. The last train came in 1999 and like all things, change happens. Factors in the demise of the train were drought, war, better roads, population decline and trucks that delivered directly to the consumer. , Dates to Remember , In 1864 congress granted the Northern Pacific RR 40 alternating sections of land per mile of track. That covered much of southern McCone County and NP set up a land office and much land was sold to new immigrants that came with the railroad. In 1970 the NP, Gn, and Chicago, Burlington and Quincy merged to form Burlington Northern. 1984 BN dismantled and sold portion of line from Circle to Brockway. So we have said Good Bye to a business that served us well but still own land and mineral rights and helped so much with their taxes during depression.