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in and around Coos Bay, Oregon Part 2 |
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in and around Coos Bay, Oregon Part 2 |
Click on images below for larger (640 pixel) version
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Heading north out of Coos Bay, we exit Highway 101 just before it crosses Coos Bay and duck under McCollough Bridge. On North Point we find a propane unloading spur. Amazingly, the rain stops and the clouds part enough for the sun to shine on our little party. |
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A couple hundred yard walk across the site of a dismantled mill
brings us to Pony Slough (foreground) and this view of the Swing Bridge.
Now owned by the Port of Coos Bay, this is the longest swing bridge in
the US and is slated to be rebuilt in the near future.
Xingman hates to cross this bridge. He says it drops pieces of iron on him. Pete ties his boat to it when he fishes. Sometimes I wonder about Pete. |
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After crossing McCullough Bridge and a short causeway we come to the famous CORP and the dunes at Cordes. These cars have been set out by the Coos Bay Switcher for the Hauler to pick up. Given the street running and limited yard in Coos Bay, the Hauler never actually crosses the bridge into Coos Bay, but usually swaps it's cars here. |
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Looking south from Cordes we get a beachy view of the Swing Bridge. Most of the rail activity at Cordes is inaccessible, behind fences and guarded gates. Our CORP-on-the-Coast tour ends here as we drive west into the dunes and away from the railroad. |
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According to Xingman, CORP was to run the switch job for a few hours on Sunday morning and we'd made tentative plans to catch a little action. But, Sunday morning dawned cold, gray and soon produced a rare snow storm at sea level. We drove out to Cape Arago, took a few pictures of the Pacific in the snow and then decided to try to beat the storm inland. |
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After some serious white stuff around Coquille, the storm petered out as we started into the Coast Range. By the time we got into Douglas County, it was partly cloudy and we decided a trip through Cow Creek Canyon was in order. Ray had looked at Canyon Solitude and was eager to see it in person. The previous night's storm had dumped 4 to 6 inches of snow in Cow Creek. West Fork, shown here, was as beautiful as ever under a fresh mantle of white. |
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Climbing out of the Canyon towards Glendale, we stopped for one last look at Cow Creek, the rails and Tunnel 5. |
Worthwhile CORP-on-the-Coast Links and Resources
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by Larry Tuttle |
A first look at the "Other CORP". |
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Video by Bates Publishing PO Box 1950, Weaverville, CA 96093 |
Follow the Coos Bay Hauler from Eugene to Cordes and back including a cab ride along the coast. Also a look at the Coquille Switcher. |
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