Dilbert Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Back in the 1960's, the
> GN line was washed out completely and all GN
> traffic was routed over the NP line and NP managed
> to handle the traffic of both roads by fleeting
> and reopening several train order stations as
> 24-hour stations and making
> yard limits between Paradise and Plains.
> (Westbounds got orders at Paradise and Eastbounds
> got orders at Plains and Empire Builder ran as
> second section of North Coast Limited and
> Western Star ran as second section of Mainstreeter
> by timetable.) Of course the Evaro Hill
> line and Homestake Line were both in service.
> Evaro Hill was reopened by MRL.

That event occurred in June of 1964. I was a NP Telegrapher assigned to work 2nd trick (4pm-12mn) at Plains when it was opened 7x24 to handle westbound train orders for NP's Idaho division. Westbound, detouring GN trains left their mainline at Havre and took the secondary main to Great Falls and Helena MT where they entered the NP. They left the NP at Sandpoint ID to regain the GN mainline. As Dilbert stated, trains ran as directional fleets of 5 or 6 in each direction. I wrote an article about my experiences at Plains. It appeared in the summer 2008 issue of "Classic Trains". I believe it may still be available here: [ctr.trains.com]

I will share one paragraph of this article here
QUOTE
We had an indicator light in the depot for a train coming in either direction, one light for westbound trains and another for eastbound trains. The westbound light would come on when the train went by the west switch at Paradise. It was customary to tell the dispatcher “coming west, Plains” when this light came on. I quickly learned that I had less than 6 minutes for Passenger and maybe 10 minutes for freights from the time that this light came on until the train was there! This became painfully obvious one night when the GN’s westbound Empire Builder blasted by at speed before I had time to hang their orders in the rack. They had to stop and back up to get their orders and I had a mighty unhappy train crew on my hands! Fortunately for me they kept quiet about it.

GN hired Morrison-Knudson from Boise ID to repair the washouts. Working 24 hours/day they got the job done in two weeks. Following the excitement of the detours, the Agent at Plains decided to take his vacation. I relieved him and got to spend an additional three weeks in Plains that summer.

Another interesting point; such a detour would not be possible today.
---The Havre-Great Falls segment was abandoned and removed between Sandy and Ft Benton MT.
---The Great Falls-Helena line is out of service and may be filled with storage cars
---The Sandpoint-Spokane GN line was abandoned and removed between Newport WA and Dean WA, just north of Hillyard where the Kettle Falls branch left the mainline.