Verne Alexander HO Railroad

Verne Alexander first emailed me in April of 2011 and I posted his information on this blog in February of this year.  This report repeats his description of his relationship with Paul and Glenn Staeheli.  Also included are photos from his HO railroad layout featuring the Addy Creamery.

I am not a member of the Staeheli family per se.  Paul Mathias Staeheli was my uncle, having married my father’s (Robert Alexander) sister Erma.  Glenn Albert was my cousin. 

In reading the section on Paul Mathias I noted some errors, and my intent here is to offer more accurate information.  Paul served his entire NP career in Spokane.  The nomadic career path listed for Paul properly belongs to his son, Glenn (spelled with two “N’s”).  Glenn was a road foreman of engines, not an inspector.  I am almost certain that his wartime service was in the Navy, not the army.

Paul had a one car garage on our property in Spokane, which was but a three block walk to the NP roundhouse.  I thus saw him frequently during my childhood as he came by on his way to or from work.  He had a gruff exterior, and I was afraid of him.  As I grew older I got a better handle on what he was like, which led to a greater appreciation of the man.  He had a Calvinistic work ethic, and believed that everyone should.  He was reserved around people until he was satisfied that they had the right character.  If ever one got a sign of approval from Paul, it meant a lot. 

 

Paul lived in a house he built on our original homestead property during my father’s childhood and youth.  My father’s father (Elmer E. Alexander) had been out of my father’s life since he was 6 years old.  Paul stepped in as a father figure, and remained my father’s principal role model for the rest of his life.  They were frequent companions on the railroad, hunting and fishing, and at the Staeheli house. 

 

I moved away from Spokane to attend school, but was privileged to be able to visit Paul on what proved to be his death bed.  There was a lot of denial going on in the family at the time, but without using the words Paul made it very clear that he knew he was dying and that this would be our last contact.  I felt genuine affection from him, and I was inspired by the manner in which he was facing his death head on, just as he faced everything in his life.

I did not get to know Glenn until after he retired from the railroad.  He shared many of his father’s characteristics.  We talked railroading extensively; he as a professional and me as a fan and modeler.  Before he died, Glenn absolutely insisted that I ride my bicycle on a stretch of abandoned Milwaukee road bed In the Bitterroot mountains of Idaho.  I shall forever be indebted to him for urging me into one of the greatest experiences of my life!

I am extremely happy to have had the opportunity to read so many things about the Staeheli family that I did not know.  I have Addy on my HO scale model railroad and I run a milk train that collects raw milk in cans as it works its way up from Spokane.  At the Staeheli creamery in Addy it exchanges its can car of raw milk for another car of finished dairy products.  These are unloaded at the team track in Spokane, one of the principle customers being the Davenport Hotel.  In real life the creamery never had rail service, but having it on my layout is a nice way of preserving memories.

My best to you as you continue in your pursuit of family history.

Verne Alexander

CRAP is the acronym for my HO scale Colville, Republic and Palouse railroad.  The CRAP runs north and south out of Spokane.  To the north it resembles the GN Kettle Falls branch; to the south it resembles the NP Palouse and Lewiston branch.  It is harvest time in 1944, and the war is still going on.