Photo by Gary Durr.
October 2017
Not everything is sunshine and wheat fields on the EWG... It takes a lot of hard work to keep trains running and freight moving... here we see 9129 spreading ballast along the EWG right of way in between Scoot trains this past spring... Near MP 54.
Photo by Roger Hepkema.
EWG guys---When was the last time that combines were delivered to Coulee City? This photo was taken during the last half of 2013 between Hartline and Cement.
Photo by Gary Durr.
June 2018
Gary says:
"One of the great things about working for a shortline railroad... knowing when the trains run...
Here is the Eastern Washington Gateway Railroad train HM06=(Hiline Empties on the 6th day of the month)...with 2 former MRL SD45's and a former SSW SD40T-2 Pulling hard on the 1 Percent grade climbing out of Deep creek up to the High plains of North Central Washington, Photographed Rounding the big curve near Espanola as it crosses under Washington State HWY 2. Train is West bound to Hite with a final destination this day of Coulee City."
Photo by Gary Durr.
June 13, 2018
Gary says:
"A beautiful day and rare Eastbound Daylight run up Deep creek got this train master out of the office this day to witness the scene... Engineer Bruce Butler, in Charge of 2 SD45's(328 & 329) and an SD40T-2(8702), has the train of 64 loaded hoppers well in hand as he has just topped the 1 percent grade and made it through Killer Curve. This location is Thorp RD just West of MP14, where the old GN(BNSF) Columbia River Sub crosses over the Former NP CW main...he has just throttled down to notch 6 from 8 and is enjoying his run to Hiline Grain at Four Lakes...The sound of the 20 cylinder EMD's howling up Deep creek grade out in the open fresh country side is worth experiencing. in this day of modern GE loco's, it is a treat to hear these old GROUND POUNDERS doing what GOD and EMD designed them for... PULLING."
Photo by Gary Durr.
Gary says:
"EWG...East Bound.... Full daylight.... it's 06:30 in the morning ... the longest days of the year... June 20, 2017... and...with a 20 cylinder former MRL SD45 leading. Well seasoned and Highly skilled Engineer Bruce Butler is at the throttle this beautiful morning...The Location... Hite, Washington. A rather large cut of BNSF cars are on the head end of this days train. These were picked up from Govan, Wilbur and Davenport and are destined for interchange to the BNSF at Cheney... They will be cut out at Geiger Jct for the Geiger turn to take to Cheney Washington, while the rest of the train will be shoved back into the Grain facility at Four Lakes to be unloaded."
Photo by Ted Curphey.
"The EWG could have used a snow plow in the opening days of 2017!"
Photo by Roger Hepkema.
Roger says:
"All of the Washington Eastern's current power was pulling west out of Hite on 11-17-18 with a scoot train plus some storage tanks."
Photo by Roger Hepkema.
Roger says:
"Nine years ago today (3-06-10), the EWG ran a handful of cars west behind the 1617-----caught here between Reardan and Mondovi."
Photo by Roger Hepkema.
Roger sez:
"Dos Tunnel Motors-----Six years ago (4-24-13), the 8702 leads empties west through Medical Lake. Not sure who the hogger is on this day, but Mr. Butler is ensconced in the passenger seat."
Photo by Roger Hepkema.
Roger says:
"Engineer Fred rolls past hay wheels on the WER westbound descent to Davenport on 8-31-19."
Guest post by Bruce Butler.
Leaving Cheney, at 904 - Betts road crossing. Larry A Parker picture.
At the rodeo grounds just north of Cheney. Picture taken by Charlie Mutschler.
North of Jensen Rd. Picture taken by Charlie Mutschler.
Approaching Meadow Lake Rd. That's me running the 8319. Picture taken by Charlie Mutschler.
Setting out the car of rail at Elizabeth siding on the Geiger spur. My picture.
We stopped where the railroad passes under the BNSF Columbia River subdivision near mile post 14 on the CW. Picture by Larry A Parker.
We stopped where the railroad passes under the BNSF Columbia River subdivision near mile post 14 on the CW. My picture.
We stopped where the railroad passes under the BNSF Columbia River subdivision near mile post 14 on the CW. My picture.
That's me on the left and Conductor Jerry Miller posing on the front of the 8319.
Another (better) picture of me and Jerry on 8319. Picture by Larry A Parker.
Rounding the curve at Deep Creek, just beyond MP 16. Picture by Larry A Parker.
Approaching Hite. Picture by Larry A Parker.
Picking up some empty grain cars at Hite. My picture.
Notice the markers on the baggage car.
Ready to leave Hite; as soon as I get back in the cab of the 8319.
Leaving Hite with our slightly longer train. Picture by Larry A Parker.
Reardan. We cut the empty grain cars off east of the crossing and are going to run around the two passenger cars so that they can be shoved into the INRM museum at West Reardan. This was necessary because of the track layout and connection with the CW main at West Reardan. Picture by Larry A Parker.
The train has been put back together and Jerry is riding in the vestibule of the coach, protecting the shove. Picture by Larry A Parker.
We have arrived at West Reardan. The grain cars have been cut off and are standing on the mainline. We have backed down into the museum's stub track and are preparing to shove the coach and baggage car into the museum.
Entering the museum. 8319 is occupying the old Sunset highway. Picture by Larry A Parker.
Telephoto view looking into the museum. Note construction of the building underway. Picture by Larry A Parker.
View looking down the trackage in the museum. Picture by Larry A Parker.
Passenger cars are spotted and we are preparing to cut the 8319 off.
Here is my timeslip for that day. We took the empty grain cars to Davenport and then returned 8319 light power to Cheney.
Guest post by Gary Durr.
March 14th or 15th.
Mother nature hit Washington state with a late winter snow storm... In the Eastern part of the state, Winds up to 50 Mph and heavy snow made for a rough weekend here on the Washington Eastern Railroad...not only were the snows heavy but the wind blew the snow into the many cuts on the railroads East end between Hite and Davenport, Washington...
The first West bound train after the storm, "3 days after," had a time clearing the lines many deep cuts of snow on its way West with Empties for the out country grain elevators... Here we see veteran engineer, Bruce Butler, busting one of the many hard packed snow drifts on his way West... seen here at Mann Rd, about 1.5 miles East of Mondovi, Washington about half way between Reardan and Davenport on the eastern end of the line.. Luckily the sun had been out for a couple of days and warm temperatures and had melted much if not most of the snow on the line...
Guest post by Bruce Butler.
September 10, 2020
In Cheney WA, building air pressure in the SD9 so that we can do a proper air test before proceeding west.
WER 4227 is a GP30M, EMD Builder# 28513. Built 9/1963 as C&O 3037, then to CSXT 4227.
GN 1730 was built 5/1958 as GN 598, one of only two GN SD9's built with dynamic brakes. Builder's number 24100. It spent much of it's life working out of Klamath Falls OR.
In Cheney, almost ready to head west.
The taggers apparently got to 1730 at some point, although I believe that it arrived in Cheney already tagged.
End views of 4227 and 1730, looking east. 2422 has been re-coupled to 4227 and will continue west to Davenport.
1730 has been set out at the INRM museum connection track. Per their request, it was spotted between the CW switch and the switch leading into the museum. It was tight, but it did fit without fouling either switch. Before the sun set, the museum had it inside of their fence.
Another view of 1730 on the INRM stub track.
