Washington Locals

From "CTC Board."

November 1986

From "CTC Board."

September 1979

I'd sure like to see that press release.

1981 Gravelle View

From "CTC Board."

February 1981

BN Plans To Take Up Tracks

From "CTC Board."

June 1981

1984 BN Views

From "CTC Board."

May 1984

Wind Speed Test At Trinidad

From "CTC Board."

July 1984

Leaving The West Behind

From "CTC Board."

March 1980

Look Ma, No Brakes

From "CTC Board."

July 1990

1976 BN At Trinidad View

Courtesy of James Belmont.

Doug Harrop Photography 

May 25, 1976

Burlington Northern (former Colorado & Southern) 900 leads BN train No. 88, climbing the 20-mile, 1% grade from the Columbia River basin just east of Trinidad, Washington.

BN Compass Advance Consist 2nd Section 699

Courtesy of Dean Ferris.

Dean says:

"The other day Nick Dumas asked about videos of entire BN trains in the 90's and I responded with a train list.  There seemed to be some interest in seeing additional lists so here's the 2nd section of train 699 (Spokane-Interbay) from November 30, 1990.  This section appears to be terminating at Wenatchee with a whopping 39 loads and 90 empties all for Wenatchee or locals originating at Wenatchee.  It's a stark reminder of how much business used to exist there - all the big sources of traffic are gone (Alcoa plant at Malaga, woodchips coming off the WO branch, reefer biz for apples and spuds, the piggyback ramp).  I've added a few notes to help with interpreting the lists.  We'll see how much interest there is before I go to this much effort again (I've got examples of just about every regular BN train from this era in the PNW)."

Milwaukee Moses Lake Turn

From "CTC Board."

June 1984

Photo by Blair Kooistra.

Of note, the caption should note this is the NP Connell Northern branch being ducked under, just south of Raugust. After the Milwaukee pulled out, BN simply filled in this location, with just the tops of the trestle still visible today.

LMX Power At Crater

Photo by Steven J Brown.

A trio of LMX B39-8E's (built 1987) with autoracks on the Burlington Northern at Trinidad, Washington - September 17, 1991.

1909 NP Correspondence Regarding The Ritzville Cutoff

 

Stratford Orchards

Michael Lehmann shared with me a brochure about Ephrata. I've been studying this photo, extolling the irrigation benefits of Ephrata in 1911, before I realized it's not too close to there. The brochure was a way to boost the benefits of why everyone should make their way to this new town.

Ephrata has had springs in the past, and a seasonal stream, Dry Creek. The creek flows past Iron Springs, a few miles up Sagebrush Flats Road, where it intersects with Baird Springs Road. The Great Northern bought the rights to a spring and piped the water to their 10,000 gallon tank adjacent to the depot. Enough was available that the city tapped the spring for domestic use too.

There was still enough water for an early settler to establish an orchard behind where the courthouse is today, so I first thought the picture was this orchard. Except the hills are all wrong for it being Ephrata. A previous photographic mystery had been solved when I found the location at a place called Black Butte, and sure enough, the photo here also shows said butte in the distance. I found my spot. 

Black Butte is located along the Great Northern Railway, about midpoint between the 8 miles separating the towns of Stratford and Adrian. It can be seen when traveling along State Route 28, on the south side of the road, between Adco and the turn to Pinto Ridge Road. I've yet to find the origin of the name Black Butte, a feature of the channeled scabland of Eastern Washington. Crab Creek flows beneath it, so I've been calling this section of scabland Crab Creek Coulee, because that is what is going on here. The railroad also crosses Crab Creek right below the highest point of it.

The Great Northern used a large section of this coulee to find a more or less level grade across Eastern Washington. It's not straight, having many curves that even today limit speeds. Just beyond Black Butte, at Adrian, Crab Creek turns and heads south while the railroad climbs up the gravel bar at the in the Grant Orchards area. Then it turns southwest and dips through the Soap Lake sag and onto the Ephrata fan of the expansion flood bar of the Grand Coulee.

Black Butte is 15 miles away from Ephrata. Why show it in the brochure? Water. Ephrata doesn't have that much, but 15 miles away was an irrigation company that had been watering the land for a few years, making the shrub-steppe land blossom.

The Adrian Irrigation Company was formed in 1902 to harness the waters of Crab Creek. They created a dam at Brook Lake and dug a ditch about 10 miles to what we know as the Grant Orchards area. In the sandy soiled area across from Adrian, the water was kept in check in a wooden flume. Five thousand acres of land were acquired, lots were sold, and the land was to be worked in a communistic style. No, not that kind, but as an actual commune. By 1910 Grant Orchards was a thing, with 62,000 trees already 16 months old and the promise of another 1000 acres worth the next year.

But, things were not well with the irrigation company. Lawsuits over money had been filed as early as 1908, with at least 3 suits going on at once, one which went all the way to the Washington State Supreme Court. The assets of the Adrian Irrigation Company were sold to the Stratford Irrigation Company in early 1911, clearing the company and it's officers from all the legal troubles. Stratford took up the promise to get those extra 1000 acres into water, which is where our photo takes place. 

The Stratford Orchards Company bought all the land in the area between Stratford to a point about a mile east of Adrian along Crab Creek. They set out trees in a good part of those 1000 acres, all being given water from Crab Creek. Fruit was shipped by rail out at a loading dock, seen about a quarter of the way from the left of the photo, above all the young trees.

As we know today, Crab Creek doesn't necessarily flow all that long in the spring, so it might be hard to imagine it being dammed and water diverted. The folks with Stratford Orchards drilled a well to irrigate their trees as they saw fit, allowing the trees to survive the droughts of the 1930s.

The orchards lasted long enough to be around when the Federal government started the Columbia Basin Federal Reclamation Project. Brook Lake became a seep lake below Long Lake Dam, which can release water into the lake, and Crab Creek, though not very often. The main canal, dug in 1947, skirts the northern edge of Crab Creek Coulee, allowing water to flow into the area of the Stratford Orchard Co. At the canal bifurcation, the East Low heads south and actually crosses underneath Crab Creek, the Great Northern, and the old irrigation company ditch. The West Canal is tapped a few miles further west to irrigate the Grant Orchards area.

I couldn't get to the actual spot of the old photo, and the field of corn in front of Black Butte obscures part of the view. I know I'm close. You can see the hill the buildings in the old photo were likely on. The Great Northern, now BNSF, passes through the scene, closer to the cliff edge. You can see the tracks in the distance to the left of the left-most power pole. The Stratford Cemetery is easily seen in the center right. While there are still a few fruit trees in the area, most of this land is now in alfalfa, corn, and potatoes.

1979 BN Station Revenues-Spokane Division

 

1979 BN Station Revenues-Spokane Division

 

1979 BN Station Revenues-Portland Division

 

1977 Milwaukee Road Rationalization Of Plant Light Density Lines

 

Train Crew Named For Run Up Coulee

From the Spokane "Chronicle."

July 30, 1935

Dam Rail Line Hearing Jan 22

From the "Spokesman Review."

December 28, 1933

Down On 331

Courtesy of Blair Kooistra.

Blair says:

"Down on: Washington Royal Lines #331, former Montana Rail Link SD45R, Othello, Washington, 30 September 2020."

 

New Power For The CBRW

September 7, 2025

Spotted at Four Lakes, WA over the weekend were 4 SD40-2s purchased from Western Rail for service on the Columbia Basin Railway. They were testing for a week or so on sister company Washington Eastern, who also happens to be the connecting carrier to Western Rail. I suppose the thinking would be if there are any hiccups, the shop is close by. Rumor is these would be shipped to Yakima for further setup after testing.

Jaguar Acquires CBRW

From "Railway Age."

• August 27, 2025
 
• Regulatory

Jaguar Acquires CBRW, CWAR (UPDATED 8/27)

Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor

(Logos courtesy of the respective railroads)

Jaguar on Aug. 27 began running the Columbia Basin Railroad (CBRW) and Central Washington Railroad (CWAR), following its approved acquisition of the Class IIIs by the Surface Transportation Board (STB).

CBRW and CWAR operate a combined 177-mile network that provides transportation links for central Washington State (see maps below). Together, the lines connect agricultural producers, industrial shippers, and local businesses to the national rail system, ensuring efficient access to both domestic markets and through Pacific Northwest ports, according to Jaguar. CBRW interchanges with BNSF at Connell, Wash. The main commodities hauled are agricultural goods, inbound fertilizer, chemicals, and processed potatoes and vegetables. CWAR connects with BNSF in Yakima and Gibbon, and handles such commodities as cattle feed, propane, paper products, plastic pellets, cheese, juice concentrate, lumber, apples and other agricultural goods.

(Map from Jaguar’s STB filing)

(Map from Jaguar’s STB filing)

“We are excited to welcome the Columbia Basin Railroad and Central Washington Railroad into Jaguar,” Jaguar Transport Holdings CEO Stu Towner said in an Aug. 26 announcement. “The Temple family and their team have transformed good railroads into great businesses by prioritizing safe, reliable service for their employees and customers, which in turn has allowed them to invest in and support the communities they serve.

(Courtesy of Jaguar)

“Washington’s long history in transportation and trade lives on through these railroads, which remain vital lifelines for farmers, manufacturers, and businesses across the state. As this growth continues, safe and efficient rail service will be essential to sustaining the region’s expanding economy.

“We take a disciplined approach to acquisitions, and this opportunity—backed by proven success, strong infrastructure, a dedicated team, and a growing customer base—truly excites us. We are ready to dig in and earn the right to grow with our new team members, customers, communities, and Class I partners.”

Brig Temple, outgoing owner and President of CBRW and CWAR said: “Over the years, these railroads have played an important role in supporting the local customers across central Washington. We couldn’t be more confident in Jaguar’s ability to carry that legacy forward and take these railroads to the next level. Their professionalism and care, combined with a commitment to safety, reliability, and relationship-driven investment in commercial growth, will not only serve our customers well but also strengthen the economy of the region we proudly call home.”

With this acquisition, Jaguar now operates 13 short lines, 13 transload locations, and six industrial parks across 12 states.

BACKGROUND

Jaguar—collectively OPSEU Pension Plan Trust Fund (OPTrust), Jaguar Transport Holdings, LLC (JTH), and Jaguar Rail Holdings, LLC (JRH)—submitted to the STB on July 14 separate notices of exemption under 49 C.F.R. § 1180.2(d)(2) for the Class III acquisitions. (Scroll down to download.)

OPTrust, JTH and JRH are non-carriers, according to Jaguar. “OPTrust indirectly controls JTH, which, in turn, directly controls JRH,” Jaguar reported in its STB filings. “JTH currently controls, indirectly, eleven Class III railroads. Of the 11 railroads currently under JTH’s indirect control, eight—Southwestern Railroad, Inc. (SWRR), Texas & Eastern Railroad, LLC (TERR), Wyoming and Colorado Railroad, Inc. (WYCO–which also does business under the name Oregon Eastern Railroad), Missouri Eastern Railroad, LLC (MER), Charlotte Western Railroad, LLC (CWRR), Kinston Railroad, LLC (KNR), Waterloo Railroad LLC (WTRL), and Kansas City West Bottoms Railroad, LLC (KCWB)—are controlled directly by JRH. JRH also indirectly controls two other railroads—Cimarron Valley Railroad, L.C. (CVRR) and Washington Eastern Railroad, LLC (WERR)—through WYCO. JTH indirectly controls West Memphis Base Railroad, L.L.C. (WMBR) through Jaguar Transport, LLC, a separate JTH subsidiary affiliated with JRH.”

According to Jaguar, JTH entered into separate unit purchase agreements to acquire control of CBRW and CWAR. JTH said it would close on the CBRW transaction and the CWAR stock transaction “upon or after the effective date” of the present class exemptions.

Jaguar told the STB that the CBRW and CWAR transactions are not transactions where the short lines to be acquired would connect with any of the railroads already in Jaguar’s portfolio; where Jaguar plans to connect CBRW and CWAR to any of the railroads already in its portfolio, or to connect any of its railroads to one another; or where a Class I carrier is involved. Accordingly, Jaguar said, the proposed transactions satisfy the class exemption criteria at 49 C.F.R. § 1180.2(d)(2).

Jaguar noted that CBRW acquired the lines that comprise its railroad operation from BNSF. “The purchase agreement governing the sale contains a right of first refusal (ROFR) extending to BNSF the option to re-purchase CBRW’s lines in the event of a proposed transfer-of-control such as the one presented here,” Jaguar reported. “BNSF is aware of the proposed CBRW change of control, but has not yet indicated whether it will forego its ROFR rights. BNSF has requested that Jaguar acknowledge the existence of BNSF’s ROFR rights in this class exemption notice filing. Accordingly, closing on Jaguar’s proposed acquisition of control will depend upon BNSF’s (pending) response.”

The STB, in its July 30 decisions (download below), said that the transactions may be consummated on or after Aug. 13, 2025, the effective date of the exemptions (30 days after the verified notices were filed). It noted in each decision that “[u]nder 49 U.S.C. 10502(g), the Board may not use its exemption authority to relieve a rail carrier of its statutory obligation to protect the interests of its employees. However, 49 U.S.C. 11326(c) does not provide for labor protection for transactions under 49 U.S.C. 11324 and 11325 that involve only Class III rail carriers. Because this transaction involves Class III rail carriers only, the Board, under the statute, may not impose labor protective conditions for this transaction.” Additionally, it said, petitions for stay must be filed no later than Aug. 6, 2025.

Othello Enginehouse View.

Photo by Wade Stevenson.

Othello Turntable View

Photo by Wade Stevenson.

F-Units at Davenport, WA

Courtesy of Tom Carver.

August 16, 1981

"The first time I encountered the Central Washington local was this same eastward train about 10 miles west of here, while driving the return leg of my delivery route out of Seattle. Every second day out I would return from either Coeur d'Alene or Spokane via U.S. Route 2, which followed the tracks, to my last delivery in Wenatchee. This was the first train I saw on the line and I was surprised that they were using F-Units. It was four-axle-only territory, which made sense, and the F's were out of the Parkwater (Spokane) based motive power pool, which also supplied these same units for the Marias Pass helpers. I turned around and followed it back here to Davenport, where he switched. Amazing how much infrastructure and equipment still remained in the 1980's."

New GP9s At Othello

Photo by Wade Stevenson.

1954

SD7s At Othello

Photo by Wade Stevenson.

1953

Warden Switcher Departing Othello

Guest post by Ryan Reed.

August 1965

This extremely rare photograph shows the Warden Switcher departing Othello in August 1965. The switcher ran between Othello and Warden peddling loaded ice reefers from Warden. The flatcar and load (probably for Stone & Conners) is unusual.

I did two oral history interviews with brakemen who worked the job - both said it was long and boring as they waited for reefers to be loaded. Other times the Warden Switcher would have to make a side trip to Tiflis to rescue the Mosey, dead on hours.

So much history, on the brink of being lost.

BN 604 Approaching Crater

Courtesy of Blair Kooistra.

Blair says:

"Here's the big view of the former Great Northern's climb out of the side canyon above Trinidad siding, east of Wenatchee, as train #604, using an assigned Wenatchee-Spokane-Wenatchee one-day turn crew, emerges from Tunnel 11 and steps out onto the narrow ledge above the "crater" below the west end of Quincy siding on September 17, 1991.

"The railroad is on a 0.8% gradient here, which it uses to climb away from the Columbia River to reach to Columbia Plateau at Quincy. Back behind the tunnel is the famous Trinidad Horseshoe curve.

#604 was the "Red Dog Ore" train hauling zinc concentrate (If I remember correctly) mined in Alaska and transported to Everett bound for the big Teck Resources smelter at Trail, British Columbia. Ore was hauled in rebuilt woodchip cars with reinforced floors, backhauling the chip load from the Everett area. The crew was an assigned turn, Wenatchee to Spokane and timed to catch hotshot train #3 back to Wenatchee in 12 hours. This made #604 one of the hottest eastbounds on the Columbia River subdivision."