ERDA 3730

Photo by RR.

R says:
"ERDA 3730 at the North Richland yard in September 1977. The Hanford Plant Railroad (located on the Hanford site in southeastern Washington State) was always one of my favorites and is the subject of a project layout I'm working on. I wish I could have chased it though. In the late 1980s, I photographed this RS1 getting scrapped along with its sister 3732."

Don't Tell

Courtesy of RR.

Marengo Meet: MILW 22 East should be passing MILW 144 West in the passing track, but the passing track is in such bad shape by 1978 crews began asking the UP operator if they can use the Washy. Note MILW 144 West in the background happily parked on the UP mainline - with no authority or knowledge from division brass.

Little Power On The Move

Photos courtesy of the Grant County Historical Society's BPA photo archive.

1945

Locomotive moving by truck due to the track being temporarily out of service due to construction work.

Burlington Northern Station Under Discussion In Ephrata

From the "Grant County Journal."

December 13, 1976

Mainline Derailed For Day

From the "Grant County Journal."

March 1, 1976

Action At Naylor

Guest post by Chris Malm. Photos by him.

March 11, 1992

An eastbound intermodal train with GP50 3126 and B30AB 4019 was first up. About 45 minutes later came what looked like train 4 with some apparently hot boxcars on the point, led by EMDX SD40-2 6301 (ex-MILW 178 to 17 to SOO 6301) and two more SD40-2s. The third train was a westbound stack train, possibly 15, as it met the 6301. March 11, 1992.

Chasing The CBRW

My photos.

April 20, 2026

Wheeler Turn headed towards Wheeler while crossing I90 at Raugust.

Passing through Bruce.

Passing Koren. I'm standing on the embankment of the SR 26 overpass.

BNSF Connell Turn power was all EMD this day.

Returning towards Warden, passing Buehler Road.

At Coyan Road.

Just north of Bruce. That's Othello in the background.

Coming off the BN built connection between the NP and the Milwaukee Road, the Columbia Basin Railway Connell Turn is nearly home at Warden, WA. You can see the remnants of the NP ramp behind the 651. 

The flyover was built by NP subsidiary Connell Northern, to get over the Milwaukee Road in 1910. After the Milwaukee quit in 1980, BN bought that line between Warden and Othello. At this particular location, they pulled out the NP bridge and built an at-grade connection between the two railroads, which is still in use today.

It's now 7pm and the Wheeler Turn hasn't finished at Wheeler yet.

1935 Tunnel Construction Scene

Courtesy of the NMAC.

1935

View looks over what will become the town of Coulee Dam at the granite bluff the tunnel was built through. It featured a 5% grade from end to end. It wasn't actually used, though track led to it, as part of a tail track of a switchback leading to a lower level.

From The GN To The NP

My photo.

June 1, 2016

After being built to haul GN passenger trains, this SDP40 was relegated to freight service. Over the years it found it's way to regional line Montana Rail Link, who leased it out for shortline service on the Eastern Washington Gateway. It became the star of the summer of 2016, as all of us local fans burned though pixels of it hauling wheat in Eastern Washington. 

BN 6642 At Wenatchee

Courtesy of Blair Kooistra.

Blair says:

"This is a rather standard view of Burlington Northern F45 #6642 ready to depart Appleyard in Wenatchee, Washington in March of 1985 with drag freight #129 to Seattle. But blow it up to screen-size on a big monitor, and just revel at its bad-assedness for a moment.

The SD40-2 is revered for its durability and reliability; the SD45 for its brute power and mean appearance with flared radiators. Bur for me, the most magnificent of them all was the F45, which became synonymous with freight operations across BN's Hi-Line in the 1970s and early 1980s.

During the last five years of their lives, ten or so of these were assigned to Interbay in Seattle, protecting helper assignments on the former Great Northern mainline over the Cascades to Wenatchee, a pair of 6600s replacing trios of GP9/F9s.

Identical--except for the lack of a steam generator compartment on the rear--to the passenger version FP45 initially built for Santa Fe, only Great Northern and Santa Fe purchased the new freight model F45s; 26 were ordered by Great Northern, 14 of which delivered before the 1970 Burlington Northern merger. BN added another 20 in 1971.

When I photographed the 6642, it had less than a year of service left for BN. It looks well worn, crusty around the edges, rusting along the side panels--but even so, it gives the appearance of a capable, powerful machine. After completing its air test, it will lead #129 over the pass to Seattle. This was the last time I saw an F45 lead a train on Burlington Northern.

The 6642 left the roster in 1986, reincarnated as Trancisco Tour #1002 for a short career hauling party trains between Oakland and Reno. Wisconsin Southern picked her up under the same number, passing it on to Montana Rail Link in 1993, who operated it as its #392 until retired and scrapped at Livingston in 2014."

 

From the Mainline To The Shortline At Hartline

My photo.

June 1, 2016

Former UP 9129 is now relegated to moving loads of wheat. The former mainline speedster is relegated to 10 to 25mph moving hoppers of grain on the shortline Eastern Washington Gateway. There wasn't much of a market for old GE's after the shortline was done with it. It's motor was salvaged for use in another locomotive and the rest of it was scrapped. 

NP Cement Boxcar Unloading At Grand Coulee

Courtesy of the Bonneville Power Administration. 

No date.

Note the fellow with the Fuller-Kinyon vacuum in the doorway, sucking out all the cement powder into the tanks in the background. This car was formerly used for lumber loading, stick by stick, as the small door on the right end shows. After being used for cement service, I doubt it was used for anything else. 

Note one of the fellows on the right is pointing at the photographer.

1924 NP AFE Hartline Right Of Way

Courtesy of the NPRHA.

Ruff View

Courtesy of the John Barriger Library, George Lentzner Collection. 

Pronounced "roof."

Location is just south of town along the intersections of county roads W NE and 5 NE.

Riverland Views

Courtesy of the John Barriger Library, George Lentzner Collection. 

Othello Roundhouse Scene

Photo by Wade Stevenson.

October 1969

2059 West At Othello

Photo by Wade Stevenson.

May 26, 1972

1908 NP AFE Mondovi Depot

Courtesy of the NPRHA.

That Remaining CBRW SD9

My photo. 

April 4, 2026

The remaining SD9 of the CBRW is dropping a car at an industry south of Wheeler, WA. This spur was built off of the old Milwaukee Road spur to the U&I Sugar plant.

1938 Queen Of The Columbia Views

Courtesy of the NMAC. 

December 8, 1934

Recently named Queen Lou Turner is seen posing with King David H. Ryan, the contractor who built the railroad. Group scene is inside the Roosevelt Theater.

Downstream Rock Island Dam Views

Courtesy of the NMAC.

About 1927

1988 Ephrata View

Photographer unknown.

Odair Cement Plant View

Courtesy of the Bonneville Power Administration.

1945

Looking south southwest.

1941 Grand Coulee View

Photo courtesy of the Bonneville Power Administration.

November 13, 1941

Note the former Spokane streetcar, now a restaurant, just above center on the far right.

What's Up In Warden?

April 5, 2025

Old power going away. Unit train of some sort delivered by big BNSF units. First time I've seen those here!

A Full Look At The Coulee City Engine Facility Scene

Photos courtesy of the Bonneville Power Administration.

Map courtesy of the NPRHA.

BPA was taking photos of the material staged at the engine facility, so they could construct the powerlines between Grand Coulee Dam and Midway substation.