Monday, May 4, 2026

1980 Davenport View

Photo courtesy of Blair Kooistra.

Blair says:
"And because I've always got "just one more" vintage photo to show, here we are at Davenport, Washington, in the predawn hours of October 11, 1980, when I dragged my buddy Brian Elchlepp with me across the mountains to chase an A-A-A-A-Geep-B-Geep set on the Coulee City local. We just drove east along the railroad until we found the train tied down at the depot, then waited for the crew to show up. The headlight is on dim, cab lights are on as the crew readies their workspace, and numberboards and rooftop gumball flasher is on. 
"What a day! We made a full day of it, chasing all the way west to Coulee City and then back to Spokane. It made for a long day of driving, and I know I'm an old man now (I was only 20 at the time!), but if something like this were to happen today. . .well, I can guarantee you Brian and I would be hot-footin' it no matter how much sleep we'd be losing."



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