West Of Hite On The WER

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."

Bucking Snow On The Washington Eastern

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...

WER Work Train At Davenport

Guest post by Rodney Aho.

Washington Eastern Railroad work train at Davenport, Wash., September 19, 2019, with Gary Durr as conductor in charge.

WER 2422 At Reardan

Guest post by Bruce Butler.

Washington Eastern GP30M 2422 basks in the late afternoon sun at Reardan WA late afternoon on 5/26/2021. This was the end of a long day of running out on the Geiger spur as well as a light power move to Reardan for work train service spreading ballast.

Additionally, 2422 endured several hours of hand scrubbing to remove graffiti which was applied at Cheney. Fortunately the fine paint applied years ago at Santa Fe's Cleburn TX shop survived this abuse with no noticeable damage. Long live the blue and yellow!

Unloading At Four Lakes

Guest post by Bruce Butler.

December 30, 2020.

Highline Grain this morning, December 30th. The first car is spotted over the pit inside of the shed, ready to dump it's load of wheat. We had 58 cars to unload.

With 13 cars unloaded, Highline is changing "Groups" and this gives me a chance to get more pictures.

Still snowing! Yup, there's a track under that white blanket

“Desert Duties Done”

Guest post by Frederick Manfred Simon.

December 26, 2018

The unmistakable silhouette of a GP30 heads headlong into a seething snow storm – snow like so much desert sand – swirling about nearly obscures the image with flares as the unavoidable profusion of flakes quickly form droplets on the lens. Slipping by a dune of crumbling Washington State basalt on century-old 90# sticks nearing MP 83 en route to Coulee City on the CW sub is SW 2422. A former Santa Fe Cleburne rebuild more accustomed to arid operations, she finds herself climbing down eponymous Rattlesnake Hill. Whatever rattlesnakes may be around they are surely in a state of stasis, holed up in a den as I insanely brave the insane wind chill to bag this image the day after Christmas instead of being holed up in my own warm den. And I ask myself as I have too many times to count: “What makes me do such irrational things just to get the shot?” I have no answer. 

WER Scoot At Deep Creek

Guest post by Ted Curphey.

April 2, 2021

Frederick Manfred Simon has his hand on the throttle of WER 2422 as it crests the top of Deep Creek Hill with a GP30, three SD40-2's and 78 loaded grain hoppers this afternoon. While not the steepest grade against loads on the line, it is the "ruling grade" for the mere fact that by this point in the journey of the scoot train, it has been fully filled out after stops at multiple elevators to collect cars.

Fred is finishing a trip that I spent all night running. But due to a ailing locomotive, I was unable to surmount this incline. Fred brought the 2422 from Cheney so the Scoot Train could make the grade. 

Frederick replied "Thanks Ted! And though the 3776 just wouldn't cooperate above notch 6 by dying, inturn having to stop on the hill to get 'er going again, I managed to get things rolling again. By then it was past Killer Curve and notch 5 was good enough to crest."