Quincy Intermodal Terminal To Expand

From the "Columbia Basin Herald."

September 1, 2026

Another Look At The BNSF 250 And 2026

My photos.

August 7, 2026

After some commitments were completed that morning, I was able to catch the 250 east of Odessa, and the 2026 at both Lamona and Mohler. The sky was filled with smoke everywhere from the big forest fire near Lake Chelan. 

BNSF OCS At Adrian

My photo.

July 30, 2026

BNSF EAS At Black Butte

Photo by Steven J. Brown. 

The BNSF Employee Appreciation Special with Southern Pacific 4449 on the Columbia River Subdivision at Pinto Ridge Road in Stratford, Washington - July 17, 2000.

 Dan adds; part of the bluff seen on the left is named "Black Butte" on topo maps.

Meet At Adrian

My photo. 

June 29, 2026

A westbound Z train is doing track speed at Adrian, WA, while passing an empty oil train holding the siding. 

My photo location is part of the filled in Northern Pacific trestle which leapt over the GN main and Crab Creek here. This structure was removed in 1983. There was an actual interchange track here, starting at a point along the oil train marked by the water tank in the distance. There was another bridge over Crab Creek there, and a ramp going up to the NP at a point called Adco. Adco was a conjunction of the names “Adrian” and “Connell.” The line to here had been built between those points in 1910, connecting with the 1903 build NP branch down from Coulee City. 

At one time, this junction had been envisioned to allow the large quantities of wheat coming off the NP, which wanted to go to tidewater at Seattle, from having to be hauled all the way back to Spokane, and then to Seattle. This would save about 200 miles. 

During the mid 1930s, this interchange boomed with carloads of construction material for the abuilding Grand Coulee Dam. While much was handed over to the NP at Spokane, the cement plant along the GN at Grotto, on the west side of Stevens Pass, added it’s share to the other 5 places enlisted to provide product.

In the early days of the newly merged Burlington Northern, there had been a plan floated to build a unit train loader in this area. Unfortunately, the boom of Wyoming coal took the bulk of BN’s money and time, so this project never came to fruition. 

The interchange had a longer life than expected. While the line through to Coulee City was largely unused after 1950, the interchange and line south boomed due to the sugar beet processor built outside of Moses Lake. Nearby Quincy and Winchester, along the GN, became huge beet growing regions. Beets from there were shipped by rail along the GN to Adrian, where they were handed off to the NP for furtherance south to the plant. This continued until the plant was closed in 1979. 

Both bridges were removed in 1983 after BN got permission to abandon the line south. 

Z Train At Adrian

May 16, 2026

I was waiting at my preferred train watching spot at Adrian, for that late Amtrak #7 I wound up catching at Marlin instead. This Z train came flying through before I left. It met #7 at Gibson. I wound up seeing the Z again at Latah Junction a few hours later.

In the distance in this shot is Beezley Hill, with the town of Ephrata being right below it.

My location is right where the NP used to cross this line.

 

Late Empire Builder

5-16-26 

Today's very late #7 at Marlin, WA.

1941 GN Unloading Dock In Ephrata Set Ablaze

From GCJ News.

https://www.gcj.news/in-other-news-50/

Ephrata, Port Seek State Funds For Truck Access Route Design

From "GCJ News."

March 7, 2026

EPHRATA — Ephrata city council members on Wednesday approved an application seeking state funds to design a major arterial roadway and rail overpass that would link the north end of town at Basin Street/State Route 28 to the Ephrata Port District.

City engineer Shawn O’Brien outlined provisions of the grant application — submitted in conjunction with the port district — to the Washington State Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board.

The city and port are seeking $302,750 in state monies in 2027, with each contributing $23,625 in matching funds, for a total estimated cost of $350,000. The application deadline was Friday, March 6.

If approved, the feasibility study and engineering design would enhance the possibility of receiving additional state and federal monies in the future to construct the arterial/rail crossing, which has a preliminary estimated cost of $5 million, said O’Brien.

Both the roadway and rail overpass proposals are listed in the city’s 2026-2031 Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program.

The project’s main focus is to provide direct truck access from SR 28 to the port district, its rail spur, commercial and industrial tenants, and the Ephrata Airport. Currently, that access is limited. Trucks on the highway must enter town and turn onto East Division, or approach the port from State Route 282 along Nat Washington Way or Airport Street to the south.

The proposed connector would “provide a dedicated truck route through airport and industrial zones, not winding through residential and school zone areas, as it does now along Division Street,” Dave Bren, the city’s project engineer and grant writer, stated in the funding request.

A new north-south arterial could also ease traffic congestion at existing rail crossings at Division and Nat Washington Way, particularly for school bus traffic at certain times of the day. And, said council member Valli Millard, for residents on the northeast side of town.

“It is so congested up there,” she said.

The proposal has received letters of support from the Ephrata School District, Grant Transit Authority, and state Department of Transportation. 

Councilman Mike Warren commended city staff for pursuing the project, saying it has been a long-standing need for the community, while fellow councilman Matt Moore appreciated the collaboration with port officials.

If ultimately constructed, the new arterial would connect with State Route 28 at the intersection of Road B-NW, where the state Department of Transportation is proposing to construct a roundabout in 2028.

From that intersection, the new roadway would cross the Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail tracks via an overpass — a key component that makes the project “feasible,” said O’Brien — and continue south to an eastward extension of Third Avenue N.E.

There, the arterial would split: one roadway would proceed east from Third Avenue and connect to Railroad Street at the port district; the other roadway would continue south and link up to both East Division Avenue and Enterprise Street.

Right-of-way acquisition would involve one private property owner on the east side of the railroad tracks, said O’Brien.

BN Says "No" To City Speed Limits

From the "Grant County Journal."

July 15, 1996

Train Speed Limits Eyed

From the "Grant County Journal."

July 8, 1996

It's A Mess

From the "Grant County Journal."

March 8, 2010

Port Of Quincy Helping To Improve Freight Movement

From the "Columbia Basin Herald."

February 6, 2014

Bye Bye Ephrata Depot

From the "Grant County Journal."

November 2, 2015

WSDOT Manager Says PCC Railroad Progressing

From the "Columbia Basin Herald."

June 21, 2006

Quad County Regional Transportation Plan 2017-2037

Just the railroad parts of the document.

 

 

BNSF Adds Grant And Adams Counties' Columbia Basin Railroad To Shortline Select Program

Be prepared to read one of the most poorly written articles from this news organization, Source One News.

Screen grab of the BNSF press release down below, which is properly written.

Here is the full article from the BNSF website.
https://www.bnsf.com/news-media/news-releases/newsrelease.page?relId=cbrw-and-nlr-to-join-bnsf-railways-shortline-select-program

Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation, BNSF Acquisition Corp., and Burlington Northern Railroad Company-Control-Washington Central Railroad Company

 

BNSF EAS At Quincy

Photo courtesy of Steven J. Brown.

July 17, 2000

Southern Pacific 4449 / BNSF Employee Appreciation Special eastbound at Quincy, Washington.

2007 CBRW Purchase From BNSF