Connell Thinks East Road Best

From the "Spokesman Review."

January 9, 1947

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.

My Chase Of The "New" CBRW SD40-2s

My photos.

October 13, 2025

Koren

Frischnecht

Connell

Near the Moon Road crossing.

Moon Road crossing.

Shano

2020 Fall Scene Near Schlomer

Photo courtesy of Steven J. Brown.

Steve says:
"Columbia Basin SD9 12 (built 1959 as C&S 832 to BNSF 6115 to TCRY 25), SD9 610 (built 1957 as EJ&E 602 to MRL 610), GP9u 2294 (built 1956 as AT&SF GP9 719 to AT&SF GP9u 2294) and SD19-1 651 (built 1957 as EJ&E SD9 601 to MRL 609 to MRL SD19-1 651) heading to Connell at Schlomer, Washington - November 9, 2020."

New Power On The CBRW

Most photos courtesy Blaize Merryman.

October 29, 2025

At Connell.

Super secret photo from somebody else. Also at Connell.

At Frischnecht.

At Bruce.

Near Warden.

1979 BN Station Revenues-Portland Division

 

Chasing The CBRW-8-8-25

My photos.

Switching the new Simplot plant at Wheeler.

Passing the NP era water tank at Wheeler. 

Pulling hard at Frischknecht.

Coming down the hill into Connell.

Waiting at Connell while a grain train passes.

Swapping trains with the Lind Turn.

One of the fellows on the chase with me at Connell.

Crossing Buehler Rd. 

Once again at Frischknecht.

Passing Shano.

Crossing a bridge just north of Bruce.

Crossing Lee Rd at Bruce.

Coming through the S curve track that BN built to connect the former NP with the Milwaukee north of Warden. I'm standing on the ramp to the flyover the NP had over the Milwaukee. 

Gaining former Milwaukee trackage north of Warden.

Coming And Going At Frischknecht-Bidding Goodbye To The CBRW

My photos.

August 8, 2025 

With the ownership of the Columbia Basin Railway in Eastern Washington set to change in a week, a couple of fellows and I headed out today (8-8-25) see what was going on. We caught the Connell Turn headed to Connell and the connection with the BNSF with a former NP geep in the lead, the CBRW 1626. This is a former NP branch, so it's nice to see home-road power still around.

The return trip north to Warden had the 2274 in charge. Both photos taken at Frischknecht.

The Connell Turn Returns

My photo.

July 25, 2025

A late July trip to the Columbia Basin Railway caught the turn returning from Connell, WA. Departure time was a bit earlier than I've previously seen, as it is dependent on BNSF to show up with their cars to return to Warden.

Power is a former DMIR SD9 of the same number, a former Santa Fe GP9 (the last one running in blue and yellow, as the other one, the 2294, is out of service at the roundhouse in Yakima), and one former NP GP9, still with it's BNSF number.

Train is approaching the location of Frischnecht, along what was built as the NP's Connell Northern branch.

1983 BN Washington Grain Elevator Directory E-M

Courtesy of Aaron Schwarz and the PNRA.

BN 1975 Station Revenues C-H

Courtesy of Aaron Schwarz and the PNRA.

CBRW At Frischknecht

Photo by Gary Durr.

August 29, 2016

On my Birthday trip to Central Washington, here is One more shot of the CBRW's Connell turn... This time at the old NP station of Frischnecht, passing Connell Grain Growers elevators there on their return trip to Warden...Nice to see two SD-9's together pulling freight out in the open.... A good day for sure...

2015 CBRW At Frischknecht

Photo by Jonathan Fischer.

February 13, 2015.

Jonathan says:

" Columbia Basin Railroad 2294 crosses Buehler Road near Frischknecht, Washington with a northbound freight for Warden on the afternoon of February 13, 2015. Moving dead in tow is CBRY 652, formerly of the MRL. It was delivered to CBRY by BNSF at Connell earlier in the afternoon."

 

1973 BN Consolidated Annual Station Earnings-1

Courtesy of Aaron Schwarz.