Bridge Over The Milwaukee

Courtesy of JP3.

NP bridge No. 33. Milwaukee bridge EE806.

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.

Last Time I Saw The 1626 Running

My photos.

October 8, 2025.

Next time I saw it, two days later, it was in the Warden deadline.

Crossing the East Low Canal.

Crossing I90 at Raugust.

Fifth car back is where the Milwaukee Road branch to Moses Lake passed underneath. I posted a Blair Kooistra picture of this location a few weeks ago.

Crossing the irrigation wasteway at Ritell. 

Milwaukee Moses Lake Turn

From "CTC Board."

June 1984

Photo by Blair Kooistra.

Of note, the caption should note this is the NP Connell Northern branch being ducked under, just south of Raugust. After the Milwaukee pulled out, BN simply filled in this location, with just the tops of the trestle still visible today.

1979 BN Station Revenues-Portland Division

 

8-12-25 Chasing The CBRW Wheeler Turn Returning To Warden

My photos.

Crossing East Low Canal.

Crossing I 90.

Arriving at Raugust.

Setting out a hopper and picking up a ballast car at Simplot.

Getting ready to leave with the ballast car in the train.

Detail view of the top of the 651.

The 651 is at the point where the overpass of the Milwaukee branch to Moses Lake crossed beneath the NP.

Crossing Weber Coulee.

Crossing Lind Coulee.

Crossing the diamond at Warden.

With the ballast car, they are off to grab 2 reefers at Lamb Weston.

1936 Raugust Area Underpass

Courtesy of JP3.

Located near the NP station of Raugust. Milwaukee line to Moses Lake running below. See this spot here today.

Trainload Of Starch From The Columbia Basin Went To Sweden

From "The Northwest."

July-August 1959

This Potato House At Raugust Has 22 Feet Of Free Space

From "The Northwest."

May-June 1964

1952 Moses Lake Area Map

 

BN 1975 Station Revenues H-R

Courtesy of Aaron Schwarz and the PNRA.

Pronto Foods Inc, Organized Recently, Will French Fry Potatoes

From "The Northwest."

A bimonthly magazine published by the Northern Pacific. 

January-February 1965

Early Raugust Area View.

Courtesy of JP3.

This is the location of US 10, now Interstate 90, east of Moses Lake, near the old NP siding of Raugust.

BN AFE Index Card--Raugust

Courtesy of the PNRA and Aaron Schwarz.

US 10 Crossing At Raugust

Courtesy of JP3.

US 10, now I 90, comes in from the middle left of the image. Raugust siding is on the hillside in the distance.

1973 BN Consolidated Annual Station Earnings-1

Courtesy of Aaron Schwarz.

1956 Bassett Jct. Topo Map

Corrected to 1978.

BNSF Track Segment 379

Compiled by the late Alan Eisenberg.

Green segments were in service at the time the list was made. Red was out of service or gone. "CB" stands for "Columbia Basin Railway."

Trainload Of Starch From The Columbia Basin Went To Sweden

From the "News & Standard."

September 11, 1959