This site features daily historical railroad posts from the Big Bend/Columbia Plateau region of Washington state. As a personal site, this is my online filing cabinet of interesting things I've come across about railroading in the area. Thanks for stopping by!
Photo by Dean Ferris.
On August 2, 1989 a BN officer special is stopped at Trinidad, WA where occupants of rear car Glacier View have hopped off to stretch their legs. I'm not sure why the stop was made here compared to the wonderfully scenic locations ahead alongside the Columbia River and through the Cascade Mountains, but I used a good half roll of film while they were sitting here!
Courtesy of the PNRA. Thanks to Aaron Schwarz for digging this out.
Photo courtesy of James Belmont.
June 30, 1995
Burlington Northern train No. 639 approaches 2,382 ft, Tunnel No. 11, between Quincy and Trinidad, Washington the afternoon of June 30, 1995. I remember well this particular afternoon of photography along the Great Northern involved more snake sightings than trains.
Photo by Doug Harrop. Courtesy of James Belmont.
May 25, 1976
Burlington Northern train 88 ascends a 1% grade through Lynch Coulee on the former Great Northern east of Trinidad, Washington.
As prepared for the 2016 GNRHS convention for me by someone else. It's mostly correct.
From the "Columbia Basin Herald."
September 19, 2019
Story by Rachal Pinkerton.
Photo by Tom Carver.
Tom says:
"Descending 1.0% from the Columbia Plateau down to the river, this westbound's rear-end crew has a good chance to look over their train while rounding the horseshoe at Trinidad. Next stop is Wenatchee for a crew change. I posted a photo of an eastbound here some time ago...a great location!"
Courtesy of James Belmont.
Doug Harrop Photography
May 25, 1976
Burlington Northern (former Colorado & Southern) 900 leads BN train No. 88, climbing the 20-mile, 1% grade from the Columbia River basin just east of Trinidad, Washington.
Photo by Steven J Brown.
A trio of LMX B39-8E's (built 1987) with autoracks on the Burlington Northern at Trinidad, Washington - September 17, 1991.
Courtesy of Tom Carver.
"Into the teeth of the 1% climb out of the Columbia River valley in the background, this eastbound is now heading east and west simultaneously as it ascends onto the Columbia Plateau. This loop is actually a full horseshoe up a side coulee of the Columbia valley. After leaving Wenatchee, WA., BN's ex-GN line crosses from the west to east side of the Columbia River and initiates this 20-mile climb to Quincy on its way to Ephrata and eventually Spokane."
Courtesy of Tom Carver.
"My intent was to get both ends of the train in the photo here at Trinidad Loop, which is out of the frame to the right, but prior to that this Frisco boxcar caught my eye which I think is a better image anyway. This westbound is fully occupying the loop on BN's Spokane Division 5th Sub between Spokane and Wenatchee. It is on a 1 percent grade down to the Columbia River, which runs generally due south in this part of Washington State and occupies the canyon in the middle distance. The train will then turn compass north to Wenatchee, upriver out of the photo to the right."
Grandluxe Rail Journeys (formerly American Orient Express) on the horseshoe at Trinidad, Washington - June 20, 2007.
Photos by Steven J. Brown as noted. Others by David Honan. Both used with permission.
At the big horseshoe curve:
Along Crater Lake:
Mr. Brown in the vestibule:
