1966 U&I Sugar View

Bureau of Reclamation photo. 

1966

Columbia Crossing

Photo by Tom Carver.

Tom says:
"Crossing from the east to the west bank of the Columbia River just north of Rock Island power dam, hotshot train #3's next stop will be in Wenatchee, WA, for crew change. May 1981."

Schafer View

Courtesy of the John Barriger Library, George Lentzner Collection. 

WASHINGTON-MILW201C9-125-167 - 3-18-79116

Othello Engine House View.

Courtesy of the John Barriger Library, George Lentzner Collection. 

WASHINGTON-MILW201C9-125-167 - 3-18-79118

1988 Chasing The CW Branch

Photos courtesy of Jonathan Fischer. 

May 26, 1988

Near Creston. 

Near Wilbur.

Near Wilbur

Wilbur

Wilbur

Wilbur

Govan

Grain Train Roster Shot

Photo by Lauren Scrafford. 

Lauren says:
"Columbia Basin, CBRW 1022 roster photograph at Warden, WA on April 16, 2004. This string of 26 CBRW grain hoppers had just come off the Schrag branch and would be part of the next Connell turn and interchanged with the BNSF.

"The Columbia Basin had 30 of these grain hoppers and they were generally used on the Schrag Branch. They were numbered 1000-1028 and 1035 and 1100. Most were cylindrical hoppers, but a few were rib side hoppers. The rib sides that I recall were CBRW 1000, 1002-1004 & 1100. This one is stenciled Port of Moses Lake but not all of them were. I don't believe any of the rib sides were stenciled for the Port of Moses Lake."

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. 

October Connell Turn

My photos.

October 15, 2025

After leaving the Royal City turn at Othello, we went over to catch the Connell Turn on the Columbia Basin returning from Connell.

Climbing up out of Connell, while I am perched on the hill above the Moon Rd. crossing.

Train is approaching the SR 26 overpass at Koren.

I'm at Providence Road. That's Bruce, WA in the distance.

Royal City Turn

My photos.

October 15, 2025

Empties were being returned to Othello, so I only chased it from Royal City to Othello.

Cold start at 8:30am at Royal City.

At the horseshoe curve just south of Royal City. In a minute or three, the short train will pass along the tracks in the lower part of the image.

About to cross Crab Creek.

At the siding at Taunton, looking west northwest along SR 26, with the Colockum in the distance.