Digging Out On Highway 2

Guest post by Michael Sawyer.

Digging Out on Highway 2: A Winter Memory

Thirty-three years ago, today. I found myself in an inconvenient situation along Washington State Highway 2, positioned between Hartline and Coulee City. While attempting a U-turn that proved to be ill-advised, my truck became stuck in the deep winter conditions.

Fortunately, assistance was nearby. The section Foreman and the Plow Engineer came to my aid, working together to dig my truck out and get me back on the road.

State Highway 2, Washington

January 12, 1993

©️ 2026 Michael Douglas Sawyer | Photography

All Rights Reserved 

Train 88 At Lynch Coulee

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.

PCC Cab Ride

 
Guest post by Vaughn MacKenzie.

Railroading with Mike & Tom on the Palouse River & Coulee City, early November 1997. Longtime friend David Roberts and I scored a cab ride from Cheney to Reardan and it was a fantastic adventure. The weather was perfect, albeit cold & drafty in the aging GP35 lead locomotive. The excitement began just as we were rolling out of town at 10mph with our consist of 52 cars when we nearly hit a white Olds at a crossing. A lady panicked and stopped on the tracks then couldn’t get backed up, and her passenger quickly bailed out. She was frantically fumbling with the gear selector. Tom dumped the air and we stopped mere inches from her bumper. The rest of the ride was less eventful but beautiful. The accomodations in the locomotive were somewhat lacking, so if nature called we were instructed to step onto the catwalk when we were out in open countryside, secure a firm grip on the railing with one hand and let it fly with the other 😂.

1943 Riverland View

The Riverland Rail Yard ca. 1943. The US Army took over the Milwaukie Road Hanford Branch Line, rebuilt it, and constructed a rail interchange yard, shop, engine storage and station. The Army constructed 163 new track miles on H.E.W. Railroad. Huge amounts of materiel and supplies came to the H.E.W. through this yard. There is no trace left.  (Photo by Robley Johnson and courtesy of the National Archives)

Yes, This Is A Railroad Photo

February 12, 2026

An Air Tractor AT-802 fully loaded with fertilizer is in the process of taking off from "Meise Field" today, as the moderate temperatures have local farmers getting started on the growing season. Yes, it's only February 12 when this photo was taken.

The railroad connection? The airstrip is build on the former Northern Pacific's Connell Northern right of way, near the station of Mitchell, about 3 miles north of the current end of track at Wheeler.

Back From The Dead?

My photo.

February 12, 2026

In the deadline at Warden, WA since last August, the 2274 has been a pigeon roost out near the Bunge canola pressing plant. I figured today would be no different, so imagine my surprise to see it tied up to the 651, an SD9 still in service on the CBRW. 

Admittedly this could just be preparation for moving it to a new owner.

Locomotive Crane At Grand Coulee

 March 1, 1945

Who's Who-First Train To Grand Coulee

July 29, 1935

1893 Spokane County Map View