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.

1935 Tunnel Construction Scene

Courtesy of the NMAC.

1935

View looks over what will become the town of Coulee Dam at the granite bluff the tunnel was built through. It featured a 5% grade from end to end. It wasn't actually used, though track led to it, as part of a tail track of a switchback leading to a lower level.

From The GN To The NP

My photo.

June 1, 2016

After being built to haul GN passenger trains, this SDP40 was relegated to freight service. Over the years it found it's way to regional line Montana Rail Link, who leased it out for shortline service on the Eastern Washington Gateway. It became the star of the summer of 2016, as all of us local fans burned though pixels of it hauling wheat in Eastern Washington. 

BN 6642 At Wenatchee

Courtesy of Blair Kooistra.

Blair says:

"This is a rather standard view of Burlington Northern F45 #6642 ready to depart Appleyard in Wenatchee, Washington in March of 1985 with drag freight #129 to Seattle. But blow it up to screen-size on a big monitor, and just revel at its bad-assedness for a moment.

The SD40-2 is revered for its durability and reliability; the SD45 for its brute power and mean appearance with flared radiators. Bur for me, the most magnificent of them all was the F45, which became synonymous with freight operations across BN's Hi-Line in the 1970s and early 1980s.

During the last five years of their lives, ten or so of these were assigned to Interbay in Seattle, protecting helper assignments on the former Great Northern mainline over the Cascades to Wenatchee, a pair of 6600s replacing trios of GP9/F9s.

Identical--except for the lack of a steam generator compartment on the rear--to the passenger version FP45 initially built for Santa Fe, only Great Northern and Santa Fe purchased the new freight model F45s; 26 were ordered by Great Northern, 14 of which delivered before the 1970 Burlington Northern merger. BN added another 20 in 1971.

When I photographed the 6642, it had less than a year of service left for BN. It looks well worn, crusty around the edges, rusting along the side panels--but even so, it gives the appearance of a capable, powerful machine. After completing its air test, it will lead #129 over the pass to Seattle. This was the last time I saw an F45 lead a train on Burlington Northern.

The 6642 left the roster in 1986, reincarnated as Trancisco Tour #1002 for a short career hauling party trains between Oakland and Reno. Wisconsin Southern picked her up under the same number, passing it on to Montana Rail Link in 1993, who operated it as its #392 until retired and scrapped at Livingston in 2014."

 

From the Mainline To The Shortline At Hartline

My photo.

June 1, 2016

Former UP 9129 is now relegated to moving loads of wheat. The former mainline speedster is relegated to 10 to 25mph moving hoppers of grain on the shortline Eastern Washington Gateway. There wasn't much of a market for old GE's after the shortline was done with it. It's motor was salvaged for use in another locomotive and the rest of it was scrapped. 

NP Cement Boxcar Unloading At Grand Coulee

Courtesy of the Bonneville Power Administration. 

No date.

Note the fellow with the Fuller-Kinyon vacuum in the doorway, sucking out all the cement powder into the tanks in the background. This car was formerly used for lumber loading, stick by stick, as the small door on the right end shows. After being used for cement service, I doubt it was used for anything else. 

Note one of the fellows on the right is pointing at the photographer.

1924 NP AFE Hartline Right Of Way

Courtesy of the NPRHA.

Ruff View

Courtesy of the John Barriger Library, George Lentzner Collection. 

Pronounced "roof."

Location is just south of town along the intersections of county roads W NE and 5 NE.

Riverland Views

Courtesy of the John Barriger Library, George Lentzner Collection.