W&I Grain Train on the P&L

[Bruce Butler]

On the surface there would appear to be nothing unusual about this 110 car grain train. A GE/EVO and a -9 on the point, and two more -9 on the rear. Typical, right? However this train was assembled on the Washington & Idaho's ex Watch, exx BN, exxx NP P&L line from hoppers loaded at Oakesdale WA and Spangle WA. This line had NEVER seen six axle power until these grain trains began operating in December, 2008.

Power was BNSF 7635 and 4738 on the point. DPU was 4624 and 4116. Typical grain train power. A dreary day and COLD with WIND! Not nice to be outside.

1) I met the northbound train just south of Plaza. Got this shot at the first grade crossing.

2) A going away shot with Plaza in the background and old hwy 195 on the left. Somebody is riding in the trailing unit

3) Just north of Plaza

4) Here are the DPUs

[Bruce Butler]

5) I shot this from the car as the DPU passes mile post 14

6-8) They made a brief stop at the road crossing at Acadamy, just south of Spangle.

[Bruce Butler]

9) Cut off of the Oakesdale section and getting ready to pickup Spangle cars.

10) Notice the Spangle station sign.

11) The first road crossing north of Spangle

12) looking south toward Spangle, near mp 11

[SP&SFan]

Bruce,

I'm glad see that you were able to get the grain train on the W&I branch..

Is this a first for catching 6 axle power on this line??


SP&SFan

[Bruce Butler]

13) Just for grins I went south to see where the DPU was while they were switching. It was almost back to Acadamy

14) This huge cut of cars is only part of those picked up in Spangle

15) there is just something interesting about a locomotive occupying a road crossing. Like, I dare you to hit me!

16) Looking east. We are nearing some of the timber land just south of Spokane



I posted a short video of the DPU power going through the cut at the top of the hill south of Spangle. Here is a link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt1ddYvFY90

[trainkid]

Ill add some of my photos
#1
Here is the Train Headed out of Oaksdale, Wa
#2-3
Here is the Train headed through he crossing at Mc Coy, Wa
#4
The long train pushing north.

[Bruce Butler]

Originally Posted by SP&SFan

Bruce,
Is this a first for catching 6 axle power on this line??
SP&SFan

This is the first grainer that I have seen on the P&L, but I think it is the 2nd or 3rd one that the W&I has run. The fact that they ran later today than expected made it work for me. There were several cars of fans following along. It was sure COLD and WINDY out - downright miserable.

These grainers to the best of my knowledge are the first use of 6-axle power on the P&L. Both the NP and the BN banned 6-axle power on the line.

Now look at what we are doing. GEs on the P&L and SD45s on the CW!

[trainkid]

#1 Caught up to it in Rosalia, Wa. here is it headed through downtown.
#2 I like the stream, near Spangle.
#3 headed through a cut for Spangle.
#4 Best pic of DPUs.

[Bill Anderson]

Originally Posted by Bruce Butler

These grainers to the best of my knowledge are the first use of 6-axle power on the P&L. Both the NP and the BN banned 6-axle power on the line.

New member here.

This was not the first appearance of six axle power on the P&L.

After graduating from Lewiston High School in 1968, I was a student at Washington State University from 1968-1973. At times I resided in Orton and Stephenson South (both are dorms at WSU) with views of the P&L.

Shortly after the BN merger in 1970, I saw some kind of a special work train pass through Pullman heading toward Moscow. The head end power was a pair of Great Northern SD 7/9's. I think both were Big Sky Blue, but the lead unit was Big Sky blue for certain. The caboose was a red SP&S one.

Unlike the Northern Pacific GP7/9's I was used to seeing on the P&L, the long end of the GN hood units was the "front". I thought they looked odd running long nose forward. After the BN merger, GN F and Geeps began showing up on the nightly Highball, but I never saw any SD's again.

[Bruce Butler]

Bill, welcome to RailroadForums. It is a great forum with a lot of interesting posts and it is FREE.

Very interesting story about the GN SD units on the P&L. I have also heard about ex NP Alco RS11s running on the highball shortly after the merger. BN moved all the NP Alco power out to Vancouver were the Alco savy SP&S mechanics could maintain it. For a few years the big centuries would occasionally show up at Parkwater.

The only smaller 6-axle unit the NP owned was the Baldwin roadswitcher 525. It spent its early years living in Pasco and running on the Walla Walla branch. Spokane had the 500 and 501, 4-axle Baldwins which ran the P&L passenger trains. Here is a picture of the 501 just west of Moscow taken by my dad about 1950: