I was driving to Pasco Saturday 7-30-11 and decided to stop at Yakima first to possibly take a photo from the overpass over the yard in case there was anything of interest around. I hadn’t seen a thing since leaving Easton and wasn’t really expecting to with the line shut down for the big MOW project going on.

Coming up to the depot just before noon I was shocked to see a BNSF C44-9W and passenger cars pass by in front of me eastbound. Didn’t have the scanner on so it was quickly switched on to see what was going on. Of course being in downtown Yakima I started getting every light red and wondered how far ahead of me the train was going to get. I kept hoping it had a reason to stop at the yard office and sure enough, looking over there it was stopped as I continued heading south! I got to the foot of the overpass and parked quickly making my way out onto the bridge. Then came a couple of toots from the GE and I was ready as the Geometry train started my way.

BNSF 4461 was leading the short 3 car train. I didn’t catch up to it again until Satus where it slowed down for the ex-NP bridges including this last one at MP 59.3 between Satus and Mabton.

I was wondering if track speed might have been increased after the track work performed but had an easy chase as the trains speed was manageable for easily getting ahead of it all the way to Kennewick. It kicked up some dust at Mabton after passing some MOW equipment stored away in a spur.

It was pretty backlit coming into Prosser but it was the back shot I was after anyway with the “Skagit River” bringing up the rear going by the former NP depot.

I then headed out to Kiona and waited on the hillside overlooking the west switch with the new overpass showing.  The wait wasn’t too long, 5 or 10 minutes and the train was soon by Kiona.

I then looked at the new overpass that replaced the grade crossing to the west.

I then got back on the freeway and headed towards Kennewick where I planned to stop at Zips for some lunch.  On the way the dispatcher called up the BNSF 4461 East instructing them to stop at the depot in Kennewick to pick something (or someone) up so I knew I had a chance for another photo of the train.  I arrived in Kennewick ahead of the train and shot it at the grade crossing just west of the depot and arriving at Kennewick.

And one last shot of the Skagit River at the depot before the train departed for Pasco and points east.

It was well into the 90′s and quite warm as I went back to the car and on to Zips for lunch before heading on into Pasco where I was going to spend the night after doing a bit of afternoon railfanning.

That report can be found here: http://lakesidesubblog.qstation.org/?p=424

This is a continuation of the Stampede Sub Blog report of 2-19-11 which can be found here:  http://stampedesubblog.qstation.org/?p=856

After leaving Ellensburg I took the Canyon Road towards Thrall and on to Pomona.  While it was sunny there were high clouds to the south and I figured by Yakima the sky would be mostly overcast.  There were no trains or talk on the scanner.  After Pomona I got on the freeway and decided to check out Yakima as the high clouds were still somewhat to the south, Yakima appeared to be right on the edge.  I drove into town and parked near the former NP depot to take some photos.  While it was still sunny, the wind was really blowing pretty hard.  This is the south end of the depot, the tracks are just to my left.  These photos were taken about 1:30 PM.

Looking at the roof, showing a chimney and a dormer.

A few more views of the Yakima depot, now a fine lounge and restaurant.  Again, the tracks are to my left. 

Built in 1910 the depot is 101 years old now.  Heading back to the car I noticed the brickwork I was walking on was the standard NP Herringbone design.  Nice.

Back at the car I continued south and crossed the tracks on E.W Nob Hill Blvd bridge.  I saw some power to the north and looking south saw a pair of ex-BN green SD60M’s in the yard!  OK, I need to find a way over there.  I ended up on Mead Street and that crossed the tracks south of where the SD60M’s were.  I parked and headed down towards them photographing this NP switch stand on the way. 

Now this one looks like it actually gets used once in awhile unlike the one at Cle Elum!  Next I got a photo of the switch stand with the SD60M’s in the background.

In the photo you can see a vehicle driving on the other side of the tracks.  It was bringing a train crew to the BNSF 8133.  Figuring the train would come to me I went back to the grade crossing and waited there.  About 2 PM a voice came on the radio saying “inbetween on the BNSF 8133″ and I knew something was about to happen.  The power cut off the train it was on and came my way stopping right where I was! 

The conductor got off and started working on removing some derails from the track they were on and also a few tracks over.  They had been on there so long he had a tough time getting the last one off.  He got a wooden plank and forced the last one up laughing and telling me “it had rusted on there!”  Once the conductor was back on the power the units started forward slowly and I got some good roster shots of both units.

Note the “BNSF” is missing on the 8193.  It was on there at one time from earlier photos seen, but gone now leaving the impression of a true BN unit.

Here the two SD60M’s cross Mead Street and head to the south end of the very empty yard.  Note how close the high clouds are to the south.

The power came back and went deeper into the yard and tied onto a cut of ribbon rail cars where they sat for a long time.  Finally they started backing up and entered the main at the north end.  I waited outside and soon heard a double toot and knew the train was finally headed my way.  Here BNSF 8133/8193 are on their way to Pasco.  It was 3:22 PM when I took these pics.

Really a nice touch was this old 40′ BN boxcar ahead of the ribbon rail cars as a buffer.

I thought about chasing the train a bit but with those high clouds I knew there would be no sun so I decided to start back towards Ellensburg.  Leaving Yakima I heard the Pasco yardmaster calling the U-YAKLAU about where to put their train when they arrive so I now had a symbol for this train.

North of Yakima I got back on the Canyon Road just in case that eastbound might have left Ellensburg but I got all the way back to Thrall and nothing.  I thought about getting on the freeway at Thrall but missed the turn and kept on going straight.  A few miles on I saw headlights off to the left through the trees.  Train!!  Quick U-turn and I am soon back at Thrall well ahead of the slow moving train.  Sun is pretty low but still a good shot of the BNSF 4909 at 4:14 PM.

I knew I had a DPU coming so I positioned myself for a back shot and got the BNSF 5517 as it was rolling away into the canyon. 

Then it was on into Ellensburg and I headed for home.  Good day in eastern Washington!

BNSF was running an Engineering Special over Stampede Pass on Wednesday 8-11-10 and I had arranged to have the day off work.  The train was scheduled to leave Ellensburg after 9 AM.  I left home about 06:30 AM under very overcast skies that started to clear east of Easton.  At Ellensburg I got on the Canyon Road and made my way towards Thrall.  A friend had told me one of the buildings in the small cluster was the former NP depot.  It was about 08:00 when I stopped and took a few photos of the older looking structures.  Neither looked like it was a depot though.

I then started into the canyon.  I figured I would get a ways in before seeing the passenger train but it was running early.  The flash of silver cars across the river before Umtanum took me by surprise!  I turned around and headed back to Thrall where the BNSF 7503 leading seven cars passed by.

I was watching for former NP cars and the second car behind the ES44DC had “Stampede Pass” on it.  NP car!

This was purchased as Northern Pacific 10-6 sleeper 364 in 1950.  But it wasn’t a North Coast Limited car back on home rails I later found out.  It and the 365 were acquired for use on the SP Coast Line pooled trains. 

As the end of the train passed by I took a back shot with the William Barstow Strong bringing up the rear.

I paced the train into Ellensburg following the ex-NP sleeping car most of the time trying to picture it in two tone green.  The inbound crew called the outbound crew and they set up the crew change “at the depot”.  I left the Yakima Valley Sub getting on I-90 and taking the next Ellensburg exit west to head to the Milwaukee Road overpass west of Ellensburg for my first photo of the passenger train on the Stampede Sub.

Those photos can be found here:

http://stampedesubblog.qstation.org/?p=415

After leaving Pasco on the afternoon of Saturday 6-12-10 I headed straight to Gibbon, WA to get photos of the F P and derail signs at the east switch I believe to be original NP.  The fouling point sign looks like it was recently repainted.  Parking at the grade crossing to the west I walked up and got these photos.

I think I’ve pretty well documented these railroad signs.  After getting these photos I continued on home.  Not a bad Saturday for finding things that were built by the Northern Pacific!

Here is a continuation of a Stampede Pass Blog update made from a Saturday 6-12-10 trip to the Pasco area.  The Stampede Sub Blog update can be found here: 

http://stampedesubblog.qstation.org/?p=362 

I had a few goals in mind for the day including some apparent original NP signs in the Gibbon area I had noticed after my last trip to the area but never photographed. 

After leaving the Stampede Sub at Ellensburg I made my way through the Yakima Canyon hoping BNSF might run a westbound but got all the way to Pomona without seeing anything.  As it was still early I decided to get some photos of Bridge 96 over the Yakima River as the sun angle was pretty good.  I had been reading online the M-PASVBT was pretty regular mid-morning out of Yakima and it was 09:30 AM.  

I proceeded to get some photos of the bridge including these three.

Here are some stats on Bridge 96 (96 miles west of Pasco) which is the first crossing of the Yakima River west of Yakima.  NP built the structure in 1942, it’s 410′ long and 28′ high.  It consists of 2-45′ DPG (Deck Plate Girders on each end) plus 2-155′ TRT (Thru Riveted Truss) center sections.  I did some reading and waited until 09:55 hoping a train might cross that bridge but decided it was time to start south. 

Just before getting on the I-82 freeway, I glanced over and noticed some movement towards Selah.  Oh no, it couldn’t be!  But yes, it was the M-PASVBT making its way west.  I was able to get turned around and then heard the MP 95 detector go off and watched the train cross the bridge I had just spent nearly 25 minutes waiting at.  I decided I had to get at least one good shot of this train to make up for what I had just missed but I didn’t want to go to deep into the canyon either.  This location at MP 100 looked pretty good so I pulled off here and photographed BNSF 4588/4818/4975/712 going by at 10:04.

I then watched the train go by and as the rear neared I thought, “that looks a lot like a caboose” on the end of the train.  Sure enough it was.

It was the BNSF 12345, the former BN 12345 that spent so many years at Easton, WA in work train service.  I’m guessing it went to Pasco to get BNSF stencils.  I briefly thought of following the train further west but was pretty satisfied with the shot I had just taken and continued towards Pasco.  That location did help to make up for the missed bridge shot. 

On I-82 I made my way to Prosser and checked out the sun angle on the ex-NP depot.  As it was pretty high sun by now and a poor sun angle on the building I decided to move on and check out Gibbon.  It wasn’t much better (almost direct side light) but I wanted a few shots facing west anyway.  This is the east switch of Gibbon siding at MP 33 near where the branch line from Granger comes in.  It was the Fouling Point and Derail sign I had noted from an earlier trip.  The first shot show the back of the F P sign.

And then I photographed the derail sign.  It looks so old you’d have to think it is original NP!

My plan was to stop by here again heading home as the afternoon sun angle should be really good for photographing the other side of these signs. 

I had been reading that a new railroad overpass was going in at Kiona and the old Badger Canyon Road crossing was going to be removed so I pulled off to take a look.  First I photographed the grade crossing at MP 24.0 before the new bridge.

I understand the railroad was shut down for one day as the new overpass went in east of the grade crossing.  Here it is in place but the road has yet to be added.

These two views show the new bridge and Badger Canyon Road crossing, and the west end of Kiona siding

I am guessing that by now, as I write this on the first day of August the bridge should be close to being opened.  My next and last stop on the Yakima Valley Sub before going on to Pasco was at Kennewick.  It was the former NP depot I wanted to get some more photos of.  The sun wasn’t too bad on the south side and I proceeded to take a number of different angles.

It was lunch time so I stopped at the Kennewick Zips for an order of Fish and Chips to go before heading on to Pasco.  So far thing were going pretty good. 

A followup of heading west later in the day with a stop at Gibbon will come shortly.

It sounded like Sunday May 9 was going to be a sunny day in Eastern Washington so I left home around noon on Saturday 5-8-10 and crossed Snoqualmie Pass headed for Pasco.  Just past the Cabin Creek exit on I-90 I heard the BNSF 678 West call out an approach for Martin. Later I learned I had just missed a westbound baretable.  I stopped at Easton for some supplies and took this one shot looking west during a brief sunbreak.

Back on I-90 I heard a faint detector go off but I could not tell which one it was.  I stopped at Cle Elum to get some lunch and headed out again.  Back on I-90 I heard the dispatcher talking to an eastbound just arriving at Ellensburg asking if the outbound crew were there.  (Yes, was the answer)  The detector I heard must have been the one west of Bristol and this also meant that westbound I heard coming into Martin had met the eastbound at Easton!  Should have left 30 minutes sooner.  Would have seen two trains at Easton.  Drove as quickly as I could to Ellensburg and I could see covered hoppers across the field near the overpass so it looked to me the eastbound was still here.  Got on the Canyon Road and drove out to Thrall to wait for it to depart.  While waiting I noticed the siding here was gone!  When did that happen?  I had photographed a westbound grain train at this spot in 2008 and the siding was in place.  This is how it looks now.

After waiting awhile longer I decided to head to the depot and find out if the train was still here or if I had missed its leaving.  Yup, it was gone.  Those hopper cars I saw, westbound M-PASVBT1.  Three trains missed so far on the Stampede Sub!  So I took off for Pasco hoping to catch up to the eastbound before it arrived there!  And I did.  Just before Byron I saw the rear of the grain empty rolling along.  I quickly overtook the train and was ahead of it by Prosser.  I then heard the dispatcher tell the BNSF 4055 East they’d be meeting the local at Kiona and it was already out of Pasco.  The weather had crapped out but I wanted at least one photo of this train.  I got off at Gibbon and waited near the east switch.  I got a surprise later after taking a closer look at this photo.

That appears to be an original NP flanger sign to the right of the locomotive!  All these years and this was the first time I had noticed it.  That derail behind it might also be original NP.  I plan to go back on the next sunny weekend to take a closer look.  The local had BNSF SD40-2′s 6814/6812 and were already at Kiona when I arrived.

Not waiting for the meet to happen I took off for Vista for an shot of the 4055 East.  This is at the east switch of Vista.  The “Vista Trench” is just to the west around the curve.

I figured that would be my last shot of the grain empty and continued on to Kennewick to see if some photos of the depot were possible.  To my surprise the BNSF 4055 was here waiting for a signal to cross the Columbia River bridge.  As I parked the train was given the signal and started towards me.  Here is the BNSF 4055/4340/5003 passing the NP depot.

The sun then came out so I took some depot photos from the west end.

Been trying to think of what other NP depots this one resembles.  Looks really good though.

I then stopped at Zips for some dinner (got the Fish and Chips) and headed towards Pasco.  Crossing the Columbia River I noticed another photo opportunity as the NP bridge had good sun on this side.  There was a parking area on the north end so I pulled off there and ate my dinner before walking out onto the bridge.  I had just missed an eastbound but about 15 minutes later a westbound rail train headed out of Pasco led by BNSF 4990/1104.

Then I went back to the truck to take a drive past the engine facility.  First I noticed both former NP signal bridges had finally been removed.  Kind of sad, first the former NP Pasco depot torn down and now the two signal bridges.  I noticed a pair of GP38-2′s nearby with good light on them so one more photo before heading off to the motel for the night.

Looking forward to Sunday morning and hopefully a clear sunny day on tap!

On Saturday, March 20, 2010 I set off for Eastern Washington since sunny weather was forecast for the whole state.  My goal of the day was to photograph some of the ex-NP depots on the Yakima Valley Sub in the morning sun.

Made a straight shot past Ellensburg and down the Yakima Canyon.  The sun I was expecting ended up being filtered through high clouds that got thicker the further south I drove!  Soon I was past Yakima and out of Parker and decided to cross the tracks and follow the 2 lane road into Wapato.  Good thing I did as I noticed a headlight of a westbound coming out of Wapato.  I waited as the very slow moving train made its way towards me.  I could hear EMD’s so I know it probably wasn’t a road train.  It turned out to be a local headed towards Yakima.  Here are some shots of the BNSF 2728/2925 as they passed by at 8:55 AM.

The train was nothing but empty yellow center beams, looked to be around 70 of them.  After they were gone I headed on into Wapato.  I have photos of the west side of depot in the afternoon and wanted some on the east side now.  Not very photogenic with the fence and razor wire on top!  But it is a former NP depot still standing so I am not complaining! 

From what I understand the depot is being used by a food bank now.  Continuing east (southeast actually) towards Toppenish I stopped by two small bridges at MP 76 and took a few photos of each bridge.

The NP Pocket Bridge list shows just one bridge at MP 76 and it is labeled a “Waste Canal” which must be the one with the water under it, built in 1920 at the expense of the US Indian Service.  The other one is in the same tenth of a mile but is not mentioned.  Anyone know if it would be an NP built bridge, or is it even considered a bridge?

As I got closer to Toppenish I was a bit disappointed to see the clouds getting thicker.  The sun angle was bad for the depot at Toppenish but I did get a photo of the building I believe is a former NP section house just to the west.

I was planning to go on to Pasco but changed my mind and decided to go back to Yakima instead as the weather looked worse that direction.  The sun was still out strong as I drove into town and was pleased to see a good sun angle on the big depot.  I parked and took some photos of the restored Yakima depot that now houses a fine restaurant.

Just west of the depot is this building I can remember as a kid when my dad and I rode the North Coast Limited to Yakima in 1966.  Can’t remember if this was the old freight house or a lunch room?  I am sure someone will be able to let me know.

I also wasn’t sure if this caboose near the depot was former NP or SP&S until I took a closer look.  The end handrails look like those from an SP&S caboose. 

I then checked out the BNSF which was pretty much shut down today.  The two former Spirit of Washington dinner train F’s were out in the open.

But the big surprise were these two CBRW GP9′s parked on the other side of the tracks.  Both were at Warden near Moses Lake on my last trip there some months back.  I have no idea why they are in Yakima now.

And it was especially nice as both are former Northern Pacific GP9′s!  A photo and info on each can be found here:

http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=104240

http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=104242

I was doing quite well in finding and photographing former NP things today!  Before leaving Yakima I photographed BNSF GP39-2 2738 tied up near the yard office.  Was this building an NP structure or constructed post-NP?

I then grabbed some lunch in Yakima before heading back towards Ellensburg and then home.  I didn’t make it to Pasco and it was a shorter day than I had planned, but still it was a good one as I had photographed a few things I had not thought to do before!

Saturday August 8, 2009 I took a drive over to Ellensburg to do a bit of exploring around the depot.  Not much was going on as far as seeing any trains so I had a straight shot over to Ellensburg.  My main goal was to check out the brick patterns around the depot to see if they were indeed brick installed by the NP.  I knew the back of the depot had a brick street extending quite a ways out.

Upon arriving at Ellensburg I took this overall shot of the backside of the depot.  As can be seen the windows are all boarded up.

W. 3rd Ave from N Wenas St leading to the depot has this pattern of brick.

Right at the base extending the length of the depot itself is the Herringbone pattern.  A part of the yellow painted curb can also be seen in the photo.

I then took a few detail photos of the depots roof including the NP monad.

Then I photographed more of the brick patterns.  I recently asked Ted Pope who worked at the Ellensburg depot in 1969 if this brick was here in the back when he was here and he said he remembered there was brick in the street at the time he worked at Ellensburg.

And a photo showing the parking lot pattern with the Herringbone up on the back platform.

Considering all the years I have been taking photos at Ellensburg I had never taken a close look at the bricks in the parking lot!  I then took a photo of the east end of the depot with the very faded “Ellensburg” station sign.

Sure are lots of bricks!  But are these original NP laid brick?  Could be.  The old wig-wag signal on display near the BNSF offices can also be seen in this photo.  I once heard it came from Granger, WA on the Sunnyside Branch.

And just for fun I had to include a photo of me with those parking lot bricks.  Well, it was one of the reasons I had come to Ellensburg today.

Walking out W. 3rd Ave I took this photo of the depot.

And out near N Wenas St the extent of the street lined brick can really be appreciated.

There is a great time line of the Ellensburg depot which can be found here: 

http://historicellensburg.org/timeline.html

I then turned my attention to the NP caboose on display at the Railroad Park at the west end of W 3rd Ave.  The Mainstreeters Fall 1987 issue had an article on NP’s wood cabooses from which is learned this:

In 1921 the group of NP 1700-1789 was built at PC&F in Renton, WA.  In the same issue there is a photo of the 1714 taken at Pasco, WA in 1938.  After the 1970 BN merger the 1714 was renumbered BN 10937.  While I never saw the NP 1714 or the BN 10937 I am guessing it probably assigned to the Central Washington area which is why it came to Ellensburg for display after being retired.  The paint had almost faded to a shade of pink but it now has a fresh coat of brown and yellow trim.

Very much an improvement over how it once looked.  And the NP semaphore still stands beside it.  I am pleased to say the NP is still very much evident in the Ellensburg area.

While driving I-90 east near Cle Elum on a trip to Montana July 9 the scanner picked up some activity going on around Ellensburg.  There was an eastbound leaving and a BNSF local would soon be following it.  I could hear the eastbound road train telling the dispatcher they would be filling out at Wymer and would roll up their warrant to let the local follow them.  I decided a little detour would be OK.

After arriving at Ellensburg I headed towards the Canyon Road and waited up on the hill east of Thrall for the local after it was given a track warrant to leave Ellensburg.  The detector went off and soon I could hear horns to the west.  Here, the local is heading by my location at 1:55 PM into the Yakima Canyon.

Leading just two cars is BNSF 2840/2971.  I then drove on to Wymer where the BNSF 7257 East was just finishing up with its pickup.  Once they got going I headed to Rosa and photographed the train there.

The grain empty had a warrant just as far as Pomona and I could soon hear a meet being set up between the 7257 and the BNSF 7445 West for Pomona.  Now I had a decision to make.  My original plan was to get to Warden, WA near Moses Lake to look for the Columbia Basin Railway.  But I was not counting on a southbound in the Yakima Canyon.  There were some photo locations I wanted to get out of Toppenish.  But as I could see lots of high clouds to the south and noticing how dirty the BNSF 7257 was, plus the westbound was only out of Toppenish from the sounds of it and would not be to Pomona for awhile I chose to turn back to I-90.  I still had the local moving down the canyon now to Pomona where it too would meet the westbound.  East of Wymer I pulled off the highway and noticed a headlight coming around the curve.  Nice timing!

Then it was on to I-90 and east towards Moses Lake.  It turned out to be a good idea to turn back at Pomona and head straight to Warden.  Otherwise I would have missed this:

http://lakesidesubblog.qstation.org/?p=272

http://lakesidesubblog.qstation.org/?p=274

This is a continuation report of my drive across eastern Washington May 1, 2009 heading to Spokane.  The first part covering the Stampede Sub can be found here:

http://stampedesubblog.qstation.org/?p=251

After leaving the eastbound BNSF grain empties I had followed from Bullfrog to Ellensburg behind I scouted some locations east of Thrall to photograph the train once the new crew started it east.  I did not know how far I would follow it as I could see high clouds building to the south and I was wanting to get to Cheney this afternoon to photograph the depot since there is speculation BNSF wants it moved. 

One location I would like to shoot is Umtanum since I do not have a good photo taken there and it is on my list of photo location goals I would like to check off. 

But first I stopped by the NP built girder bridge east of Thrall located at Milepost 121.  I have many photos of trains crossing it but none of the bridge itself.  Located at MP 121.2 this is Bridge 121 crossing Wilson Creek.  It is 103′ long, 19′ high and was built in 1923.

I then got back in the truck and drove a short distance around the curve pulling off again.  I was curious to know if there might be a good photo location looking down towards the tracks.  A little scouting turned up a nice spot down the hill a bit.  The 121 milepost marker could also be seen on the shot and I liked how the hillside came down to the tracks.  The river in the background sure didn’t hurt either!  I figured I should be able to get this shot and then get to Umtanum without a problem, if I didn’t dilly-dally.  At least I would find out.  Back up at the truck I waited for the detector out of Ellensburg to broadcast the train was heading my way.  After it went off I started back down the hill and waited for the train to come around the hill, hearing it blow for the many grade crossings as it got closer.  Then it rolled around the curve and I got the shot.

I quickly got back up to the truck and drove to Umtanum and crossed the suspension bridge well in advance of the train.  I waited by the short railroad bridge and got my Umtanum photo when the train came around leaning into the curve.

I really like this shot.  The scenery is nice and the engineers hand out the window as he gives me a wave in greeting makes it even better.  This is why I enjoy photographing trains!  I walked back across the suspension bridge and decided to return to Ellensburg and I-90 but stopped to photograph the Umtanum Recreation sign before leaving.

I have always enjoyed stopping at Umtanum and have hiked up the hillsides a number of times looking for new angle.  Once back on I-90 I made my way across Eastern Washington but would see more trains once I arrived at Ritzville making my way to Cheney.  That report can be found in the Lakeside Sub Blog here:

http://lakesidesubblog.qstation.org/?p=227