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:
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:
Like I have been doing on the other former NP Subdivision Blogs I am going to take a look at former NP existing buildings and bridges on various segments of the current BNSF between Ellensburg and Kennewick. On Saturday April 25, 2009 I drove to Prosser to catch the BNSF M-PASINB2 that I knew was heading west out of Pasco.
On the way I followed the tracks between Toppenish and Prosser on State Route 22. There are a number of concrete bridges built by the NP still in use between Toppenish and Mabton and after years of driving by them without taking a second look I thought I would get a closer look to see if there were any good photo opportunities around them. First one you come upon is at Milepost 64.9 and I stopped for a quick photo.
According to the NP Pocket Bridge List this is a 6 RCT bridge, 96″ long and 19′ high and was built in 1928. Unlike the NP concrete bridges I have photographed elsewhere that are dry this one crosses Toppenish Creek Slough. Two others also have running water passing underneath them. I continued east following the NP Pocket Bridge List spotting the bridges I came upon next and all matched what the book said. It was really kind of fun learning history hands on. There are 7 bridges between Toppenish and Satus and another two between Satus and Mabton. I stopped at the last bridge on the list at MP 59 and took a few photos of it from the east end before continuing to Prosser. It crosses a rather muddy looking Drainage Canal. I even caught a “dust devil” in the background.
At Prosser I parked in the large parking lot at the depot which is now the towns Chamber of Commerce building. Being a Saturday the offices were closed. I took a few photos of the depot to add to my collection. Info I have says this depot was built in 1948 or 1949.
And here is a photo taken on the north side of the Prosser depot with the tracks in front.
Back at the truck I learned the train I was waiting for was about 20 minutes away so I took a photo of me at the west end of the brick depot. It was such a nice day and I was really enjoying myself.
The train showed up and in following it west was able to photograph a number of the concrete bridges as the train moved slowly through a bunch of slow orders.
First is the easternmost bridge at MP 59 but from the west end. This 6 RCT bridge is 96′ long and 17′ high and was built in 1929.
Next bridge to the west is the 10 RCT at MP 60.0 which is 160′ long and just 9′ high. So long yet so short! It was built in 1919 and is kind of hard to photograph with all the brush around it. At 10 RCT it is the longest concrete bridge of its type in Washington state. The NP Bridge Book calls it an equalizer but I do not know what that means. I am guessing that BN added the railing to the bridge.
After passing through Satus I stopped at the bridge at MP 60.7 that crosses a drainage canal and photographed it.
This bridge at MP 60.7 is a 5 RCT bridge built in 1953 and the NP Bridge Book shows there may have been two bridges at MP 60.7 and 60.8 side by side here at one time, a main line and siding at each. No doubt Satus had a siding and the siding bridges were removed when the siding was taken out. There appears to be a lot of brush and small trees trackside compared to the others. I will have to explore here a bit more in the future.
I moved on to the bridge at MP 63.7 and photographed it. This bridge was built in 1928 and is a 4 RCT type, 64′ long and 14′ high. It is an easy one to spot as it is the only 4 RCT bridge between Toppenish and Mabton. It crosses a drainage ditch.
And the last bridge of our tour is the first one we photographed at MP 64.9 over Toppenish Creek. This one taken from the west end this time.
After photographing the westbound crossing this bridge I drove straight to Wapato since Toppenish was too close. I arrived well ahead of the train and took these two photos of the Wapato depot. Information I have says this depot was built in 1958. It is no longer railroad owned but apparently used by a local food bank for storage purposes. Would explain all the pallets outside. These photos were taken from the west end and south side.
I got the feeling the Wapato depot was not the safest place to hang out nowadays. I was there long enough for photos and left. I drove on to Yakima for my last photo of the day at the Yakima depot.
It is no longer railroad owned either but unlike Wapato is in much better condition and now called the Depot Restaurant and Lounge. I have never eaten here but I believe I will try it out next time I am in Yakima. My dad and I rode the North Coast Limited to Yakima on July 5, 1966 (I was 11 years old) arriving there at 5:45 PM and we waited in the depot to ride the westbound Mainstreeter home early the next morning at 01:55 AM! I have not been in the depot since. Looks like that will have to change soon.
The Yakima depot was built in 1910 as was the Ellensburg depot. There are a number of similarities between the two structures from the outside. From here I headed on home but had a pretty good day photographing former NP bridges and buildings.
Now that the re-reopening of Stampede Pass has happened there is just one westbound regular freight on the line, the M-PASINB2. This train has been called out of Pasco at 11:15 AM with an estimated departure of 13:00 lately. Planning to try and catch this train I was driving east to the Yakima Valley Sub Saturday morning 4-25-09. I had a few goals in mind this trip. To get a photo of a westbound in the afternoon at Mabton to replace a poorly exposed photo I took there in 2003. I had not seen another westbound at the right time since to retake that shot. And I was interested in all those NP built concrete bridges between Toppenish and Mabton I have ignored all these years. It is time I documented them on film!
It was a very nice sunny day in eastern Washington and I managed to get all the way to Prosser without intercepting the M-PASINB so I knew I should have a good race. I looked the old NP depot over and took some photos. It is now used by the city as it’s chamber of commerce building. Back in the truck I heard the Pasco East dispatcher give a Track Warrant to BNSF 7553 at Kiona to run to SP&S Jct. This told me the westbound had passed Kiona and was heading my way. I waited by the depot awhile and just as predicted the bells of the crossing gates east of the depot started ringing and the gates came down! The BNSF 5438 West came around the curve and into my viewfinder.
Power was 5438/4640/4192/7616/4856 and the time was 14:14. The race was on! Well it wasn’t much of a race. Coming into Byron the train slowed down to 4.6 miles of 10 MPH running! Slow orders I’d later find out. While waiting at Byron as the train slowly came my way I watched a jogger also headed west along the highway come along and pass the train! 16 minutes later the train had come 4 miles and with the smoke I was hoping they were finally through the slow order.
They weren’t. They continued to prod along slowly as I turned for the back shot.
Of course the slow speed meant it was easy to get as many photos as I wanted. Just west of Byron is a small pond with some of the old pole line still in place, without wires. It was a shot I had never taken and this appeared to be the time.
I then moved up to Mabton and waited there. The sun angle was perfect. Clouds were forming but none were threatening the sun for my shot. Past the slow order the train was finally getting up to speed and I got my planned Mabton shot.
I was quite pleased! So I headed west and got ahead of the train driving on towards Satus stopping by a small concrete bridge over a drainage canal. I waited and waited. No train. I got back in the truck and drove east and found the M-PASINB in another slow order east of Satus. But I used this to my advantage getting a few photographs east of Satus at this interesting looking homestead and silo.
I realized I had been taking too few photos at curves so pulled off just to the west for a shot of the train coming into around a curve.
And the slow speed made easy work of getting photos at the two bridges east of Satus. Here is the first at MP 59.3
And a back shot at the next bridge located at MP 60.0 which is the longest RCT bridge on this Subdivision at 10 RCT.
As can be seen it is hard to photograph with all the brush around it. Also note it is a pretty low bridge being just 9′ from the ground to the tops of the ties. At this point the train was through the slow order and started to speed up. I managed to get ahead to the original RCT I had stopped at over the drainage canal at MP 60.7!
This was one of two drainage canal crossings. I really like the running water underneath the bridge. Much better than a dry creek bed. Another small NP bridge was just to the west. This is a short 3 RCT bridge. I photographed the train here along with a back shot.
And the last bridge was the first one seen as you head east from Toppenish at MP 64.9, Toppenish Creek slough.
This is my favorite bridge as it is so easy to photograph. I even photographed trailing unit 4856 crossing it.
Such a pleasant setting! I was having a great time managing to take all the photos that I’d wanted. The train was now up to track speed so I got ahead and waited at Wapato for it to show up. The depot has always been a favorite setting. Here is a front and back view of the M-PASINB
It was 16:24 when the train went by on its way towards Yakima. West of Parker I caught up to the train again just before the highway rejoined the freeway. The train was almost here so I pulled off for these last two shots between Parker and Union Gap.
I am guessing that is the old UP line into Yakima in the foreground of the second photo. The train stopped at Pomona to wait on an eastbound but as the day was getting long as were the shadows in the canyon I decided to head for home. Even though I photographed just one train I have to say this was really a fun day on the Yakima Valley Sub!
Welcome to the first update to the Yakima Valley Sub Blog! This is the former ex-NP main line from Ellensburg to Pasco, WA that travels through the scenic Yakima Canyon to Yakima and past Wapato, Toppenish (wonderful museum there) and Prosser before ending at Pasco, WA where the Lakeside Sub begins.
On August 21 I was driving to Montana and as I neared Ellensburg I heard a train tone up the dispatcher. The BNSF 5110 told the dispatcher they were ready to head east. The train was about to enter the Yakima Valley Sub from Ellensburg to Pasco. My pace quickened as I drove eastward on I-90 towards Ellensburg arriving just as the detector east of town went off as I neared the overpass over the tracks. I figured a grain empty until the axle count was just 288. Now I was confused. Past Thrall I caught up to the rear car. A baretable. My enthusiasm diminished quite a bit but the sun beckoned me to follow the train. To me a baretable ranks just above a set of light power. That is what it looks like most of the time. My first photo was just west of Umtanum at 08:55.
Just west of Wymer I photographed BNSF 5110/4002 leading the baretable around the sweeping curve and into the S-curve leading to the west switch of Wymer.
This was always a favorite location. There were a number of empty grain cars stored on the siding at Wymer as the empty baretable went past. West of Rosa I was impressed by a nice looking scene across the Yakima River so got a photo framed between some trees.
Then again as the power was right across from me. This is about Milepost 105 (miles from Pasco)
Another favorite photo location is the curves at Rosa and even this baretable rated being photographed here as well as a back shot going away.
By now I heard that there was a westbound at Pomona waiting for the BNSF 5110 to go by so I guess I made the right choice following the baretable after all! In the canyon just west of Pomona I got one last photo of the BNSF 5110 before it met the westbound.
I saw the westbound had a pair of BNSF EMD’s and soon realized this was a local out of Yakima with a cut of grain empties for Wymer to be added to the cars already there. Still looked like a real train to follow though. Getting a work between warrant from Pomona to Ellensburg the BNSF 2728 left Pomona at 09:39 and entered the Canyon. This photo is near Milepost 100.
Another photo before Rosa shows the entire train. All grain cars except for a single reefer on the end.
A few photos of the power at the same spot as above. BNSF 2728/2259 (GP39-2/GP38-2) were leading the local.
A distant photo of the train passing the Rosa Dam.
Just west of the dam is the recreation area of Rosa. Here the local slowly works its way towards Rosa and a back shot entering the curves there. You can see cloud shadows working down the hillside. It was close!
Past Rosa the train comes down a long straight into a nice curve and as the sun was still out I got my last two shots of the local here.
As the clouds were now building up in the Canyon and the 2728 was getting close to Wymer where it would stop to work I decided it was time to head back to I-90 and continue east.