Eastern Washington Railscapes 2026: Tim J.Johnson Photography

(Tim J.Johnson Photography) — Thu, 05 Nov 2026 21:31:50 GMT

]]>On the way to Trinidad, we stopped at Stampede Pass and were able to catch an empty east bound oil train exiting the Stampede tunnel at Martin.

(Tim J.Johnson Photography) — Sat, 07 Nov 2026 18:45:00 GMT

]]>We arrived at Trinidad Hill just in time to see a freight descending, and it was a mad scramble to jump out of the car and race up to wherever we could get a shot. I got up there just in time to turn around and take this picture, which wasn’t the greatest location, but still a fairly scenic spot.
You can see the track on the upper part of the loop on the upper right.

(Tim J.Johnson Photography) — Thu, 05 Nov 2026 21:31:43 GMT

]]>We found a couple of wild and crazy side roads, and drove Mike’s "Mighty Mitsubishi" up to Tunnel 11.1 which is the first tunnel west of the Rocky Mountains. We waited here and eventually saw this eastbound stack train exiting the tunnel.

(Tim J.Johnson Photography) — Thu, 05 Nov 2026 21:31:10 GMT

]]>After coming back down from the tunnel, where the side road meets the main road near the middle of the loop, we saw the Quincy local returning to Wenatchee, seen here on the west/lower side of the loop.

(Tim J.Johnson Photography) — Fri, 06 Nov 2026 19:10:46 GMT

]]>Day 2: Eastbound stack train at Wilson Creek.

(Tim J.Johnson Photography) — Fri, 06 Nov 2026 19:10:57 GMT

]]>One of the objectives of our trip was to photograph the Washington Eastern Railroad, which runs between Coulee City and the grain terminal at Four Lakes Washington.
However, my contact at the railroad, who seemed fairly willing to help us out with train details went on vacation, and neglected to tell me that the train would not run the days we were going to be there. We continued on to other locations but got the full rundown the next day at their small yard and engine terminal at Four Lakes. The guys there were all very friendly and told us about upgrading the track, and when they usually run (Out one day and back the next day, if they can make it all in one day, which sometimes doesn’t happen because of poor condition of some sections of track). Their power is six axel GE units with modern cab style, rated at 3400 HP.

This is the facility at Coulee City where cars are loaded. Trucks were unloading on the far right side of the frame in just a matter of five minutes or less.

(Tim J.Johnson Photography) — Sat, 07 Nov 2026 20:14:36 GMT

]]>A westbound oil train approaches the grain elevator at Tokio, Washington.

(Tim J.Johnson Photography) — Thu, 05 Nov 2026 21:32:26 GMT

]]>The rear DPU on the same oil train passing west at Tokio.

(Tim J.Johnson Photography) — Thu, 05 Nov 2026 21:33:07 GMT

]]>From Tokio, we followed the side roads east as closely to the tracks as we could, and got this westbound manifest at West Lamphere.

(Tim J.Johnson Photography) — Thu, 05 Nov 2026 21:33:22 GMT

]]>We ended up that day at Marshal, Washington, one of our favorite spots. This is a local that heads westbound out of Spokane late in the day. I think it runs to Ritzville and back.

(Tim J.Johnson Photography) — Thu, 05 Nov 2026 21:33:31 GMT

]]>Eastbound stack train at Marshal, Washington. The Spokane, Spangle and Palouse Railway yard is just beyond the trees in the center of the photo, to the right of the lake.

(Tim J.Johnson Photography) — Fri, 06 Nov 2026 19:10:57 GMT

]]>Reynold checks out the GP 39 locomotives of the SS&P, which is a subsidiary of Omaha Track, as the lettering on the middle locomotive reads. SS&P operates trackage owned by the state (as does the Wahington Eastern) south to Palouse, Washington. Traffic is mostly grain, but also lumber and other misc. loadings. According to Google and another source, the BNSF also runs unit grain trains on SS&P tracks from Marshall to McCoy, where there’s a large grain loading facility with a balloon track.

Here's quote from Google: "The GP39-2 "High Cab" Fleet was ordered by Kennecott Copper between 1976 and 1980 and consisted of 32 upgraded GP39-2 locomotives. The vast majority of these were famously custom-built with "Vista Cabs" (raised cab roofs with extra windows) and high-clearance fuel tanks. This design was requested directly by Kennecott to maximize engineer visibility."

Another item from Google says they were all ordered new from EMD, as opposed to the "upgraded" remark in the first statement. (?)

(Tim J.Johnson Photography) — Thu, 05 Nov 2026 21:33:39 GMT

]]>Day 3: We made a brief stop in Spokane and caught a few trains at the eastern end of the BNSF Parkwater yard at Park Road. Here a manifest heads east with a grain train waiting in the background.

(Tim J.Johnson Photography) — Thu, 05 Nov 2026 21:48:44 GMT

]]>The Union Pacific track joins the BNSF here at Lee Street. The track in the foreground goes into the Yardley/Parkwater facility, as does the track on the far left with the DPU ready to shove a train into the yard. The distant BNSF train on the right is coming off the Kettle Falls/Colville line.

The Canadian Pacific DPU is shoving a train, which has just come across on the UP track from the right side of the picture.

(Tim J.Johnson Photography) — Thu, 05 Nov 2026 21:32:26 GMT

]]>A westbound oil train at Sprague Lake.

(Tim J.Johnson Photography) — Fri, 06 Nov 2026 19:11:04 GMT

]]>Midday on our last day the weather turned cloudy and a little drippy, but we made one last stop at Trinidad Hill for an eastbound stack train.

(Tim J.Johnson Photography) — Thu, 05 Nov 2026 21:31:55 GMT

]]>One last shot of that eastbound stack train that just came out of tunnel 11.1