Sep 13, 2014

Railfanning 101 or how to avoid the railroad cops. Part 1

It all started out innocent enough as most of the guys joined me for lunch at Frank's Diner in West Spokane. It was an old NP diner turned into a pretty good place to eat. We are on our way to railfan the Marshall Canyon some 5 miles west of Spokane on the old UP/Milw, now bike trail that is between the ex-NP and the ex-SP&S lines.
I asked Don to bring his Moel T with him so we could use it as a prop for photos. Don is pointing to the stop sign but I don't know why he just doesn't use his turn signals?
The seven of us hiked up the old UP/Milw right of way which was the west approach to downtown Spokane. The overpass is the ex-SP&S connection at Scribner that allowed SP&S to use the NP Parkwater yard for freight transfers. That goup dows not have their fearless leader leading them...I guess I have to
lead from behind?
Here's the shot that never was as we wound up on the UP connection at Fish Lake that diverts from the ex-SP&S line that is now the westbound mainline for BNSF through Marshall Canyon. Confused?
I talked the guys into moving from the Fish Lake UP tracks as it was a long shot as the line may have 6 trains a day and we would not see one for a long time. We moved to the Scribner curve and this maintenance piece showed up that digs up ballast and cleans it for good drainage. BNSF has 50 trains a day.
What's the first train that's comes down the track? It's a Union Pacific train with a Canadian Pacific loaner on the point! If we stayed put we would have gotten the Model T shot. Why do they listen to me?

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