May 23, 2015

The Hinkle Express used to come this way.

A little pass 11 am every morning it was possible to catch the Hinkle Express mixed train heading west out of Spokane. I caught it several times when I was able to time my visits to clients to be on station for a photo or two.   A mIxed train means passenger and freight.
 
This set of E units has this train crossing the Maple Street "toll bridge" in its day, probably 1968 or 69. The toll was originally 10 cents and did not collect enough to keep it as a toll bridge.
This view is from Monroe Street looking at what is happening to the tracks and the yard that used to serve the Union Station in its day. It now condos, houses and shops. They even have a pizza joint but its no Rocky Rococo's pizza!  They do have a nice view!
 
Further east of Kendall Yard was High Bridge, a massive, long structure that got Union Pacific and Milwaukee Road trains over it for 60 years.
 
Around 1977 they started taking it down and what a job that was. You can still see the bridge foundations in the Spokane River at this spot.  All trains now cross over this canyon on the BNSF Latah Bridge.

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