Western Railroad Discussion > UP restarts work on the Garwood, ID Siding

Back in the 2013/2014 timeframe UP started work on a new siding at Garwood, ID just south of Chilco on the Spokane Sub (former Spokane International RR). But when traffic fell off in 2015, the project was cancelled abruptly. Just recently UP restated the work of installing the siding by laying out ties and rail on the long prepared roadbed. While the south end will be a simple switch, the north end is being revised somewhat. A single CTC mast had been installed for that end of the siding, but now the Chilco Mill spur will now run directly into the siding and crossover will act as the north end of the siding, including 4 CTC signal masts protecting all points of the crossovers. Historically Garwood was a siding on the Spokane International during the 1920's when the Ohio Match Company had a logging railroad that ran east into the forest from the small town and siding.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

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Yes , traffic on the Spokane Sub fell off in 2015, but it has not really picked up much since then.  It comes and goes in spurts, and there are only about a half a dozen trains a day, plus some work and ballast trains.  They may be hoping to pick up more oil trains since there's been such a war over the pipelines.  Many of their line side shippers have gone away over the years.  I think there's only the reload at Eastport, and maybe Alta at Naples ?   They used to do Pacific Hide and Steel , the LP planer mill, and McFarland pole yard at Sandpoint, and the sawmill at Dover, ID, and then the Stimpson lumber reload at Vay, ID. All of those went away.   I'm not sure if they still pick up at Merrit Bros. Lumber at Athol, or not.   The mill at Chilco, ID is going good, but I don't think there's  a whole lot from there to Spokane.  So, depending on how the tariffs affect things to and from Canada, it will be interesting to see if things pick up.   The track is sure in a lot better shape than when I moved here in the 80s. 

 Now, if they'd just put in a Nice Big Wye at Eastport, that could handle the .Big Boy, I'd be in seventh heaven.  Never hurts to dream.

Craig Hanson
Vay, Idaho

 

I guess UP is hoping that the current US President doesn't piss off the Canadians too much and/or continue to throw up trade barriers, or traffic could really dry up on this line...

I do see a lot of plate and coiled steel going both directions on this line.  It's hard to tell if it's being sold across borders, or just shipped to and from a reroll facility.   I don't see any aluminum, but there's plenty of lumber, mostly headed Southbound.  I think most of the potash trains are shipped out to foreign countries by boat.  Not sure who uses all the other chemical loads that go through here from Canada.  There's a lot of assorted stuff, and much of it is pretty nasty if it gets loose.  I miss the clickety clack of the jointed rail, but I'm sure glad they are upgrading the whole line.  I border them for about a thousand feet and they are pretty much in my face.  They were here long before me, so I try to get along with them.  There have been four derailments in the past, close by.  I think those were all before the ribbon rail though.  I'm keepin my fingers crossed that it never happens again.  I've got friends that work on this line, and I try to help out when I can.

C.Hanson
Vay, Idaho

 

The Clinton era Roadless Forest Plan virtually shut down logging on the national forest lands, which accounts for most of the land in North Idaho. That in turn decimated the number of sawmills running along the ex-Spokane International lines. The few remaining mills survive on timber from private forest lands. The remaining mills are the Idaho Forest Group mills at Chilco and Moyie Springs, and Merrit Bros in Athol that just suffered a bad fire in the warehouse and planing mill. Other customers include the fertilzer and agrichemical dealer at Interstate, a LPG dealer on the stub end of the CDA branch, POVA interchange and the infrequent pole shipments in Sandpoint, some agri-chemical transload at Moyie Springs and the lumber reload at Eastport.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

hawkinsun Wrote:
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> Yes , traffic on the Spokane Sub fell off in 2015,
> but it has not really picked up much since then. 
> It comes and goes in spurts, and there are only
> about a half a dozen trains a day, plus some work
> and ballast trains.  They may be hoping to pick
> up more oil trains since there's been such a war
> over the pipelines.  Many of their line side
> shippers have gone away over the years.  I think
> there's only the reload at Eastport, and maybe
> Alta at Naples ?   They used to do Pacific Hide
> and Steel , the LP planer mill, and McFarland pole
> yard at Sandpoint, and the sawmill at Dover, ID,
> and then the Stimpson lumber reload at Vay, ID.
> All of those went away.   I'm not sure if they
> still pick up at Merrit Bros. Lumber at Athol, or
> not.   The mill at Chilco, ID is going good, but
> I don't think there's  a whole lot from there to
> Spokane.  So, depending on how the tariffs affect
> things to and from Canada, it will be interesting
> to see if things pick up.   The track is sure in
> a lot better shape than when I moved here in the
> 80s. 
>
>  Now, if they'd just put in a Nice Big Wye at
> Eastport, that could handle the .Big Boy, I'd be
> in seventh heaven.  Never hurts to dream.
>
> Craig Hanson
> Vay, Idaho

Craig,

I know the UP Sandpoint local goes to Moyie Springs, north of Bonners Ferry & to Eastport, Idaho.  Not sure what local serves the mill at Athol.  UP's Trentwood local serves everything from Garwood south to Trentwood on the UP.. 

BNSF Erie job works the ADM plant at Napa/Lee CP where the SI joins the BNSF Spokane Sub.


SP8100




 

I guess I'm "out of the loop". You said they are installing "CTC" signals; I thought the majority of the SI was non-block TWC. Are they signalling and CTC'ing the SI?

Railbaron Wrote:
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> I guess I'm "out of the loop". You said they are
> installing "CTC" signals; I thought the majority
> of the SI was non-block TWC. Are they signalling
> and CTC'ing the SI?

Railbaron,

Yes, UP is in the process of CTC'ing the SI north of Spokane..   About 35 miles are done out of the 140.7 mile subdivision..


SP8100

Wow, I really am out of the loop. Thank you.

SP8100 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Railbaron Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I guess I'm "out of the loop". You said they
> are
> > installing "CTC" signals; I thought the
> majority
> > of the SI was non-block TWC. Are they
> signalling
> > and CTC'ing the SI?
>
> Railbaron,
>
> Yes, UP is in the process of CTC'ing the SI north
> of Spokane..   About 35 miles are done out of
> the 140.7 mile subdivision..
>
>
> SP8100

If this is the case, why hasn't the BNSF and UP partnered to share their tracks through Sandpoint to avoid building another costly bridge?  They could pair track from Sandpoint to Athol (after installing connecting track there).  They have to co-exist everywhere else in the west.  Seems they could both find benefits from this arrangement. 

hawkinsun Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yes , traffic on the Spokane Sub fell off in 2015,
> but it has not really picked up much since then. 
> It comes and goes in spurts, and there are only
> about a half a dozen trains a day, plus some work
> and ballast trains.  They may be hoping to pick
> up more oil trains since there's been such a war
> over the pipelines.  

I suspect more oil trains aren't the reason... likely UP sees more future grain shipments to PNW ports and especially Canadian potash moving to the Port of Portland


Allen

Allen,

You are correct, the UP has had many CP grain trains from Eastport, ID to Rivergate, Ore., Vancouver, Wash., Kalama, Wash., Longview, Wash., Tacoma, Wash., and Seattle, Wash. this past few weeks.   Grain traffic has surged a lot along with some more manifest traffic and some oil trains.


SP8100

bradleymckay Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> hawkinsun Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Yes , traffic on the Spokane Sub fell off in
> 2015,
> > but it has not really picked up much since
> then. 
> > It comes and goes in spurts, and there are only
> > about a half a dozen trains a day, plus some
> work
> > and ballast trains.  They may be hoping to
> pick
> > up more oil trains since there's been such a
> war
> > over the pipelines.  
>
> I suspect more oil trains aren't the reason...
> likely UP sees more future grain shipments to PNW
> ports and especially Canadian potash moving to the
> Port of Portland
>
>
> Allen

A fellow TO member asked about the UP Spokane Sub from Spokane to Eastport, ID.

It is CTC from Napa Street on the BNSF Spokane Sub to the north swich Garwood (siding).  It is TWC from Garwood siding north to Eastport, ID.   Vay siding, Sandpoint siding have spring switch indicators and Snyder Creek siding is at approximately MP 131.6 and it has the ability to enter the siding via dial up tones on the radio.

The CP has given UP a lot of grain trains, a bit more manifest traffic and a few oil trains thrown in the mix for good measure..   Potash still seems to be not as frequent in the past.



SP8100