Western Railroad Discussion > Spokane To Sandpoint

My wife and I awre on our way to Spokane tomorrow to shoot a wedding Saturday.  Any guidance on the drive between the two cities, and of course in Sandpoint?  I've used Railpics.net to scout some locations.  Thanks in advance for your assistance!

Jerry

Trent Ave located north of I-90 parallels the BNSF from Spokane to Rathdrum.  In Rostrum turn right be for Stein's grocery, go over the BNSF, left at the High School.  This will take you to US 95 at UP's new Garwood siding.  US95 parallels the UP to Silverwood and the BNSF from Athol to Sand Point.  Alternatively you can turn right onto Diagonal road just past Steins.  Diagonal road parallels the BNSF to Brummer road where you turn right to get to US 95 at Silvewrwood.

As a location scout for various films I have found Google Earth to be my best friend.

I would use it to see what various possible locations look like.

You will not be disappointed.

Posted from Android

Like Larry said, drive east on Trent Ave through Spokane and on out of town. It turns into Hwy 53 and follows the busy BNSF mainline and both the main yard in Spokane (Yardley) and the major refueling and block swapping yard in Idaho near Rathdrum (Hauser Yard). In Rathdrum go 1/4th mile past the traffic light and turn onto Diagonal Rd. The first few miles you will notice a fill to the right that was the original NP mainline abandoned in 1937. But after Ramsey Rd you will follow the double track mainline for a few miles. At Brunner Rd turn right and cross the tracks and then head 1 mile and turn left onto Old Hwy 95 and follow that into Athol. You will jump over the UP ex-Spokane International mainline along the way as it goes under the BNSF. In Athol, turn right onto the main rd (Hwy 54) and then get on Hwy 95 northbound at the interchange. Hwy 95 follows the BNSF to Sandpoint with many side roads that cross the tracks. A couple gravel side roads worth checking out are Homestead Rd and Granite Loop Rd (Granite loop follows the tracks back to Hwy 95). Hwy 95 follows the track closely for several miles until you get to Algoma. There turn right onto Sagle Rd and after crossing the track turn left onto Lignite Rd.  It follows the tracks to Bottle Bay Rd. turn right onto Bottle Bay Rd and drive it for a few miles to find some really great views of the BNSF Lake Pend Oreille Bridge. But you will need to turn around and follow Bottle Bay Rd back to Hwy 95 to get across the lake into Sandpoint, ID. Sandpoint itself has a lot to see for railroad action. The depot itself is a great place to watch trains, but parking is limited. On the north end of downtown at the intersection of Boyer Ave and Baldy Mtn Rd you can get close to the BNSF-UP diamond xing that is a place well worth checking out. Going west on Baldy Mtn Rd will take you to the yard where UP-BNSF and POVA all use to interchange cars. Pova usually shows up in the late morning house around 10-noon. Not sure if they are on a M-F schedule to a M-W-F schedule right now. Next thing to do is to follow Hwy 200 east from Hwy 95 in Sandpoint. You will pass the UP yard and follow the UP mainline for a short ways, but then end up following the MRL for many miles off and on. Definately go to Hope and beyond to Clark Fork for some really terrific view of the MRL along the north end of Lake Pend Oreille. MRL crosses the Clark Fork River just beyond Clark Fork, but cross the tracks in town to get on the local road that crosses the river next to the original NP bridge. That will keep you busy!

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/05/19 05:20 by funnelfan.

How is the congestion at Hauser these days?

Recently the 'Funnel' was more like a parking lot than a double track mainline, as they held trains for priority, for fueling and crews causing a bottleneck, has that changed?

Beautiful area though, enjoy the trip.

Where does the POVA begin their day?  Do they come all the way into Sandpoint, or stop at Dover?

Rob
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/05/19 17:29 by OregonOldGuy.

A big shout out and thank you for all the help with this trip!  I really appreciate your guidance.  It has been a total blast with train pics.  We are staying at Cocolalla Lake Bible Camp which is right beside the main at a road crossing, with the attendant horns... I still love it! I'm amazed at the super railroad the BNSF is building up here.  I've been beside the Transcon more times than I can remember and this rivals that in every respect except the volume of trains.  But SO many great places to shoot!!!!  Our drive from Spokane over to Sandpoint was totally trainless.  Phyllis patiently endured checking out every crossing to check the signals (I love that gal!).  We did see a few once at Sandpoint and took the obligatory pics of the bridge, with the added bonus of a Boeing train.  With a 0430 start time for our flights yesterday combined with the two-hour time difference, I played the lazy boy railfan and slept in this morning, which I regret because it was raining with low clouds and fantastic light...or lack thereof.  I love shooting in these conditions and regrettably missed a lot of great action this morning.  I'll fix that tomorrow!  If the wedding pics are anything like the train pics this will be a super weekend!

Pic 1.  I think this is Hauser.  Trains everywhere but trackwork to the north had most of them stationary.  I'd love to come back here someday.
Pic 2.  I think I'm the first railfan to ever make a picture here (that's 100% pure Oklahoma sarcasm). The boing boing train, where planes make waves.
Pic 3.  Nobodys ever done this before either.
 

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Pic 4: A westbound at Reasor, beside the Bible camp we're staying at.  LOVE the light!
Pic 5: Lake Cocolalla: you can't take a bad pic here!  My feet will be soaked all day for wandering into the weeds and standing in the rain but that's a tradeoff I'll make any day.
Pic 6: CP223 westbound.  The immensity of the forest amazes me!

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Nice pix, nice area!  Is the double track project in that area finished?

sums007 Wrote:
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> Nice pix, nice area!  Is the double track project
> in that area finished?

The 2.2 miles of second main track between Reasor and Cocollala is not in service, yet.  East Algoma toward Sandpoint is next, with a new bridge over Lake Pend Oreille.

ATSF5669 Wrote:
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> Pic 6: CP223 westbound.

This is Cocollala with all the construction activity. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/08/19 07:02 by MP555.