Western Railroad Discussion > A surprise along the Maryhill "highway"

This "highway" I refer to is between Maryhill, WA and the John Day Dam, and has a surface of 2-3" round rock.  I can make about 12 mph in my Van before my fillings begin to rattle.  Some of the maps I consulted prior to our trip have this road labeled as the "Maryhill Highway."  I still laugh about that.
 
This last Saturday (27th) my wife and I were exploring the area, and by late morning had had enough of the wind.  So we packed everything up and started to head west for some more exploration along SR14.  As soon as we started rolling (11:15am), a headlight appeared just ahead of us.  There was no time to launch the drone (and it was too windy anyway), but there was time to jump out and get some grab shots.  My wife got the best (by far) shot of this BNSF Special, complete with caboose!  We both supposed the cargo to be nuclear, but had no idea about any specifics.
 
rsdouglas posted about this train on Sunday morning, moving through Kuna, Idaho, here:
https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,5206278
 
Here’s the train climbing the grade on the giant fill just below the John Day Dam.
 
Wyatt
 
 

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A one in a Million photo and a DODX Caboose too .

Very NICE shot! That green caboose rolled thru the backyard in Ritzville, WA a couple of weeks ago. Now I know where it is.

Larry

These cars are usually used to move spent nuclear fuel for submarines and aircraft carriers.

Should be IOTD

Spent nuclear fuel from the Navy in Bremerton, WA going to Naval Reactors Facility at Idaho National Lab (west of Idoho Falls, ID). 

The special is handed off to the Union Pacific near Pasco, either in Pasco, at the 'Grain Yard' or at Villard, Jct (near Burbank,WA). 

That Maryhill Highway is the former SP&S row before the dams were built along the Columbia. You can continue to follow it west past the fruit stand at Maryhill and Hwy 97 for approx 3 miles. 

The loco, cab and idler cars were sitiing in Blackfoot ID yesterday after dropping the loads at Scoville on the Scoville branch.

Great catch and shot!

Cool pic!!