Western Railroad Discussion > Another Endangered Oregon Branch

Word on another board is the ex Union Pacific Branch now Columbia and Walla Walla, nee Blue Mountain , line to Weston washed out in Febuary of this year and Smith Foods has set up a transload at Milton Freewater.This line was built in 1887 and basically follows the contours of the land and has some two percent grades.Smith Foods was the only customer left between Milton Freewater and Weston and was consistently served on a Wednesday and Thursday schedule.Pictured below is an image from 2003 near Barrett with the Blue Mountain train enroute to Weston  with the empties.The second image is from 2019 CWW running light around the horse shoe at Weston with the Blue Mountains in the background.Bill Webb

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Looking at both Weston and Mlton-Freewater on Google Earth images dated June 2019 no sign of any rolling stock or power at either location. Track looks unused.
Bill Pyper
Lacey, WA
 

My Google Earth shows, for 6/2019, 5 reefers at Smith Foods.  . I worked there, Lamb-Weston then,  in the summer of 62 and 63. Did quality control stuff on the first ever freeze dried peas for the US Navy. The reason why was a big secret at that time. Of course in a few years we knew it was for the nuclear Navy.
RB

From what I saw when around there was little sign of peas in later years, 90s and beyond.

Great pictures Bill.