Western Railroad Discussion > Meet me at Maryhill!

This is Part 3 of the adVANture #44 (Columbia River Gorge) series of 11/20-21.
     Part 1 is here: https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,5371034
     Part 2 is here: https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,5371622
 
After all the westbound coal and grain trains passed, it was time for the junk train* parade, in both directions.  Something happened mid-day between Wishram and Maryhill to cause dispatch to issue a slow order, and trains did not exceed 10 mph after that, even into the night.  That made photography a little easier in the quickly waning afternoon light.
     *per my definition in adVANture 42, part 1, I’ll repeat it here:
     a ‘manifest,’ my personal favorite type of train; every car has a story. 
 
1: a short over-powered junk train off the Oregon Trunk snuck up on us.  A clean warbonnet (#720) was the 2nd of 5 units; the leader was 4688. (Mrs. Wyatt photo)
2: after waiting at Maryhill for the eastbound, it was 7583 west’s turn. 
3: rear dpu’s on the 7583 west; 6909 and 8353.
 
(more photos to follow)
 

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4: Next, passing through this cut between mileposts 110 and 111 is 3766 east (with 6581).
5: Same train as the last photo, with yours truly caught in the act.  Those covered gons are all Montana Rail Link cars, in blue paint.  We saw a few sets of them heading east that weekend.  Not quite visible behind the trees in the far distance is another westbound rolling into Maryhill.
(Mrs. Wyatt photo)
6: Our foamer friends appeared as the rear of the train passed; I did not notice them when I took this shot.  The headlight of the next westbound is now visible below the overpass.
 
(more photos to follow)
 

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7: 4734 West from the air, leaving Maryhill.
8: Same train rolling past the colorful vineyard with the big rock pile in the middle of it.
9: A few seconds after photo 8, Mrs. Wyatt shot this image from the cut.
 
(3 more photos to follow)
 

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10: Some of the interesting loads on 4734 West; I like the lighting on these wheelsets.
 
After 4734 West passed, we took a drive across ‘the creek’ to Celilo Park to see if anything was happening at Wishram, and if a train might come across the river to the Oregon Trunk.  Nope.  After being surprised by a stealthy eastbound UP intermodal train, we headed back to Maryhill.  Got flagged down by a couple of tweakers with a dead battery and gave them a jump, then headed back to Bob’s Point.  Mrs. Wyatt wanted to experiment with some low light shots. 
 
These last 2 images were inspired by some of the night shots of Kit Courter and a couple others who have shared their creativity with us here.  Thank you!
 
11: Just a few minutes later, another eastbound rolled slowly by.  This 20-second exposure is rather deceptively lit; it was very nearly dark at 5:00 pm! 
12: Since it was moving so slowly, I convinced her to wait for the end of the train to pass and do a long exposure of the FRED.  This is another 20-second shot at ISO 800.
 
That’s it for Part 3.  There will be one more part covering the events of Sunday.
 
wyatt
 

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What a spectacular series.  I especially was taken by the long exposure of the grain cars and unforgettable DEEP cut shot.  Is this great site or what?

JB - Omaha

Great shots!

RC Lundgren
Elgin, TX

Really great series!

Nice pics!!