Western Railroad Discussion > Views of BNSF trains overlooking Fruitvale WA and Biggs OR

BNSF trains photographed from the bluff overlooking Fruitvale (WA) and Biggs (OR) reveal how scenic this segment of the Columbia River really is. This was the view on June 21, 2023, while taking a tour through the Gorge. Trains aren't all that frequent during the day and positioning oneself on the sun side of a passing train for a sharp photograph can be a challenge. While choosing a location take a drive through Fruitvale to a fruit stand within and load up on succulent fresh cherries and other fruits grown there. A good supply provides something delicious to munch on while awaiting the arrival of a passing train. Coal and grain trains use the gorge as a primary route to grain export facilities at Kalama (WA) and Vancouver (BC) (Coal). If one tires of BNSF trains, just cross the river at Biggs join up with the UP whose train traffic is somewhat more dense that BNSF's. - Robert C. Del Grosso

As an added posting, while driving west of Rathdrum (Id) on the way to Spokane (WA) in August 2023, parked at Otis Orchards (WA) was this eastbound empty unit coal train. It was awaiting its turn to fuel-up and continue east north through Idaho's "Funnel" to Sandpoint (ID) and turn east through Montana to Wymonig's Powder River Basin. The rear DPU unit turned out to be body repaired BNSF C44-9W 4729 wearing a 700-series Warbonnet center carbody hood. Not only an interesting sight to see, it could be a perfect modeling project on someone's scale model train layout. Robert C. Del Grosso   

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The area from that angle is much more scenic than the usual posts. I've never been there but my son has driven the Gorge and said it is rather spectacular compared to driving from Salt Lake City to North Platte Yard. He has driven to Hermiston from Portland and claims it is much more scenic.
Go

Great photos! Hard to beat the Columbia River Gorge for Railfan Photography.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

Amazing shots. Were you are Stonehenge where you took them?

PCBill

Very enjoyable series!!

Larry

Notice the white caps.

tomstp Wrote:
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> Notice the white caps.

Yes, it is frequently quite windy through the Gorge.

Yes, the top photo was taken from the road that leads down from there into Fruitale.

I always thought that area was called Maryhill, not Fruitvale.  I know the BNSF siding there is called Maryhill.

NWRail Wrote:
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> I always thought that area was called Maryhill, not Fruitvale.  I know the BNSF siding there is called Maryhill.

You are correct.  Having grown up in Wishram and becoming a third generation in my family SP&S employee, as well as having spent 40 years running trains through there, I'll vouch for it being Maryhill.

The picture is of one of the SP&S's less than stellar days at Maryhill.  The church that is visible just to the right side of the depot still exists and is seen directly above the three units on the eastbound train.  The railroad ROW was relocated higher above the river when the John Day Dam was built.  Apparently the quality of my work has withstood the test of time.  While I was working in the electric shop at Todd Shipyard in Seattle, I was assigned to magnaflux the welds on the John Day Dam's spillway gates which were being built there.

A probably little-remembered fact about Maryhill:  During WWII the north / south demarcation line for the relocation of Japanese ancestry citizens was between Wishram and Maryhill.  The many Japanese in Maryhill were able to continue producing the high quality fruit for which they were known.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 03/01/24 23:32 by Jim700.

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Nice pics!!