The spout hanging down from above rarely, if ever, loads rail cars anymore, but the elevator at Winona, Washington, on the west edge of the Palouse region is still a hub of activity for local farmers shipping their wheat to market. After pulling an empty grain car out of the yard and lining the north wye switch for the main, conductor Joe pauses for a minute to talk with the elevator operator. It's up to your imagination whether they're discussing the weather, a favored sports team, a mutual friend, or just checking up on the status of the harvest; all we know for sure is that Larry is up in the cab, staring into the mirror and wondering when the heck this show is going to get on the road -- he's been on duty since long before the sun rose, and he'd like to get home at a decent hour on this beautiful late-summer day.
