Couldn't you find a shorter buffer car? Loaded oils follow the river along the Washington Oregon state line, then return empty over Stevens Pass. This one is climbing the one percent grade of th... (more)

Geologically speaking, the Trinidad Loop is fairly young, owing its shape to glacial flooding about 13,000 years ago. It's hard to imagine these hills as being shaped in the same process that cre... (more)

A westbound Z train descends the grade near Triinidad Loop on its way from Spokane, WA to Wenatchee where it will change crews. The 1% grade starts just west of Quincy and will continue about 16 m... (more)

A BNSF oil train rumbles along the basalt cliffs above Crater Lake on the climb out of the Columbia River basin between Trinidad and Quincy, Washington, on September 21, 2016.

An eastbound BNSF oil train rounds the basalt cliffs above Crater Lake on the climb out of the Columbia River basin between Trinidad and Quincy, Washington, on September 21, 2016.

BNSF 3029 and mate handle switching chores at the Imerys Minerals diatomaceous earth plant at Quincy. The Spud Local, as it is locally known, operates from Appleyard, Wenatchee on weekdays serving... (more)

The Spud Local's abbreviated train rolls west out of Quincy on the passing siding after working the town. It just met an eastbound Z train, and will stop at the signal to meet a second eastbound Z... (more)

Cruising along the basalt cliffs above Crater Lake between Trinidad and Quincy, Washington, is an eastbound BNSF Z train on the afternoon of September 21, 2016. The train is climbing a grade out o... (more)

A BNSF empty ballast train tops the grade out of the Columbia River valley at the west end of Quincy, WA on New Year's Eve 2015. BNSF is not shy about using other carriers' power, and this train f... (more)

The Spud Local crests the 16 mile grade from Albus (Columbia River) siding through Trinidad loop at Quincy, WA with a much longer than usual train. This five day a week job usually works at Quincy... (more)

A BNSF Q train climbs upgrade on the long Trinidad grade along Crater Lake a few miles west of Quincy, WA. The train will top the 16 mile grade at Quincy and race east to Spokane. Prior to BNSF's ... (more)

BNSF 6311 grinds up the 16 mile 1 percent grade from Albus to Quincy with an eastbound empty coal train early in the morning of February 21, 2015. The sun is playing with the clouds but did light ... (more)

On a windy spring morning, Amtrak's westbound Empire Builder eases around the curve approaching the west switch of Quincy, while an eastbound stack train has just cleared into the siding, making f... (more)

The westbound Spud Local has finished switching Quincy, WA and is beginning its journey back to Wenatchee's Appleyard. The industry behind the train is Witco Chemical's diatomaceous earth plant wh... (more)

Led by warbonnet C44-9W No. 4719, an eastbound BNSF grain train exits Tunnel 11.1 at Crater between Trinidad and Quincy, Washington, on April 18, 2010.