One of the few times in my life where any living creature has found me more interesting than a passing freight train.

Big things come in big packages! A week before Christmas, we're moving an early gift for the city of Moscow: a 600,000 pound transformer! Moved on a special 12-axle depressed flat, the new ... (more)

Out in the wide open, the '16 and her train get up to the 25mph track speed. In the background, Upper Columbia Academy houses 9-12 grade students.

Pushing hard on the throttle south out of Spangle, the '16 startles a few ponies.

W&I's official watch dog, Molly, stands guard under the parked power at Marshall Yard, doing her best to disrupt the activities of a couple photographers. Photo taken from railroad property wi... (more)

With a big grin on his face, Stan finishes today's 2-hour, 2-car run from Palouse, WA to Princeton Lumber. He eases the '16 at a snails pace back out onto the main line and from there, will tie th... (more)

Stan Patterson is at the controls, rolling a mere 1mph down Whitman Street. Slowing to cross over HY27, he lays on the music while watching carefully for cars. Behind the little geep are 2 empty c... (more)

With Stan working on the F unit, Jer has to switch himself around the elevators of Oakesdale for a little while.

End of the day and end of the daylight. In the distance of the evening, our conductor ties up the end of the train while Jer shuts down the power for the night. By the morning, fertilizer will be ... (more)

Late summer harvest time. Knee-high lentils turn all sorts of shades of yellow and orange as they become ripe and ready for harvest. Using all three motors, the W&I moves 11 loads of fertilizer ac... (more)

Hands of the railroad.

One of the grain elevators in Oakesdale towers above the 316 in the late afternoon sun. The railroad moves a large amount of grain traffic out of Oakesdale, reflecting the agricultural traffic tha... (more)

The textures, grime, and shapes of railroading. Brakes are set on the resting '16 while it spends the night a few feet from Idaho. The fertilizer hoppers delivered today will be unloaded by mornin... (more)

A beautiful fall day on the Palouse. The 16 won't have to run solo much longer. It will need to switch the grain loading facilities in Oakesdale before picking up more power. From here, it'll grab... (more)

Looking over the long hood of the '16. The tired old bell has trouble striking the sound ring these days, but still makes a wonderful sound upon contact. A sound, a ring, a melody impossible to re... (more)