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Re: Ports of Lewiston / Wilma Coal facility
Author: David Smith
Date: 08-19-2014 - 05:48
Bruce Butler Wrote:
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> The Ports of Lewiston / Wilma lost out big time
> back in 1996 when BNSF sold the P&L branch
> (Marshall to Arrow Jct) to WATCO. WATCO then
> promptly sold the Moscow - Arrow Jct segment to
> A&K who then promptly salvaged the rail, forever
> severing any rail connection to Lewiston from the
> North or East.
>
> At that time (1996), the ONLY interest that the
> Port of Lewiston had in this railroad was to
> obtain the ROW from Kendrick to Arrow so that
> Idaho SR3 could be upgraded.
>
> I found out years later that MRL was interested in
> this line. It is a shame that they didn't get it!
Actually, the Port of Lewiston wanted the line left intact - they had visions of short-haul shuttle trains bringing Palouse grain down to the Valley. Also, the (former) Potlatch mill in Lewiston had a serious look at running woodchip/lumber trains from their St Maries mill down to Lewiston via a WI&M/P&L routing - BN even laid some welded rail on the WI&M in anticipation of this traffic. But the Idaho DOT had another agenda altogether ....
In larger terms, it wouldn't have made much sense operationally to run interstate grain trains from Montana and the Dakotas down to Lewiston via the P&L. It isn't that much farther by rail Spokane-to-Pasco as it was Spokane-to-Lewiston, and the track profile of the P&L would have been a further hindrance. It's possible that the MRL could have made it work as they could have kept their own grain trains on home rails had they managed to secure the P&L plus the necessary trackage rights over the BN to Marshall Junction.
Of course, with all the congestion BNSF is suffering right now it might have become an option (to route coal and grain down to Lewiston to keep the Gorge, Stampede, and Stevens Passes fluid for intermodal et al).
But as I pointed out decades ago to those who saw Lewiston as a potential rail-to-barge transfer point, without a direct rail link from Montana to Lewiston (probably via the Milwaukee's St Paul Pass, the WI&M, and then the P&L), it just adds more time and mileage to the whole haul if everything had to be routed through Spokane.
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Ports of Lewiston / Wilma lost out big time
> back in 1996 when BNSF sold the P&L branch
> (Marshall to Arrow Jct) to WATCO. WATCO then
> promptly sold the Moscow - Arrow Jct segment to
> A&K who then promptly salvaged the rail, forever
> severing any rail connection to Lewiston from the
> North or East.
>
> At that time (1996), the ONLY interest that the
> Port of Lewiston had in this railroad was to
> obtain the ROW from Kendrick to Arrow so that
> Idaho SR3 could be upgraded.
>
> I found out years later that MRL was interested in
> this line. It is a shame that they didn't get it!
Actually, the Port of Lewiston wanted the line left intact - they had visions of short-haul shuttle trains bringing Palouse grain down to the Valley. Also, the (former) Potlatch mill in Lewiston had a serious look at running woodchip/lumber trains from their St Maries mill down to Lewiston via a WI&M/P&L routing - BN even laid some welded rail on the WI&M in anticipation of this traffic. But the Idaho DOT had another agenda altogether ....
In larger terms, it wouldn't have made much sense operationally to run interstate grain trains from Montana and the Dakotas down to Lewiston via the P&L. It isn't that much farther by rail Spokane-to-Pasco as it was Spokane-to-Lewiston, and the track profile of the P&L would have been a further hindrance. It's possible that the MRL could have made it work as they could have kept their own grain trains on home rails had they managed to secure the P&L plus the necessary trackage rights over the BN to Marshall Junction.
Of course, with all the congestion BNSF is suffering right now it might have become an option (to route coal and grain down to Lewiston to keep the Gorge, Stampede, and Stevens Passes fluid for intermodal et al).
But as I pointed out decades ago to those who saw Lewiston as a potential rail-to-barge transfer point, without a direct rail link from Montana to Lewiston (probably via the Milwaukee's St Paul Pass, the WI&M, and then the P&L), it just adds more time and mileage to the whole haul if everything had to be routed through Spokane.
| Subject | Written By | Date/Time (PST) |
|---|---|---|
 Bridging the Valley (Spokane area) Update
|
Bruce Kelly | 08-17-2014 - 09:46 |
|
Re: Bridging the Valley (Spokane area) Update
|
David Smith | 08-17-2014 - 14:05 |
|
Re: Bridging the Valley (Spokane area) Update
|
Graham Buxton | 08-17-2014 - 15:24 |
|
Re: Ports of Lewiston / Wilma Coal facility
|
Bruce Butler | 08-17-2014 - 19:58 |
|
Re: Ports of Lewiston / Wilma Coal facility
|
Spike | 08-18-2014 - 19:24 |
|
Re: Ports of Lewiston / Wilma Coal facility |
David Smith | 08-19-2014 - 05:48 |
|
Re: Ports of Lewiston / Wilma Coal facility
|
Bruce Butler | 08-19-2014 - 08:35 |
|
Re: Ports of Lewiston / Wilma Coal facility
|
David Smith | 08-19-2014 - 17:01 |
|
Re: Bridging the Valley (Spokane area) Update
|
David Smith | 08-20-2014 - 17:39 |