Last time I spoke with Stan, he had worked out a deal to eliminate the "paper barriers" that prevented former BN shippers from using the UP through Hooper, and the same for former UP customers from using the BN through Marshall. Even with the "paper barriers" in place, Watco had built up some business with tank cars of chemicals traveling from the BN to former UP lines, and had been delivering farm machines to the former UP side of the operation including at least on unit train of combines delivered from the BNSF to the former UP at Colfax. (Unfortunately Watco demolished the loading dock at Colfax and killed off the farm machine business, but if a new ramp were built is could be brought back). Watco was able to do this as it was considered new business and exempt from the barriers. Bennett lumber has long sought access to UP and before the recession told a business magazine in Spokane that their shipping would double if access to UP was granted. UP managed to climb the hill out of Colfax with some pretty sizable trains with two or three GP-38-2's or GP-40's. I photographed on train blasting up the hill after stopping at the depot, with 16 loads and 31 empties and two GP-38-2's for power. It's a short hill and tapers off near the top and, being short, easy to double if needed. I know shippers on the former P&L would like to use the Wallula outlet, and Spokane Seed in Colfax would like to have access to the BNSF. Also under Watco, Wallace Grain in Palouse shipped boxcars of peas and lentils via UP. Frequently UP has better rates than BNSF, and then they flip flop and BNSF has the better rates for grain--shippers could really benefit from the connections if they were creative and the state and rail operator was willing to make it happen. WSDOT hired a WSU professor to conduct a study on the matter and they found no need for the line, which is the answer they seem to have wanted and made the trail people happy. But the state has never explained why they tore down the unburned 60% of the bridge and why they never filed an insurance claim with the farmer that started the fire to replace the bridge. This is a case where no shipper will committ and it will have to be a case of build it and they will come.