Northwest Trains - Postcards from the Columbia River Gorge by Dan Schwanz
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UP - South of the River - Photo: Dan Schwanz |
Despite having travelled right across America, I have never had a chance to go to Washington state - which is a real pity because this is the area that I have chosen to model. Lucky for me, Dan Schwanz provides a wonderful pictorial record of the place.
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This time, some BNSF action along the north bank. Photo: Dan Schwanz |
The photo above is one of my all-time favourite railroad photographs. Dan captures railaction on bothe banks of the gorge; the UP runs along the southern riverbank towards Portland, Oregon and the BNSF runs parallel along the northern bank towards Vancouver Washington. Marvelous scenery and excellent rail fan action. My 5 year-old son now wants to visit America, not to see Mickey or Donald but to see an SD70MAC or possibly a Gevo. The Cascade mountains provide a wonderful backdrop to the the gorge.
The Pacific ports provide an important source of traffic for the railways in the area. Traffic varies from grain to huge intermodal stacks. The northern Pacific ports generally export more goods than are imported so empty intermodals can often be seen being transported southwards to the southern Pacific ports in California. there also seems to be an abundance of refuse trains or 'bin-liners' as we call them in England. There are also examples of roadrailer trains though the Swift road railer has now been discontinued. Amtrak's Empire Builder, Coast Starlight and Cascades Talgo provide passenger train interest all centring on the Vancouver Y.
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A colourful range of liveries against colourful skies, backdrop and foreground. Photo: Dan Schwanz |
Dan provides regular updates and by request will put you on his email list giving notification of updates and developments. If ever there was inspiration needed for modelling the railraods along the gorge, this site rpovides it.