St. Maries River Railroad
Encyclopedia
The St. Maries River Railroad is a shortline Class III railroad
that operates 71 miles of freight service in northern Idaho
. From 1980 until 2010, it was a subsidiary of Potlatch Corp.
The St. Maries River operates between Plummer, Idaho
and St. Maries, Idaho
on what was the Milwaukee Road's Pacific Northwest main line across the Rockies. The railroad also operates on the Milwaukee Road's former Elk River branch line between St. Maries and Bovill, Idaho
.
For several years from 1980 until the mid-1980s, Potlatch also owned and operated 45 miles of adjoining former Milwaukee Road trackage, between St. Maries and Avery, Idaho
, as a private logging railroad that connected with the St. Maries River Railroad. However, the federal government condemned the logging line between St. Maries and Avery in the mid-1980s, prompting its shutdown.
In 2010, Potlatch sold the St. Maries River Railroad to Mike Williams of the Missouri-based Williams Group, which owns other short line railroads in Idaho, Missouri and South Dakota, including the BG&CM Railroad.
The St. Maries River Railroad connects with the Union Pacific Railroad
at Plummer and with the BNSF Railway
at Bovill.
Class III railroad
A Class III railroad, as defined by the Surface Transportation Board, is a railroad with an annual operating revenue of less than $20 million . The term only applies to United States railroads, but is sometimes applied to other countries...
that operates 71 miles of freight service in northern Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. From 1980 until 2010, it was a subsidiary of Potlatch Corp.
Potlatch Corp.
Potlatch Corporation is an American diversified forest products company based in Spokane, Washington. It manufactures and sells lumber, panels and particleboard and receives revenue from other assets such as mineral rights and the leasing of land as well as the sale of land considered expendable.In...
History and Trackage
The St. Maries River Railroad began service on May 23, 1980, over trackage that previously had been owned by the bankrupt (and now-defunct) Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad, also known as the Milwaukee Road.The St. Maries River operates between Plummer, Idaho
Plummer, Idaho
Plummer is a city in Benewah County, Idaho, United States. The population was 990 at the 2000 census. It is the largest city within the Coeur d'Alene Reservation.-Geography:Plummer is located at ....
and St. Maries, Idaho
St. Maries, Idaho
St. Maries is a city in Benewah County, Idaho, United States. The population was 2,652 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Benewah County. Pronounced St. Mary's.-Geography:St. Maries is located at ....
on what was the Milwaukee Road's Pacific Northwest main line across the Rockies. The railroad also operates on the Milwaukee Road's former Elk River branch line between St. Maries and Bovill, Idaho
Bovill, Idaho
Bovill is a city in Latah County, Idaho, United States. The population was 305 at the 2000 census.-History:Bovill was named for a settler.The Bovill Opera House, at 2nd and Pine, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.-Geography:...
.
For several years from 1980 until the mid-1980s, Potlatch also owned and operated 45 miles of adjoining former Milwaukee Road trackage, between St. Maries and Avery, Idaho
Avery, Idaho
Avery is a small unincorporated town nestled in the St. Joe River Valley in Shoshone County, Idaho, United States. Avery is located in the middle of the St. Joe District of the Idaho Panhandle National Forest...
, as a private logging railroad that connected with the St. Maries River Railroad. However, the federal government condemned the logging line between St. Maries and Avery in the mid-1980s, prompting its shutdown.
In 2010, Potlatch sold the St. Maries River Railroad to Mike Williams of the Missouri-based Williams Group, which owns other short line railroads in Idaho, Missouri and South Dakota, including the BG&CM Railroad.
The St. Maries River Railroad connects with the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
at Plummer and with the BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
at Bovill.