Washington and Idaho Railway
Encyclopedia
The Washington and Idaho Railway is a shortline railroad
that operates in the area south of Spokane, Washington
, connecting the BNSF Railway
at Marshall
to Palouse, Washington
, Harvard, Idaho
, and Moscow, Idaho
. It began operations in 2006 on ex-Northern Pacific Railway
and Washington, Idaho and Montana Railway trackage formerly operated by the Palouse River and Coulee City Railroad, which had acquired it from the Burlington Northern Railroad
in 1996.
(NP), completed a line from the NP's main line at Marshall south to Genesee, Idaho
in 1888, and a branch from Pullman to Juliaetta, Idaho
in 1891 (extended to Lewiston by the NP in 1898). The Washington, Idaho and Montana Railway (WI&M) finished its line in 1907, extending east from Palouse to Purdue, Idaho. The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
(Milwaukee Road) gained control of the WI&M in 1962, and sold the property to the Burlington Northern Railroad
(BN), successor to the NP, in 1980. The BN sold the lines from Marshall to Arrow, Idaho and Palouse to Bovill, Idaho
to the newly-created Palouse River and Coulee City Railroad (PCC), which began operations in September 1996. It subsequently abandoned the ends from Harvard to Bovill and Moscow to Arrow, and in September 2006 the Washington and Idaho Railway began operating the remainder under contract. The Washington State Department of Transportation
bought the trackage within that state in June 2007, and kept the Washington and Idaho Railway as the operator. It also has access to an ex-Union Pacific Railroad
line west from Pullman to Risbeck (also formerly owned by the PCC) for railcar storage.
Shortline railroad
A shortline railroad is a small or mid-sized railroad company that operates over a relatively short distance relative to larger, national railroad networks. The term is used primarily in the USA and Canada...
that operates in the area south of Spokane, Washington
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, connecting 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 Marshall
Marshall, Washington
Marshall is an unincorporated community in Spokane County, Washington, United States. Named in 1880 for early settler William H. Marshall, Marshall is south-southwest of downtown Spokane. Marshall has a post office with ZIP code 99020....
to Palouse, Washington
Palouse, Washington
Palouse is a city in Whitman County, Washington, United States. The population was 998 at the 2010 census. Palouse is named for the region of farmland in which it is situated, and was incorporated in 1888.-History:...
, Harvard, Idaho
Harvard, Idaho
Harvard is an unincorporated community in Latah County, Idaho, United States. Harvard is located on Idaho State Highway 6 east of Potlatch. Harvard has a post office with ZIP code 83834....
, and Moscow, Idaho
Moscow, Idaho
Moscow is a city in northern Idaho, situated along the Washington/Idaho border. It is the most populous city and county seat of Latah County and the home of the University of Idaho, the land grant institution and primary research university for the state...
. It began operations in 2006 on ex-Northern Pacific Railway
Northern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in...
and Washington, Idaho and Montana Railway trackage formerly operated by the Palouse River and Coulee City Railroad, which had acquired it from the Burlington Northern Railroad
Burlington Northern Railroad
The Burlington Northern Railroad was a United States-based railroad company formed from a merger of four major U.S. railroads. Burlington Northern operated between 1970 and 1996....
in 1996.
History
The Spokane and Palouse Railway, a predecessor of the Northern Pacific RailwayNorthern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in...
(NP), completed a line from the NP's main line at Marshall south to Genesee, Idaho
Genesee, Idaho
Genesee is a city in Latah County, Idaho, United States. The population was 955 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Genesee is located at ., in the Palouse region, approximately south of Moscow, about halfway to Lewiston...
in 1888, and a branch from Pullman to Juliaetta, Idaho
Juliaetta, Idaho
Juliaetta is a city in Latah County, Idaho, United States. The population was 609 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Juliaetta is located at and lies approximately 2 miles north of the Nez Perce Indian Reservation...
in 1891 (extended to Lewiston by the NP in 1898). The Washington, Idaho and Montana Railway (WI&M) finished its line in 1907, extending east from Palouse to Purdue, Idaho. The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest and Northwest of the United States from 1847 until its merger into the Soo Line Railroad on January 1, 1986. The company went through several official names...
(Milwaukee Road) gained control of the WI&M in 1962, and sold the property to the Burlington Northern Railroad
Burlington Northern Railroad
The Burlington Northern Railroad was a United States-based railroad company formed from a merger of four major U.S. railroads. Burlington Northern operated between 1970 and 1996....
(BN), successor to the NP, in 1980. The BN sold the lines from Marshall to Arrow, Idaho and Palouse to 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:...
to the newly-created Palouse River and Coulee City Railroad (PCC), which began operations in September 1996. It subsequently abandoned the ends from Harvard to Bovill and Moscow to Arrow, and in September 2006 the Washington and Idaho Railway began operating the remainder under contract. The Washington State Department of Transportation
Washington State Department of Transportation
The Washington State Department of Transportation , was established in 1905. The agency, led by a Secretary and overseen by the Governor, is a Washington governmental agency that constructs, maintains, and regulates the use of the state's transportation infrastructure...
bought the trackage within that state in June 2007, and kept the Washington and Idaho Railway as the operator. It also has access to an ex-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....
line west from Pullman to Risbeck (also formerly owned by the PCC) for railcar storage.