What is your favorite Washington state railroad?

Ah, yes, the venerable SS&S. I thought that they were using Jack Daniels electrics, though. My error.

The SPS was really a laid-back operation even though they ran a tightly scheduled operation through the Gorge.

But I think my favorite road would have to be the MILW. They and the SP could do anything with nothing and make money at it - with style and character. Neither the BNSF or the UP (nor any of their predecessors) can claim that. (Now, now, the SP never got into Washington.)

My favorite railway is the Columbia River Railway (ownd by Rail America) that runs on the old GN branch line from Wenatchee to the Canadian Border and has 3 trains a week with very nice GP9,s. I try to pace them some times to obsorb the sound from there four stacks but the people riding your ass won’t let you. Well you are on a 60MPH highway pacing a train that won’t go past 25MPH. And i love the BNSF wich Runs 5 miles from my house.

I loved to watch the UP & MILW pull the Marshall grade between Spokane & Cheney. Of course the NP & SP&S on the other tracks too.

The GN and NP through the Snohomish valley .

But SP transfers did run between Brooklyn yard, in Portland,and the BN yard in Vancouver WA.[8D]

since I was born in ballard. its the Ballard Terminal Railroad.

I was raised by the GN omak branch that is why i fell in love with Trains. The Train used to stop by our orchard to grab an apple, and be on there way.

I’ll cast another vote for the Seattle & North Coast–either in that form or its earlier incarnation as the MILW Olympic Peninsula branch. I’m a sucker for lost-cause branch lines in beautiful settings, and the S&NC was the closest Washington state railroad to my hometown of Victoria BC.

Another favorite of mine in Washington State was the CPR.

Al - in - Stockton