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Sept. 7-17 — An exciting week (or more...)

With a railroad as pretty as the Port of Tillamook Bay, it's hard to imagine that we'd waste it all on freight. Not a chance. On occasion, we get to cut loose from the normal routine and play host to a few visitors. Sometimes, it even gets a little busy, as you'll soon read.

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September 7 dawned sunny and beautiful. It's a very well kept secret out here that the best weather of the year doesn't come in July or August. It's that great Indian Summer. (September is actually the warmest month of the year on average, so I'm not just making this up...)

Anyhow, while I was out white water rafting the Deschutes River, about 35 speeders from the California-based MOW speeder group assembled in Buxton for a weekend outing on the railroad. MOW is one of several groups that comes over at least once a year to visit, but this was the best turnout I'd seen in my short time here.

The speeders started out in Buxton and traveled all the way to Tillamook, then returned to Garibaldi to spend the night. On the way west, they paused for the photo at left on beautiful Big Baldwin trestle, taken by MOW trip coordinator Doug Jensen. I don't think it could have been a better day.

While the weather was a little bit more dreary the next day, it didn't seem to dampen the spirits of the group as it made its way back to Buxton. After church, my family and I traveled out to say hello to some friends in the group, and caught the image at right as some of the group made the last leg over the tall Dairy Creek trestle.

On a personal note, I was very surprised to run into old friends Olaf and Jurigen Rasmussen, who brought their big Fairmont A class gang car out for the ride. It had been a long time since I'd seen them, but I still miss the Saturday movie nights at Olaf's house in Richland. Good seeing you guys again, and take care.

With the speeders trailered and on their ways home, we settled in for another week of freight. But the next Saturday, it was time for a special excursion with our friends from the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the NRHS. The PNWC boys were using the railroad for a fundraiser, and filled a very impressive six car consist to the brim with nearly 200 people.

Included in the consist was private car Casper Mountain, which sported some of the most beautiful light wood (oak?) interior woodwork I had ever seen on a private car. The ex-Santa Fe business car brought up the markers on our outbound trip.

The rest of the train included 4449 baggage car DLMX 5659, which was recently painted from silver and black into Daylight colors and named in honor of Gordon Zimmerman, Great Northern "Empire Builder" liveried DLMX 1210 lounge car "Plum Creek", PNWC's Daylight coach 6800 "Red River", stainless coach 6200, and lounge sleeper 600 "Mt. Hood" sporting GN paint. After loading up and doing our initial terminal test, we were underway with POTB locomotives 4405 and 4406.

By all reports, the passengers had a great time on the run between Banks and Salmonberry. On the way back, we stopped to do two photo runbys, including this one at MP 813. Though the light wasn't perfect, I had a great time taking pictures of the folks enjoying the railroad. (Also, I made a special little friend. Hi, Jennifer. At five, she probably can't quite read this yet, but maybe mom or dad can read it for you...:)

Anyhow, we arrived back in Banks late Saturday evening, just in time to meet the High Iron Travel Explorer's Special that was touring a great deal of the P&W and POTB systems on a rare mileage run. The train was finishing its first day's run, from Willbridge yard to Clatskanie, and then on to Banks via Cornelius Pass.

After unloading the PNWC's passengers, that train was moved aside to allow the High Iron train, in the care of P&W GP-39 2314 up to the depot for water. It was a rare opportunity to shoot two passenger trains in Banks at one time. (Although the PNWC was technically not a passenger train any more. But hey, who's quibbling over details here?)

After watering, the High Iron train held the main for the night, and followed the regular freight towards Tillamook the next day. The train included private cars Montana (ex-MILW platform sleeper), Cimmaron River (ex-Frisco sleeper), Pine Tree State (ex-New Haven sleeper lounge), and Caritas (ex-Frisco sleeper converted into platform sleeper).

On Sunday morning, the train added POTB locomotive 3771 for the run over the hill to Tillamook and back to Garibaldi. I caught the train inbound over Vaughn Creek, near Tillamook.

I was pleased to have Clark Johnson, High Iron's president and owner of the Caritas, on the trains that my wife and I ran last year, when they were scouting about for this trip. Sunday evening, Michelle and I had Clark and Pine Tree State owner Jim Fetchero over for dinner. We had a wonderful time, and greatly appreciated the company.

On Monday, the passengers spent the day enjoying the Oregon Coast's scenic and tourist attractions, then headed back to Banks on Tuesday. What was supposed to be a dreary, showery day turned out to be quite a treat as I chased the train back up to Salmonberry. We got off to a great start as the train crossed Smith Lake near Barview in one of the most stunning photos I think I've ever taken on the railroad.

After experimenting with some different shots that I'd been wanting to try, I was fortunate enough to book-end my day's shooting with another great shot near MP 817 as the train rolled towards Salmonberry.

Alas, it was all coming to an end. With evening commitments to attend to, I had to turn down an offer to narrate the return trip aboard the train, and I bade my farewells. The freight was beckoning, and I was called on an early morning train into Tillamook.

Though I certainly would love to have every weekend be this much fun, it was time for things to return to normal — for now. One thing is for certain: There's plenty more where that came from.

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