5/1/2019

Oregon Trunk [Burlington Northern Santa Fe]
Wishram, Washington
September 12, 1999




There's a lot to see in this view from the Washington State Route 14 overlook above Wishram, Washington on the north bank of the Columbia River. There are of course the Spokane, Portland and Seattle yards directly below (by now a sparse remnant of their former glory). The Union Pacific mainline runs along the far (south) bank of the Columbia, and Mount Hood overlooks the whole scene. But the centerpiece is the Oregon Trunk's Celilo vertical lift bridge across the river, providing a connection between the SP&S and the Trunk's line south along the Deschutes River Canyon to Bend and beyond. Despite appearances, the OT does not connect directly with the Union Pacific, but runs along a shelf above the UP before turning south, negotiating a tunnel in the cliffside along the way.




This page posted 5/1/2019. Text and photo ©2019 Lamont Downs.