One of the few times in my life where any living creature has found me more interesting than a passing freight train.

Winding Road: Washington & Idaho's "Highball" heads south near Spangle, Washington on an early spring day in April, 2011. Leading the train is a GP16, GP30 and FP9.

Out in the wide open, the '16 and her train get up to the 25mph track speed. In the background, Upper Columbia Academy houses 9-12 grade students.

Pushing hard on the throttle south out of Spangle, the '16 startles a few ponies.

Having just picked up GP16 316, the Washington & Idaho "Highball," digs in and notches out at Spangle, Wash. on the afternoon of April 8, 2011.

The Palouse: The grips of a long winter are finally loosening on the Palouse of eastern Washington and blue skies and green grass are a welcome sight on this spring day in April 2011. In c... (more)

Leaving the yard. Sprawled out behind the slowly advancing BNSF grainer, the 20 bumbles around the yard with two tankers in tow, fresh from down the line. The small, weedy yard is perfect f... (more)

Heading into the sunset.

Washington State University! Pausing at UP Junction, James the engineer waits for the go ahead signal from his conductor, who is securing the Kamiaken Street crossing. Having started school... (more)

Matt Farnsworth takes a training ride on the whenever-it-feels-like-it Highball on the W&I. On the chase, the roles seem a lit... (more)

The president of his domain. Rolling out of Palouse Yard, Stan eyes his load of dried peas, waiting for it to pass the derail before resetting the safety device. The boxcar of Palouse peas will he... (more)

The hand of an artist.

Back on the Palouse, with no light rail or streetcars for me to photograph, I guess it's time to head out from under the wire back into diesel country *sigh*. Working around Marshall means two dif... (more)

Jer rocks 17,600 horses into Run-8 to get comfortable with his new power and for a little bit of fun. Traveling light, they can rapidly accelerate. Through the window, a fraction of the available ... (more)

With a big grin on his face, Stan finishes today's 2-hour, 2-car run from Palouse, WA to Princeton Lumber. He eases the '16 at a snails pace back out onto the main line and from there, will tie th... (more)