Ex-Northern Pacific White Swan Branch Line bad news

[mudchicken]

Is there suddenly business coming off the Indian Nation's reservation? The line was starving in the late 1990's. Loading hops out of there?

What happens to the Toppenish depot where all TS&W's toys are?

[Anonymous]

Very bad news for the Northern Pacific Railway Museum and the Toppenish, Simcoe & Western Railroad. On Tuesday the Yakima County Commissioners voted to award the operating agreement on the White Swan Branch Line to the Columbia Basin Railroad. The Columbia Basin RR is owned by the Temple family that put it up for abandonment in 1992. The county engineer and the staff that are intimately aware of the success of the TSWR recommended that the TSWR be awarded the contract, but 2 of 3 commissioners voted to give it back to the Temple family. Thiis comes after the BNSF named the TSWR the shortline of the year for this region. More details to follow when the anger has settled a little.
Doug Shearer
http://www.nprymuseum.org/TSWR.htm