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Spokane International Railroad

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Spokane International Railroad
Spokane International Railway, and Oregon Railroad and Navigation Co station, Spokane, Washington, 1910
Overview
HeadquartersSpokane, Washington
Reporting markSI, SIRY, SIRR
LocaleWashington,Idaho,British Columbia
Dates of operation1887–1958
SuccessorUnion Pacific Railroad
Technical
Track gauge4 ft8+1⁄2in(1,435 mm)
Length190 miles (310 km)

TheSpokane International Railroad(reporting markSI) was ashort line railroadbetweenSpokane, Washington,and theCanadian Pacific Railway(CP) atKingsgate, British Columbia.The line became an important one for the CP with its connections to theUnion Pacific RailroadandPortland, Oregon.

The line, originally named theSpokane International Railway,was built by local businessman and railroaderDaniel Chase Corbinfollowing an agreement between him and the CP, with CP agreeing to fund much of the line's construction and to secure the loan by holding the new line's bonds.

Especially significant was that the CP controlled theMinneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad(Soo Line) and its connections toMinneapolis,Minnesota,Saint Paul, Minnesota,andChicago,Illinois. Completion of the Spokane International now meant that the CP could compete with theNorthern Pacific RailwayandGreat Northern Railwaylines for transportation between the Midwest and thePuget Soundarea (in conjunction with the Union Pacific Railroad subsidiaryOregon-Washington Railroad and Navigation Companywest of Spokane). Express passenger service was soon introduced on the line via theSoo-Spokane Train De Luxe.

TwoOhio Match Companylocomotives were sold to theU.S. Navyin 1940 to construct a spur off the Spokane International in order to construct theFarragut Naval BaseinFarragut, Idaho,and were scrapped by theU.S. Navyin 1944 for war materials.[1]

Share of the Spokane International Railway Company, issued 24 december 1906

The SI was reorganized October 1, 1941, following financial difficulties and receivership during theGreat Depression.The line was renamed the Spokane International Railroad as part of the restructuring agreement until the 1950s.

On October 6, 1958, the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) took control of Spokane International Railroad.[2]In 1962 UP leased SI's 11ALCO RS-1locomotives for operation. The locomotives were later repainted to UP's yellow and gray paint scheme, but retained their SI lettering. Also in 1962, UP sold four of its older steelcaboosesto SI. These were also painted in UP's yellow scheme, but received SI lettering and numbers. After UP's 1958 control of SI, Union Pacific continued to lease SI for operation. On December 31, 1987, Union Pacific formally merged SI into its corporate structure.

At the end of 1960 SI operated 150 miles (240 km) of road on 190 miles (310 km) of track; that year it reported 141 million net ton-miles of revenue freight and zero passengers.

The line remains in operation as the Union Pacific'sSpokane Subdivision,an important connection between southern British Columbia and the northwest United States.[3][4]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^"Logging Railroads of the Pacific Northwest".www.facebook.com.Retrieved2022-05-01.
  2. ^Lennon, J.Establishing Trails on Rights-of-Way.Washington, D.C.:United States Department of the Interior.p. 48.
  3. ^"Statewide Rail Capacity and System Needs Study"(PDF).Cambridge Systematics, Inc., HDR, Inc. Washington State Transportation Commission. May 2006. p. 21.Retrieved3 August2021.
  4. ^Kelly, Bruce E. (19 March 2021)."Will CP Enter the U.S. Northwest?".Railway Age.Retrieved3 August2021.This hypothetical transaction would involve UP's 138-mile Spokane Subdivision from the U.S./Canada border station of Eastport, Idaho, to a connection with BNSF Railway just south of UP's SI Yard in Spokane, Wash....

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