I was out for Thanksgiving Break and so I decided to take the opportunity to try out my new Canon 20D.  I left around noon heading for the BNSF funnel even though it was cloudy with a report of no sun.  Arriving in Spokane, I found an eastbound hopper train leaving Yardley.  Chasing it down to Otis Orchards I got a picture (BNSF 4433, 5134).  Waiting at the end of the doubletrack for the hopper train I found a westbound stack train and so stopped for a few pictures (BNSF 4800, NS 6131).  After that I headed out to Hauser to see if there was any action out there.  There were quite a few trains stopped in the yard but most of them were buried behind other cars.  I could see a westbound hopper train with 2 engines on the front and back (BNSF 5127, 4875, 4513, UP 5029).  Stopped just ahead of that train was a westbound Boeing special with BNSF 780 and 7 cars including two boeing fuselages.  Another interesting thing I found was an SD40-2 (BNSF 6821) with the new BNSF logo on the nose and sides.  I couldn't get close enough to get a good look or any pictures though.  Just about then a westbound stack and auto train pulled out of the yard with 55 cars (BN 8073(patched), FURX 7928).  Over the radio I had heard that a westbound at Ramsey had broken a knuckle and was blocking the mainline with a train coming up behind him.  Then the detector in Otis Orchards went off for an eastbound.

     I stayed around for the eastbound which turned out to be a stack train with a nice SD60M leading (BN 9262(patched), BNSF 131).  Next I headed out to catch the action at Ramsey.  Unfortunately by the time I got there the westbound with the broken knuckle had gotten things fixed and I had missed it between Rathdrum and Ramsey.  But on the main a westbound M-LAUPAS was creeping up to the signal (BNSF 5470, BN 7807).  After 10 minutes or so I found out that the eastbound hopper train I had seen earlier was the cause of the delay as it rolled around the corner and into the siding.  As soon as it cleared the westbound got its light and headed out.  I drove down to the east end of the siding and found a westbound coal train stopped on the main that had been waiting behind the manifest.  It was a C-BKMSPB train with a real mix for power (BNSF 9495, 8275, EMD 9017, SP 6274(patched)).  After taking my pictures as the train cleared into the east switch I headed up to Athol, ID.   I got there just a couple minutes ahead of the eastbound hopper train and took a few more shots.  After that it was after 3pm and starting to get dark so I headed home.  I really like the 20D and I can't wait to take some more photos when the weather is a little more cooperative.