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The BNSF Funnel Sandpoint, ID to Spokane, WA Kootenai River and Spokane Subdivisions
The BNSF Funnel really starts at Sandpoint Jct. in Sandpoint, ID, and continues for about 70 miles to the west end of Spokane, WA, at Latah Jct. It is called the "Funnel" because any cargo east/west between the ports of the Northwest and the ports of the east must travel on through the Funnel. It is also the channel for a lot of other cargo heading to cities or industries in the Northwest. The Funnel is made up of a wide variety of scenery from Sandpoint's green forests to Spokane Valley's fields and towns. This line follows the old Northern Pacific Railroad grade. After the merger that formed the Burlington Northern, BN consolidated its lines in the area, and the Funnel was formed. With the coming of BNSF, many track improvements happened including double tracking most of the route from Sandpoint to Spokane. There are four sections that are not two tracks, the bridge over Lake Pend Oreille, a small two mile section along the shores of Lake Cocolalla, an eleven mile section between Athol and Rathdrum (with Ramsey siding in the middle), and the bridge over the Spokane River. The Union Pacific has trackage rights on about 4 miles of track in downtown Spokane between Latah Jct. and UP Connection (the UP trackage rights extend west past Latah Jct. to UP jct. about 10 miles southwest of town). Yardley (BNSF's yard in Spokane) has several trains which originate/terminate at the yard every day. Also there are a number of locals or "Turns" (as they are called here) that serve surrounding customers. In all, the Funnel may see as many as 70 train movements in a 24 hour period (counting UP trains). But do not be surprised if there are only 40 because this number can fluctuate a lot. The trains cover a wide variety of cargo. There are a few stack trains and multiple manifest trains, and while grain is moving there can be a lot of hopper trains. Eight daily Z trains operate over the Funnel between Chicago and South Seattle or Chicago and Portland. Coal trains are becoming increasingly more common as the Powder Plant in Centralia, WA, is accepting up five loaded coal trains a week. Power can be pretty much anything in BNSF's fleet as well as many foreign and lease locomotives. NS and CSX seem to be the most with an occasional UP or CN thrown in. EMDs are common on coal trains, and recently there have been quite a few NREX, FURX, and MRL units. New to the Funnel in the fall of 2004 is the Hauser refueling facility. For more information on this facility look under the pages below. I have split the funnel up into six sections with photos, maps, and text in each section. Also I have a track schematic of Yardley. I hope you enjoy, and go to the BNSF Funnel! WARNING: This information does not give you any right at all to trespass on Railroad or Private property. Trespassing is breaking the law, and people do so only at their own risk!! If you would like to take pictures from someone else's land then go up to the house and ask permission. Sometimes after you explain what you want, they will not mind as long as you do not spend all day walking all over their property. Walking the railroad tracks is not only trespassing, but it is also very dangerous! Also when you are photographing trains, stay a respectful distance away from the tracks. The railroad not only owns the ground underneath the tracks, but usually they own the ground on either side of the tracks for up to 20 or 30 feet.
Kootenai River and Spokane Subdivision Timetables
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