Camas Prairie Railroad

Camas Prairie Railroad Company (reporting mark CSP) was a short line railroad in northern Idaho jointly owned and operated by Northern Pacific Railway and Union Pacific Railroad.[1][2] The Camas Prairie Railroad was known as the "railroad on stilts" due to the many wooden trestles along its route.

Camas Prairie Railroad Company
Overview
HeadquartersLewiston, Idaho
Reporting markCSP
LocaleLewiston, ID to Riparia, WA
Lewiston to Stites, ID
Spalding to Grangeville, ID
Orofino to Headquarters, ID
Dates of operation1909–1998
SuccessorCamas Prairie RailNet
(1998–2004)
Great Northwest Railroad
(2004– )
BG&CM Railroad
(2004– ) (2nd subdivision)
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Camas Prairie Railroad
Location in the western United States

Parts of the former railroad are now operated by the Great Northwest Railroad and the Bountiful Grain and Craig Mountain Railroad (BGCM).

History

The Nez Perce Indian Reservation was opened to white settlement in 1895.[3][4][5][6] By the turn of the 20th century, Edward H. Harriman and James J. Hill were engaged in a "railroad war" for control of rail routes through this area to reach the Pacific Northwest.[7][8] Despite their competing interests, the railroad barons co-operated to build the Camas Prairie Railroad.

The CSP was built to tap the rolling, fertile hills of the Camas Prairie and the timber of the forested hills and canyonlands of the Clearwater River.[9][10] Service to the south terminus of the second subdivision line at Grangeville commenced in December 1908,[7] and continued for 92 years.

The Camas Prairie Railroad was known as the "railroad on stilts" due to the many wooden trestles along its route. In one five-mile (8 km) stretch, there were more than a dozen trestles.

In addition to its wooden trestles, the railroad's second subdivision also had a sizable steel viaduct, 1,520 feet (460 m) in length with a maximum height of 280 feet (85 m).[11][12] Bridge 38 spans Lawyer's Canyon, between Craigmont and Ferdinand, and is visible from U.S. Route 95.

Demise

The railroad was sold to North American RailNet in April 1998, and it became the subsidiary Camas Prairie RailNet, Inc. (CSPR). After less than two years, CSPR notified the U.S. government in late 1999 that the second subdivision line to Grangeville could be subject to abandonment, citing lack of profitability.[13][14] It made its formal request in May,[15] and it was approved by the Surface Transportation Board in September 2000; the last run to Fenn and Grangeville was on November 29.[16][17] The tracks were to be removed shortly thereafter, but that was delayed as a new operator for the line was sought.

When BG&CM stepped in to operate the second subdivision line in December 2002, it was originally only to extend from Spalding to Craigmont,[18] but a few weeks later decided to continue south, across Lawyer's Canyon to Cottonwood, stopping the salvage crews from going further north.[19][20]

The tracks from Cottonwood to Grangeville were removed and salvaged in late 2002 and 2003. North American RailNet sold the remainder of the railroad to Watco Companies in March 2004,[21][22] which renamed it the Great Northwest Railroad.

Second subdivision

All locations in Idaho

Spalding
Grangeville
Locations in north central Idaho
  County  City / Stop  Mile  Elevation
feetm
Nez
Perce		Spalding0805 245
Lapwai3.3955 291
Sweetwater5.31,090 332
Culdesac12.11,645 501
LewisNucrag19.52,780 847
Reubens26.13,525 1,074
Craigmont34.43,740 1,140
IdahoFerdinand42.33,720 1,134
Cottonwood51.03,495 1,065
Fenn59.53,275 998
Grangeville66.83,395 1,035

Source:[15]

Passenger service

Passenger service on the main line along the Clearwater River to Stites and on the second subdivision to Grangeville was discontinued in August 1955.[23][24]

The 1975 film Breakheart Pass starring Charles Bronson was filmed on portions of the railroad, as were parts of 1999's Wild Wild West.

Video
  • You Tube – Camas Prairie Railroad cab ride trailer
  • You Tube – Tribute to the Camas Prairie's 2nd Sub

References
  1. "Camas Prairie Railroad was born to squabbling parents". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. September 30, 1990. p. 12-centennial.
  2. Campbell, Thomas W. (July 16, 1961). "Wedding of rails provided spunky offspring". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 5.
  3. Hamilton, Ladd (June 25, 1961). "Heads were popping up all over the place". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 14.
  4. Brammer, Rhonda (July 24, 1977). "Unruly mobs dashed to grab land when reservation opened". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 6E.
  5. "3,000 took part in "sneak" when Nez Perce Reservation was opened". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. November 19, 1931. p. 3.
  6. "Nez Perce Reservation". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. December 11, 1921. p. 5.
  7. Hanrahan, R.E. (May 1, 1936). "Camas Prairie Railroad unique operating setup". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 3.
  8. Campbell, Thomas J. (December 11, 1938). "Camas Prairie Railroad marks 30th anniversary". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 12.
  9. "Come over and see us". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. February 27, 1895. p. 6.
  10. "Camas Prairie Railroad, unique system owned by competitors, is major industry in Lewiston". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. May 20, 1939. p. 3-sec.5.
  11. "Camas Prairie Railroad - Bridge 38". United States Library of Congress. (photos). Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  12. "CSP - Lawyers Canyon Viaduct". Bridgehunter.com. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  13. Williams, Elaine (February 6, 2000). "Abandoning 66-mile stretch a step-by-step procedure". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1E.
  14. Williams, Elaine (August 21, 2000). "Severing ties". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1A.
  15. "Legal notices: Camas Prairie RailNet, Inc". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. May 2, 2000. p. 9B.
  16. "Camas Prairie dream out of steam". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Idaho-Washington. Associated Press. November 30, 2000. p. 2A.
  17. Walker, Jodi (December 31, 2000). "Some cracks in the foundation: Last train to Grangeville". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 3A.
  18. Walker, Jodi (December 18, 2002). "Camas Prairie line will run again". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1A.
  19. Walker, Jodi (January 9, 2003). "Cottonwood has a railroad, again". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1A.
  20. Williams, Elaine (March 23, 2003). "Spalding line survives, barely". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1E.
  21. Williams, Elaine (February 17, 2004). "Railroad changing hands". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1A.
  22. Williames, Elaine (March 4, 2004). "Railroad changes hands, trains keep on running". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 6A.
  23. "Camas Prairie trains stop". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. Associated Press. August 24, 1955. p. b3.
  24. "Camas Prairie Railroad 'Bugs' reach end of the line today". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. August 23, 1955. p. 12.

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