A BNSF manifest of mixed freight coming up from Pasco Washington with a couple of fairly new GE locomotives, and one relatively old General Motors SD40-2 (obscured by trees) gains momentum to climb the short but steep hill at Empire to reach Sunset Junction, Spokane Washington as it rumbles across the Hangman Creek and the South Inland Empire Way bridge just outside the picture to the right. The former Northern Pacific mainline almost exclusively handles eastbound trains while the old Spokane, Portland, and Seattle “hi-line” handles the westbound traffic to Lakeside just past Marshall Washington. Too small to be seen in this view are a pair of bald eagles and a beaver who have made this pleasant, pristine section of Hangman Creek their home. ▪ Location: 3007 South Oak Street, Spokane, WA 99224 USA, GPS: 47.627037,-117.439285, Date: 19.05.16
