Photos from the 2004 Pend Oreille Hiawatha

Excursion Train

Newport, Washington

Sunday, May 23, 2004

On Sunday, May 23, 2004, The Pend Oreille Hiawatha excursion train covered the Pend Oreille Valley Railroad, the former Milwaukee Road Metaline Falls Branch out of Newport, Washington. This was one of the first public passenger trains to operate over this line since passenger service ended in the 1940s. The train boarded at Newport, Washington, at the former Great Northern depot, today the offices of Stimson Lumber Company. The afternoon train covered a 70-mile trip along the Pend Oreille River in northeast Washington to Metaline Falls and then back to Ione, with bus return to Newport. This trip covered some of the most scenic country in Washington. The Pend Oreille Valley Railroad operates the line for freight service and the passenger trains were operated by the North Pend Oreille Valley Lions Club to support their organization and to promote regional tourism. Additional information is available at www.povn.com/npovlions/. For additional photos about this trip, see www.trainweb.org/chris/rare2004.html (Chris Guenzler).

	Newport, Washington, featured several railway displays to entertain our passengers while waiting to board.
Our train used locomotive 1745, which features a speacial paint job to help promote the Hotstart product.
	Break time in Ione gives us a chance to get off the train to document our travel.
Box Canyon - one of the highlights of the trip - gives the passengers a view of the Pend Oreille River.
	Coach and open cars with plenty of elbow room - a tradition on our trips.

All photos this page by Sarah Jennings.