An Eastern Washington Gateway "Scooter" train climbs a crest in the undulating wheat fields at Hanson Station, WA a few miles west of Almira. The train originated at Coulee City, WA with 15 grain loads and is working its way back to the new Hi-line Grain facility west of Cheney, WA where the cars picked up along the way will empty their loads for transfer to a BNSF grain shuttle. With one of their units down for repairs, they are leasing MRL 290, the last remaining SDP40 active. The unit was previously BN 6395 and started life 50 years ago in May 1966 as GN 321. The Coulee city line is part of the former NP Central Washington branch which once looped from Cheney, WA near Spokane through Coulee City and down to Connell, WA near Pasco. MRL 290 used to fly over this line on the GN main at Medical Lake and again at Adrian on the point of the Western Star and even the Empire Builder. It was one of only 6 SDP40s built for passenger service in the U. S. Mexico's NdeM also acquired some.
