After making a trip to switching the PotlatchDeltic mill on the west side of town on October 7, 2019, St. Maries River Railroad SW1200 No. 501 now rests in front of the depot at St. Maries. A sign next to the depot states, “The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul Railroad built this depot in 1908. It created much controversy in that the townspeople expected a grander, more imposing station. They were promised a two story structure, built of native stone.” The Milwaukee pledged a lot of things to a lot of people, but in the end, largely disappeared like “dust in the wind” from the western landscape. Surprisingly, this little oasis of the Extension still survives, operating from St. Maries to a connection with Union Pacific at Plummer.
