Bountiful Grain and Craig Mountain Railroad

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Bountiful Grain and Craig Mountain Railroad
Reporting marks	BGCM
Locale	Idaho
Dates of operation	2004–present
Track gauge	4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) (standard gauge)

The Bountiful Grain and Craig Mountain Railroad (AAR reporting marks BGCM) is a Class III shortline railroad operating between Spalding and Cottonwood, Idaho, along the former route of the Camas Prairie Railroad. Spalding is located about 10 miles (16 km) east of Lewiston along Idaho's western border with Washington. BGCM connects with Great Northwest Railroad at Spalding. At this writing, BGCM also operates the portion of the former Camas Prairie Railroad which runs from Spalding to Orofino, then to Kooskia along the river grade of the Clearwater River.

BGCM's route consists of the former Camas Prairie Railroad's Grangeville Branch, which is 66.5 miles (107 km) long. As of 2005, only the 52 miles (84 km) between Spalding and Cottonwood were operated, with the 14.5 miles (23 km) of tracks between Cottonwood and Grangeville having been removed in about 2003.

In 2005, Watco Companies, owner of the BGCM's Spalding connection Great Northwest Railroad (GRNW), leased to BGCM the entire 75 miles (121 km) long GRNW route east of Lewiston of mainline track, including the railroad from Orofino to Konkolville).

The BGCM route had been acquired from Camas Prairie RailNet in December 2002, which itself had acquired the entire Camas Prairie line from the line's previous owners, Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway. Camas Prairie RailNet had officially abandoned the Grangeville Branch in September 2000.

The Camas Prairie Railroad was formed in 1909, and was jointly owned and operated by the former Northern Pacific Railway (later Burlington Northern Santa Fe), and the former Oregon-Washington Railroad and Navigation Company (later Union Pacific). The two railroads were competitors throughout the Pacific Northwest, competing to capture railroad traffic, such as timber, minerals and agricultural products. Camas Prairie Railroad was sold by UP and BNSF to Camas Prairie RailNet in April 1998. Camas Prairie Railnet (owned by North American RailNet of Bedford, Texas) was sold to Watco's Great Northwest Railroad in March 2004. There were about 177 miles (285 km) of track in the transaction: 72 miles (116 km) from Riparia, Washington, east to Lewiston, Idaho; 74 miles (119 km) from Lewiston east to Kooskia; and 31 miles (50 km) from Orofino northeast to near Jaype, both in Idaho. The Orofino to Jaype segment was out of service.

BGCM is owned by Railroad Materials Salvage of Richmond, Missouri.

[edit] Connection

Great Northwest Railroad (GRNW) at Spalding, Idaho. GRNW is a WATCO company, which owns 17 shortline railroads nationwide.

[edit] Motive Power

BGCM operates an ex-ATSF GP30, numbered as BGCM 2404. (EMD 27191, 7622-5, April 1962; ex-BNSF 2404; ex-ATSF 2704:2; ex-ATSF 3204; nee-ATSF 1204)

[edit] External links

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Historic (fallen flag)	CKRY, DAKR, DTRR, ESHR, NFD, PSR, TIRL, TXTC, WICT