| BG&CM Railroad | |
|---|---|
| Reporting mark | BGCM |
| Locale | Idaho |
| Dates of operation | 2004– |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) (standard gauge) |
The BG&CM Railroad or Bountiful Grain and Craig Mountain Railroad (reporting mark 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 (107.0 km) long. As of 2005, only the 52 miles (84 km) between Spalding and Cottonwood were operated, with the 14.5 miles (23.3 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 Railroad and Burlington Northern and 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.
In 2009, BGCM's owner attempts to purchase a portion of the Arizona and California Railroad, running 49.4 miles (79.5 km) between Rice, California and Ripley, California through Blythe, California from RailAmerica, but failed to get an offer of financial assistance.[1] The line is subjected to be an interim rail trail
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Great Northwest Railroad (GRNW) at Spalding, Idaho. GRNW is a WATCO company, which owns 17 shortline railroads nationwide.
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)
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