Bridge Piers in Spokane Valley, WA

[RS-1]

A question for those of you who know a thing or two about the Spokane area. What is the origin of the pair of bridge piers just north of BNSF's Spokane River Bridge?
View attachment 111500View attachment 111501

 

[bcp]

This might help. It looks like two NP lines from Spokane to Orchards.

Bruce

 

[Jackrabbit]

What threw me initially is that your first picture is oriented facing south and the second is facing north. Once I got my bering, I think I can unravel it for you. If you follow the old unused track that curves northward and served the businesses north of E. Trent Ave. and west of the river you will find it loops back (or did) to the U.P. (ex- Spokane Intl.) Yes those tracks were UP's that eventually interchanged with the N.P. I you follow the mystery bridge line you will find it runs right into this interchange track, and if you follow it east you will find it leads to this industrial area near N. Flora Rd. and eventually back to UP (ex-Spokane Int.) tracks.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...002,-117.17877&spn=0.004983,0.013894&t=h&z=17

My guess would be that the bridge carried an interchange track by which Spokane Int. delivered cars it was handing off to the NP for the trip east or west. If you look just east of the bridge you see evidence of a spur ducking under the NP main and serving an old business area.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...98,-117.222029&spn=0.004983,0.013894&t=h&z=17

Spokane Intl. made it's living switching the local businesses and then sending the merchandise off to the requisite big RR for delivery.

Thanks for the mystery.

 

[Bruce Butler]

What is the origin of the pair of bridge piers just north of BNSF's Spokane River Bridge?
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The NP double track mainline used to go east to Sullivan road. It was truncated back to Pines Rd, station "Irvin" in the mid 1930s when the Z-6 challengers arrived as the bridge on the "north main" couldn't handle their weight.

 

[RS-1]

Many thanks for the help! While I'm at it, I noticed a parallel set of ties to the east of the rails that are still in place on the former Ideal Cement spur. They travel a short distance right along the embankment above the centennial trail. Any thoughts?
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[funnelfan]

There used to be three different spurs into Idea Cement, NP, GN and UP. The UP and GN spurs followed the Spokane River from the area of the Millwood Paper Mill to Cement plant. The UP was down by the River while GN was on top the Bluff. The ties are probably the far end of the UP or GN line. Also keep in mind that GN's Couer d'Alene branch paralleled the UP from Napa St Jct to the Spokane Valley Mall at one time.

 

[RS-1]

Thanks again! I really appreciate the information. I attached a photo of the right-of-way in question.
View attachment 111549