It's green near the river...

Another BNSF unit train with around 70 cars heading west...

A BNSF oil unit train on the Washington side with Oregon in the background...

Sometimes they are amazing to see...

About 70 hopper cars full of coal headed west at high speed...

Unit trains like this one are common-- they might be coal, oil, cars, wheat, or containers.

They always smile for her...

Three locomotives in front and three in the back taking a train load of specialized train cars that carry new autos and light trucks.

The BNSF yard and Amtrak station at Wishram, Washington, on the Columbia River...

The Oregon Trunk Railroad bridge was opened in 1912. It's owned by the BNSF. The bridge had to be raised and a lift section added in 1957 when the Dalles Dam raised the level of the river and covered the Celilo Falls-- a fishing and trading spot for Native Americans for many hundreds of years.

A BNSF grain train speeding through the night...

Three railroad names in one--- The Burlington, The Great Northern, and the Santa Fe--- BNSF. Their engines are that orange-red design that reminds us of the old Santa Fe colors. Their track is on the Washington side of the Columbia river as it goes through the gorge and beyond.  The the locomotives are mostly GE's, and the scenery on the Washington side is more exciting than on the Oregon side. The Union Pacific is on the Oregon side. UP engines are a shade of yellow and are generally EMD diesels.  Nearer to where we live, the main north-south route is in Western Washington and is used by both railroads--- usually more than 60 trains a day.  This train had two engines in front, and two pushing in the rear.

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One of the many tunnels on the BNSF line on the Washington side of the Columbia River east of the Cascade Mountain range...

Since I got many positive comments on my series of abandoned schoolhouses and other old buildings last year, I thought It might be fun to do a series of my railroad pictures this summer.  This is the first.

Happy in the sunshine!

Even though Mt. St. Helens erupted nearly 40 years ago the sight of the mud and ash flow way below in the Toutle Valley is still remarkable.

Tiny flowers, but beautiful in a big way...

Our favorite barn...

Snapdragon!!

An Oregon Junco dropped by to say hello...

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By any name at all, one of nature's masterworks!

Hi! You guys out for a walk?

We've lived here for almost 30 years and we've never seen deer quite as friendly.  Yesterday evening this one didn't seem to mind us both clicking away with our cameras, but he or she decided to head for the trees when a fire engine siren startled it.  

More foxglove!

This is pretty good, but perhaps just a little more seasoning...

Even near the end of its time the rose is beautiful...

A southbound jet as darkness falls...

Nature's beautiful colors!

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The only poppy for miles around...

A starling estate...

Every year a starling pair builds a nest and raises a family in the hollowed out part of the back side of a fence post-- just up the road from our house.  The nest is only about 4 feet above the ground, but they seem to like it.  The fence post is behind the mailboxes in my picture from last Monday.

Peonies-- is there any flower more beautiful? They're with us for such a short time...

Here's Mama--- Baby's snoozing in the bushes. All of this happened just a short distance away, Monday afternoon.

I'm coming Mama!

Pardon me, have you guys seen my mom anyplace?

Otherworldly...

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From Coldwater Ridge, across Johnston Ridge, Mt. St. Helens is playing peekaboo behind the clouds...