Camas Prairie Railnet

Company History: In 1998, Burlington Northern and Union Pacific decided to sell their jointly owned Camas Prairie Railroad to an independent shortline group. North American RailNet took the deal and setup Camas Prairie RailNet to take control of the 272 mile line. The 3rd Sub ran from Ayer Junction, Washington east to Lewiston, Idaho with the 1st Sub then continuing on to Spaulding. The 2nd sub then left Spaulding headed southeast through breathtaking mountains to Cottonwood and Grangeville. The 1st Sub continued east from Spaulding to Orofino, then south to Kooskia and Stites. The 4th Sub left the 1st at Orofino heading northeast to Potlatch and Wayerhaeuser logging lines north of Deer Creek.

Before long, it became clear that the 2nd Sub did not have enough traffic to pay for the upkeep of the line and CSPR applied to abandon it. The last CSPR train from Grangeville ran in 2000 and they began to pull up the track from the south end. However, local interests asked CSPR to hold off on pulling up the line while they looked for a buyer. Bountiful Grain & Craig Mountain (part of the Watco shortline family) began operating the 2nd Sub that December as far south as Cottonwood.

Motive power for Camas Prairie Railnet consisted of a single SW1000 and seven B23-7s. In 2004, North American RailNet sold the line to Watco. They changed the name to Great Northwest Railroad, and transferred the lines east of Lewiston to the Bountiful Grain & Craig Mountain Railroad.

Successor/Parent History: The Watco shortline group is known for painting locomotives in special schemes for universities and even high schools along their lines. We own or operate over 5,500 miles of short line track in North America and Australia. Our vast network connects to all Class I railroads. You get the most efficient, cost-effective route for your shipment.

Using your locomotives or our own, Watco provides switching services at your manufacturing facility. Our experienced teams improve safety, reduce risks, and minimize costs.

Let Watco take care of your inactive railcars, so you can stay focused on your active fleet. Safely house empty or loaded railcars across our nationwide network of short line railroads and terminals.

Our proactive management, in-transit tracking, and real-time communication let you know where your cars are every minute of every day. And, our scheduled maintenance programs keep your rolling stock rolling.

Brief History: The U.S. is a country of 50 states covering a vast swath of North America, with Alaska in the northwest and Hawaii extending the nation’s presence into the Pacific Ocean. Major Atlantic Coast cities are New York, a global finance and culture center, and capital Washington, DC. Midwestern metropolis Chicago is known for influential architecture and on the west coast, Los Angeles' Hollywood is famed for filmmaking.