I don't know if it has been mentioned yet on this forum or not. An era in railroading history came to an end last year. The last true log train in the US finally stop its log hauling operation. St Maries River Railroad (STMA) in St Maries Idaho has stopped hauling logs. STMA formed in 1980 when Milwaukee
pulled up stakes. STMA bought the trackage from St Maries to Plummer Idaho. It also bought the 71 miles of trackage from St Maries to Bovill known as the Elk River Branch. Since 1980 STMA hauled logs from Clarkia, ID to St. Maries. Owned by Potlatch Timber Co., STMA made regular log runs between the two cities to deliever logs to the Potlatch mill. This was done via 3 GP9's (low hood) always running in tandem and around 50 loaded log cars. These log cars (almost 500 of them) were all custom made or this operation. Once in St. Maries logs cars were manuevered around with on of two SW1200 switchers. The Geeps would then haul finished products to Plummer for transfer to UP. At one time they also hauled raw garnets from The Emerald Cr. Garnet company near Fernwood Id. Another mill in St Maries is also served by STMA. For a short time Potlatch also hauled logs from Avery Id. to St maries, but I believe this was a seperate railroad and did't last long after its aquisition from milwaukee.
Today the log cars are gone (all but two were scrapped) and the elk river branch remains covered in snow. STMA was sold and the new owner has no plans for using the branch line in the future. It still hauls wood products to it UP connection and there is talk of setting up a locomotive and rolling stock repair facility at the current staion in St Maries. Rumor has it that UP wants to abandon service from Plummer to Spokane WA. and instead leasing the track to STMA which may open oppertunities for STMA.
It's an end of an era. My layout once built will be a representaion of history as it will be modeled after the Elk River Branch. It was not my intention to model history when I began but it will serve to represent the last log train in America
pulled up stakes. STMA bought the trackage from St Maries to Plummer Idaho. It also bought the 71 miles of trackage from St Maries to Bovill known as the Elk River Branch. Since 1980 STMA hauled logs from Clarkia, ID to St. Maries. Owned by Potlatch Timber Co., STMA made regular log runs between the two cities to deliever logs to the Potlatch mill. This was done via 3 GP9's (low hood) always running in tandem and around 50 loaded log cars. These log cars (almost 500 of them) were all custom made or this operation. Once in St. Maries logs cars were manuevered around with on of two SW1200 switchers. The Geeps would then haul finished products to Plummer for transfer to UP. At one time they also hauled raw garnets from The Emerald Cr. Garnet company near Fernwood Id. Another mill in St Maries is also served by STMA. For a short time Potlatch also hauled logs from Avery Id. to St maries, but I believe this was a seperate railroad and did't last long after its aquisition from milwaukee.
Today the log cars are gone (all but two were scrapped) and the elk river branch remains covered in snow. STMA was sold and the new owner has no plans for using the branch line in the future. It still hauls wood products to it UP connection and there is talk of setting up a locomotive and rolling stock repair facility at the current staion in St Maries. Rumor has it that UP wants to abandon service from Plummer to Spokane WA. and instead leasing the track to STMA which may open oppertunities for STMA.
It's an end of an era. My layout once built will be a representaion of history as it will be modeled after the Elk River Branch. It was not my intention to model history when I began but it will serve to represent the last log train in America
