Garfield ice jam renews move to pull rail trestle

An 800-foot section of track with a trestle at Garfield moved up on the the town agenda after ice backed against it last week and caused flooding.

Mayor Ray McCown said the trestle's footings are really the last obstruction along Silver Creek in Garfield. Last week's ice jam, which flooded a barn when Silver Creek went over its bank, again illustrated how the trestle can cause problems in high water.

McCown said the trestle is part of what was once the Inland Electric line which went through Garfield in its run along towns on the east side of the county. Ownership of the line, which became a spur, went from Great Northern to Burlington Northern and eventually to the state's PCC Rail System which serves the east side of the county.

McCown said the spur, which at one time served the McGregor Co. branch in Garfield, has been out of use for approximately 25 years.

McCown said he has discussed removal of the line with Port Commissioner John Love, also of Garfield, and with Bob Westby, manager of the Palouse-Coulee City (PCC) Rail System for the State's Department of Transportation.

“That little trestle caused all the (flooding) problems,” said the mayor.

The trestle is located a half block west of B Street.

McCown noted Silver Creek downstream from the trestle was dredged in the 1990s.

“It's really the last big obstacle in the city limits,” McCown said.

At the Port Commission session Feb. 16, Love noted that he was approached by McCown about removing the bridge.

Joe Poiré, executive director for the Port, told the Port board he has been unsuccessful in his attempts to contact Westby.

The Port discussed whether the spur line and trestle are really part of the PCC rail line.

Commissioner Tom Kammerzell noted if the rail spur turns out to be part of the PCC system it would be outside of the Port's jurisdiction.