, TEN The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Ore., Thursday. July 7. WI7
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By Tom Franks
Where is Hinkle? Ask more than a few people and you will
find vague directions to this massive freight car
classification yard which, aside from highways, is the main
transportation link between Heppner and the outside world.
Hinkle, for those who don't know, is located south of
Hermiston and north of Interstate 1-80 and is currently
undergoing an $18 million expansion program scheduled for
completion in January, 1978.
Traffic over the 82-mile Union Pacific run from Hinkle to
Heppner is generally confined to a Monday through Saturday
operation with the Saturday run depending on operations at
the Kinzua Corp. mill in Heppner. Kinzua, with its lumber
products, is by far the major customer on the branch line,
followed by Morrow County Grain Growers of Lexington with
shipments of grain and receipts of farm equipment.
Those who don't know the whereabouts of Hinkle can be
forgiven. The yard was opened in 1951, a scant 26 years ago.
With current developments underway, the yard has taken on
more of the flavor of a terminal with a control tower and a
rather massive "hotel" where train crews lodge overnight.
One of the daily movements from Hinkle is the Hinkle
Lumber Train (sometimes three-a-day), which goes direct to
the UP's big North Platte Yard in Nebraska with various
forest product cars collected from Oregon and Washington
shippers.
Compared to a metropolitan airport, the Hinkle Yard and
the branch to Heppner give a first impression of being
seldom used. But Hinkle, with all its tracks, control tower
and other facilities, brings to mind some military
installations where the level of business activity belies what
the eyes can take in.
Behind the new 38-track yard is a capacity for 1,187 cars on
32 classification tracks. There are also four receiving tracks
and seven departure tracks. Planned grading is designed to
double this new capacity in the future.
Two digital computer systems to control switching and to
automate clerical functions will be installed. Each computer
will have a backup system.
Already in existence is one of the most extensive private
communications systems in America for the direct routing of
information on customer shipments.
For the crews that feed Morrow County business into the
yard, both Heppner and Hinkle are homes away from home
during the week. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays,
Hinkle is the home base, with departure scheduled for 7 a.m.
Heppner is generally an overnight stop for crew members on
Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, depending on the
lumber mill schedule.
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Making the run
On something less than a busy day, the trip from Hinkle to
Heppner will take about four hours, as was the case during
our Friday trip a few weeks ago.
There are two legs in the journey. The first is 37 miles along
the Columbia River, past the Castle turnoff, the new Pacific
Gas and Electric power plant spur, and Boardman. At the
Heppner turnoff, a number of cars were added to the train
before entering the "closed" track which would take us south
to Cecil, lone, Lexington and Heppner.
Moving to the Heppner Junction, the "staff" is delivered to
the train engineer. This small metal bar stamped with the
word "Heppner" is kept in a locked box near the switching
point. Without the "staff" in possession, no train can enter
the Heppner Branch. The system serves as a key to the
Heppner line which opens the track to only one train at a
time. -'
Our journey to Heppner started from Hinkle shortly after 8
a.m. Boarding the caboose with Union Pacific Trainmaster
G.R. Marshall, Hinkle, and Conductor Earl N. Martinson,
The Dalles, we viewed agricultural developments along the
first 37-mile leg of our. journey.
Prior to leaving Hinkle, we were able to check out the 6900
diesel which holds the distinction of being the world's most
powerful diesel generating 6,600 horsepower. UP has built
50 of the units since 1969.
Marshall spoke of the possibility of developing a double
main line from Hinkle to Boardman during the next few
years. Our train pulled off the main line near Boardman to
allow one of the "crack" high speed specials to pass in its
rapid journey from Portland to points east of the Continental
Divide.
After entering the Heppner Branch, our train, with
engineer Red Slatt of Portland, maintained an even 50-miles-per-hour.
Marshall clocked the speed and at the Junction we
moved up to the hog for the 45-mile leg of our journey.
During this time, we had a chance to watch and talk with
other members of the crew, including brakeman Ron H.
Pfannes, Hermiston, and head brakeman Less A. Workinger.
Among Workinger's other jobs was the delivery of a daily
paper to a section crew on the line.
Explosive signals placed on the track slowed our progress
to 20 miles-per-hour as we passed the work site of the section
crew.
Among the more pleasant parts of the daily journey are the
chances to wave at occupants of nearby farm homes, catch
an occasional view of deer and obtain a different outlook on
the countryside visible from the track.
During the trip, one car was dropped off at the elevator in
lone and three were delivered in Lexington. Conversation
shifted as we passed the Mary Lindsay home in lone. The cab
driver killed near Pendleton was the son of a UP engineer.
We arrived at Kinzua in time for lunch, but the work for the
crew had just begun. Their task was to put together an
outbound shipment of lumber and return to Hinkle.
The crew will change from time to time, but the schedule
and the work remain the same and is expected to increase in
coming years. Last year the UP did approximately $3 million
plus over the Heppner Branch. Things may look quiet, but
business is good between Heppner and HinKie.
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Story
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Photos
by
Tom Franks
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