The Port of Royal Slope acquired the Royal Slope Railroad in the fall of 2015 with the help of our legislators supporting a bill that was signed by Governor Inslee. We leased the railroad in February 2016, to Operator, Paul Didelius who has deemed it the WRL — Washington Royal Line. Paul has been contacting local businesses to see what their interest is in having rail service. Though this is a “start-up” situation, there have already been several trains bringing fertilizer in and shipping corn out!
Railroad 2009 Condition Assessment
Former Port Commissioner Frank Mianecki gives a thumbs up for the first locomotive to arrive in Royal in over 25 years. Frank worked many, many hours removing rock slides and debris to open up the line from Othello to Royal to rail traffic. He is greatly missed.
This 26 mile railroad runs south for about 6 miles from the Port’s Industrial Park and the Hiawatha Industrial Park to the base of Saddle Mountains then goes east approximately 20 miles to interchange in Othello with the Columbia Basin Railroad. The line then connects with the BNSF at Connell.
Rail in the Port of Royal Slope’s Industrial Park Rail in the Hiawatha Industrial Park</