Western Rail Switching

Western Rail Switching was a switching and terminal railroad, operating a line west of Spokane, Washington.

Ownership

It was owned by Western Rail, Inc., a leasing company.
In 2004, Spokane County bought the Burlington Northern and [Santa Fe Railway]'s Geiger Spur, and designated WRS to operate it, beginning in October.
Following the takeover of the nearby Palouse River and [Coulee City Railroad] by the Eastern [Washington Gateway Railroad], the Washington Department of Transportation financed a newly constructed connection to the new short line operator.

Opening

This realignment was opened on January 2, 2009, bypassing Fairchild [Air Force Base], through which the spur had run.
The west end of the spur is now at the Eastern Washington Gateway Railroad, near Medical Lake.

Operator

Not long after beginning operations, EWG filed with the Surface [Transportation Board] to replace WRS as operator, and now runs the Geiger Spur an exclusive operator.

Cargo Traffic

Traffic carried on the Geiger Spur consists primarily of inbound steel loads.