Columbia River Gorge Railroads (Images of Modern America)

Columbia River Gorge Railroads (Images of Modern America)

The Columbia River Gorge is a land of scenic wonder, revered by tourists for its beauty and by recreationalists for its fishing, windsurfing, hiking, and rafting. The region is also a major transportation corridor, home to two vital east-west railroad routes: Burlington Northern Santa Fe on the Washington side of the Columbia River and Union Pacific on the Oregon side. Every day, dozens of freight trains--as well as Amtrak passenger trains--snake along on opposite banks of the wide river, and rail operations have become an integral part of the heartbeat of the gorge. The colorful images in this work celebrate the art and magic of the trains that move goods and passengers through this striking, rugged landscape. "Doug Burkhardt, former associate editor of the Hillsboro Tribune, has written another book in Arcadia Publishing's Images of Modern America series. The title, "Columbia River Gorge Railroads," uses the pen name D.C. Jesse Burkhardt. The book's publication date was March 28. It visually displays changes in railroad infrastructure and operations and spotlights people living in the area. Its content stretches over several decades.... Using roughly 160 images -- mostly his own photos -- Burkhardt's newest book captures the gorge landscapes trains travel through every day in all kinds of weather." -- Hillsboro Tribune Photojournalist D.C. Jesse Burkhardt's roots in the Columbia River Gorge run deep. From 1994 until 2011, he served as editor of the Enterprise--the community newspaper in White Salmon, Washington, in the heart of the gorge--and his daughter was born at White Salmon's Skyline Hospital. Over the years, Burkhardt has lived in several gorge communities, including White Salmon, Northwestern Lake, and Snowden in Washington and The Dalles and Hood River in Oregon.