Fire-damaged Weston rail line set to reopen this month
By Dan Thesman on Thursday, October 15th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News Columbia Basin Top Stories
WESTON — Repairs on the Columbia Rail line damaged during the Lower Dry Creek Fire are progressing well, with direct rail freight service expected to resume by the end of this month.
The wildfire, which began July 15, burned 8,096 acres, destroyed six primary homes, and wiped out 40 outbuildings before firefighters contained it. For Columbia Rail, the blaze destroyed two bridges, warped steel tracks, and burned several hundred wood ties across four miles of line, cutting off direct shipping service to Weston.
Damaged timber trestle, before repairs, on 80500 block of Steen Road (Columbia Rail)
The bridge losses temporarily halted freight operations directly out of Weston, where frozen food serves as the primary cargo. To maintain regional supply chains, Columbia Rail coordinated with local shippers, including Lakeside Foods, to temporarily reroute freight through nearby loading facilities in Milton-Freewater and Walla Walla.
Reconstruction work on the line is nearing completion. Crews replaced one small timber bridge and replaced a larger timber trestle with a culvert and fill. That repair required roughly 4,000 cubic yards of material and replacing 90 feet of track. Workers are also installing steel replacement ties across the four-mile damaged section to guard against future fire damage.
“Columbia Rail has focused on repairing the damage as soon as possible with its internal resources but is keeping options open for obtaining external funding for its costs,” said Mark Entze, regional business development director for Columbia Rail.
Regular freight shipments, including those from Lakeside Foods in Weston, are projected to resume once the branch line reopens late this month.
Top: Larger timber trestle replaced with a culvert and fill (Photo by Dan Thesman)
