Buses Won’T Be Needed For Train Excursion

Tue., June 29, 1999

By John Craig johnc@spokesman.com

A Newport-Sandpoint holiday tourist train this weekend won’t need buses after all for the section between Sandpoint and the Dover siding 3-1/2 miles outside the town.

The excursion train has been cleared to use the Burlington Northern & Santa Fe mainline track between the siding and the old Great Northern depot in Sandpoint.

Bob Geddes, spokesman for the sponsoring Newport-Priest River Rotary Club, said negotiations with BNSF resolved concerns about conflicts with freight trains on the short section of mainline track. The rest of the route is controlled by the Pend Oreille Valley Railroad, which will operate the excursion train for the Rotary Club.

Buses will still be available to shuttle passengers between the depot and the downtown shopping district, Geddes said, “but it will be much more convenient than having to switch at Dover.”

The trip will take about two hours and 45 minutes in each direction, and will cost $10 each way. There will be two round trips on Saturday and one on Sunday, all with stop-overs in Priest River.

The first train will depart Newport at 8 a.m. July 3, arriving in Sandpoint at 10:45 a.m. The return trip at noon will be the first departure from Sandpoint. A second train that day will leave Newport at 3:30 p.m., arriving in Sandpoint at 6:15 p.m. and departing Sandpoint at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday’s train will depart Newport at 10 a.m. It will arrive in Sandpoint at 12:45 p.m. and start the return trip at 2 p.m. The train won’t arrive back in Newport until 5:45 p.m. because of an extra-long stopover in Priest River for the “Priest River Main Street Art on the Greens Craft Fair.”

Newport and Sandpoint also will offer a variety of activities.

In Sandpoint, those include a carnival at City Beach, a Kiddie Parade on Saturday at 9 a.m., a Grand Parade at 10 a.m. Saturday, children’s games at 2 p.m. Sunday and a Variety Music Show from 1 to 8 p.m. Sunday.

In Newport and Oldtown, there will be boat races and free concerts both days. The U.S. Short Course National Competition Outboard boat races will take place on the Pend Oreille River from noon to 5 p.m. both days, and the Black Irish Band will play Irish, Italian and American music. The concerts will be at 1 and 6:30 p.m. Saturday and at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the Newport City Park.

There also will be fireworks shows at dusk in Priest River and Sandpoint.

For tickets or information, call the Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce at (800) 800-2106 or send e-mail to: susan@sandpoint.net.

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