A wildfire has cut the Weston freight rail link after destroying two bridges, warping track and forcing frozen-food shippers to reroute cargo through nearby loading points.

The Weston freight rail link is out after wildfire destroyed two bridges, forcing frozen-food cargo to nearby loading points.
Photo: Columbia Rail

Fire damage follows the March reopening

The Lower Dry Creek Fire⁠ erupted on July 15, burned 8,096 acres and destroyed six primary homes and 40 outbuildings before containment efforts stabilized the area. The Oregon State Fire Marshal⁠ mobilized structural-protection task forces and an incident management team as the fire threatened communities and critical infrastructure near Milton-Freewater and Weston.

Along the railway, the blaze destroyed two bridges, distorted steel rails and burned numerous wooden ties. The damage removed direct rail access from Weston to the wider network through Walla Walla and Wallula.

Columbia Rail manages the route through CWW LLC under a lease from Union Pacific. Its official network summary⁠ identifies the operation as the Columbia-Walla Walla Railway and says the Wallula–Walla Walla/Weston line has been leased from Union Pacific since 2019, with connections to both Union Pacific and BNSF.

The Weston section had returned to active freight service only in March after previous operations shifted to Milton-Freewater. Less than four months later, the wildfire has forced direct rail movements from Weston to stop again.

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Frozen-food freight moves to nearby terminals

Frozen food is currently the main cargo moving from Weston. To keep shipments moving, Columbia Rail is coordinating with local customers, including Lakeside Foods, and redirecting freight through loading facilities in Milton-Freewater and Walla Walla.

Repair financing is now a central uncertainty. Columbia Rail says public disaster assistance is largely unavailable for privately operated rail infrastructure, although it plans to approach state and local officials about possible support.

The operator is also pursuing an Oregon Department of Transportation grant for line upgrades, and ODOT has contacted the company to discuss the fire damage. No repair cost or reopening timetable has been provided. Any future expansion into grain traffic remains dependent on restoring the route and confirming it is safe to operate.

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