Milwaukee Road "Little Joes" and boxcabs at the engine terminal in Avery, Idaho; September, 1970. The small town was located at the western end of the railroad's eastern segment of its Pacific Extension electrification. There was a small yard and maintenance facility located here, as well as substation #14. After the line was abandoned, the Potlatch Corporation, a wood products company, found some of the Milwaukee's lines in northern Idaho useful for its timber and logging operations. In all, it purchased the main line between Plummer Junction and Avery, 64 miles, as well as most of the Elk River Branch between St. Maries and Bovill, 52 miles. It chartered the St. Maries River Railroad which began operations on May 23, 1980, moving raw logs from Avery and Bovill, to the Regelus Mill near St. Maries. The U.S. Forest Service condemned the right-of-way between St. Maries and Avery in 1986, 45 miles, to build what is today the St. Joe River Road Highway. Today, the Milwaukee Road's depot in Avery is preserved. american-rails.com/smta.html