The Camas Prairie Railroad was formed in 1909, and was jointly owned and operated by the former Northern Pacific Railway (later Burlington Northern Santa Fe), and the former Oregon-Washington Railroad and Navigation Company (later Union Pacific). The two railroads were competitors throughout the Pacific Northwest, battling to capture railroad traffic in timber, minerals, and agricultural products. Camas Prairie Railroad was sold by co-owners UP and BNSF to North American RailNet of Bedford, Texas in April 1998 and it became Camas Prairie RailNet, Inc. After six years it was sold to Watco and became Great Northwest Railroad in March 2004. There were about of track in the transaction: from Riparia, Washington, east to Lewiston; from Lewiston east to Kooskia; and from Orofino northeast to near Jaype. The Orofino to Jaype segment was out of service.