Happy New Year 2009 from WARail!

Photo courtesy of Thomas J. Nanos

Well, we've sent another year packing. A tumultuous, mind-boggling, roller coaster of a year. I'm sure by some measure we've all seen impact from this 365-day test of will. 2008 is a year for the books, and definitely one for history. My hope for all WARail readers in 2009 is for safety - both physical and financial - and for endless railfanning opportunities!

Special thanks to Thomas J. Nanos for this photo of Providence and Worcester 2009, to help us break in the New Year! Sure, the P&W runs thousands of miles away from the Evergreen State, but Tom's shot of engine number 2009 is just so darn cool (I love night photography...still working on perfecting mine). P&W also likes the fact that this engine is numbered 2009, and they love Tom's photo as well; it's being used as their January shot for their company calender. Congrats Tom!

Check out Tom's blog HERE, and more of his Rail photos HERE.

BNSF Sells Line to Port of Vancouver

View Port of Vancouver Map

The Port of Vancouver is enticing new business, and BNSF is going to help them with a sweet deal that was signed earlier this month. The Port will be adding multiple acres and several miles of track, thanks to a right-of-way sale and a big donation from BNSF to complete a slated program by 2017.

Details on the sale in this link.

South Norfolk Street - Then and Now

Photo Courtesy of Robert McDonald

Robert McDonald took this photo along Airport Way, of a passing NP F3 sometime in June 1961. The hill in the background is telltale for me, and Robert confirmed that it was taken near the intersection of S. Norfolk Street at the south end of Boeing Field. Robert states, "Milwaukee's Van Asselt (yard) was in the background...NP 6500A with two unrecorded F7's; F3 built 1947, sn 3773, traded to GE in April 1964. Southbound "Vista Dome North Coast Limited," with "Sue the Stewardess-Nurse" on board!"

Flash forward 47 years for my photo, taken February 2008. This part of the mainline has expanded dramatically since Robert's photo was taken, and often these big chugging engines are stashed here, even visitors from the East from time to time. This is also the area where David and I got to climb aboard BNSF 5490. Even the mountain photo at the top of this blog was taken near that spot.

It's an unassuming line of track where tremendous variety can be seen throughout the year!