Merry Christmas from Washington Railblog

I hope you all have a safe and sane Holiday, whether it's with family or trackside. This is a great day to take stock in the things that life has given us all. Here's to a great 2010!

Cheers,

Kurt

Port of Seattle Completes Purchase of Woodinville Sub

Local News | Port of Seattle complete rail corridor purchase | Seattle Times Newspaper

It's finally done! Final purchase price: $81 million for 42 miles of track.

After six years of BNSF efforts to sell the line, it is now in public hands, specifically the Port, King County, Sound Transit, city of Redmond, Puget Sound Energy and Cascade Water Alliance. Some of the partners want the line's transportation benefits while others want to use the right of way for utilities or foot traffic. Reports have GNP Railway and Ballard Terminal Railroad serving the freight traffic that still exists on the north end of the line.

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Journal of Commerce article: http://www.joc.com/node/415418
Seattle Times article: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com...apwarailcorridor.html

Thanksgiving 2009

Sunrise on the train tracks, originally uploaded by Kathy~.

Today most of America will be hanging out with friends and family to eat, laugh, relax, eat, watch football, eat, and then eat. Even if this is not your agenda for Thanksgiving, keep the spirit of the day alive with a simple thought of something to be thankful for.

Enjoy the day, no matter what it brings!

Kurt

Eastern Washington Gateway - Biodiesel and Deer

From Eastern Washington Gateway 2009

In the Summer of 2008 I commented on an article about Eastern Washington Gateway testing biodiesel in one of their locomotives. Just last month I got an email from a 10 year old girl in New Mexico on the subject, asking if the test was successful. I was able to get in contact with Bruce Butler of the EWGR, who not only replied to the girl with some sweet photos but also brought us all up to date on their testing:

We are not using the biodiesel anymore as the plant where they made it has closed. To the best of my knowledge the biodiesel worked just fine in the one locomotive (8925, a EMD model SD45) that we used it in, but with the plant closing, we lost our source. I have attached a couple of pictures of the 8925. #313 shows the 8925 being fueled from a truck. You should know that these locomotives can move a lot of weight for the fuel that they use; they are much more fuel efficient than trucks.

We see a lot of deer along our railroad. For some reason, they run alongside of the train, rather than away from the tracks. I haven't hit any of them yet, but we have had some close calls. Picture #612 shows a young mule deer doing almost 30 mph alongside of the train.

We haul a lot of wheat. Picture 689 shows a loaded grain train near Hite WA. It is after harvest, so the grain fields in the picture have already been cut. Picture 589 shows the fields right at harvest time; the field on the left hasn't been harvested yet while the field on the right has already been cut. Picture 590 shows a combine at work harvesting wheat. All of these pictures were taken from the train. You get to see things that you never see anyplace else. We do have some scenic areas on our railroad; picture 105 shows a view from the Engineer's seat last winter.

Regards,
Bruce Butler

Check out Bruce's pictures from along the line. If you don't see the slideshow below, click HERE to view the photos in Picasa!




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Photo Link: http://picasaweb.google.com...
Blog: http://www.warail.com

Woodinville Sub Sale to Close Soon

Mark December 15th on your calendars, because after that time the BNSF Woodinville Subdivision will be under new ownership! Price: $107 million.

Since we are in tough financial times, a group of buyers joined forces to save this right-of-way from abandonment. And here's the best part: the new owners will include Port of Seattle, King County, Sound Transit, and the City of Redmond. The northern part is still being used for freight, and will be operated by the Port. An email from their spokesperson a few months ago indicated that they were still looking for a short-line carrier to manage the line; sadly, the Temple family - owners of Washington Central and the Dinner Train - chose not to bid at that time. Redmond is interested in the stretch between Woodinville and Redmond for trail and rail access. I've long considered this portion to be a sleeper of sorts, because it runs from the busiest part of Woodinville to the busiest part of Redmond. Also imagine this: an interurban ride between the two cities through the valley and surrounded by some of the finest views in East King County. Sweet!

King County is still interested in building into their extensive trail system, and considers this corridor a vital link to many of those trails already in use. With 100 feet of right-of-way in many spots along the Woodinville Sub, operating both rails and trails can be a reality. Will Sound Transit's Link Light Rail run on part of this route? Only time and planning will tell.

Ever since late 2005, when BNSF announced that the line was for sale, I've been watching this activity as closely as possible. I even started a simple one-page website called Save The Railroad to get the word out that a priceless opportunity was ahead. That one page put me in touch with several of our elected leaders and a fair share of community organizations who were all interested in seeing the line used for the good of all. It was a great lesson in activism. Redmond's current vision for their part of of purchase mirrors almost exactly the idea I had for it back in early 2006. Amazing!

Frankly I'm thrilled to see this sale happen for several reasons. Keeping rail on this route is far too important for addressing future transportation needs. Creating more trail opportunities also makes me happy, because they not only create safer routes for peds and bicycles, but also a place for rail fans to potentially see trains up close from the safety of a dedicated walkway.

Kudos to all the groups involved!
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Article Link: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010221495_raildeal07m.html
More Subject Reading: http://www.warail.com/search?q=woodinville+subdivision

BNSF 1030 Night Shot

BNSF 1030 Night Shot, originally uploaded by KDavidClark.

It's not very often that these three items cross paths: The Moon, BNSF 1030, and a passing Union Pacific unit train of hoppers. I took this photo with my $35 Olympus 4MP digital. Despite the age, and so-called 'smaller' megapixel size, it has the handy feature of Night Shot - allowing for the equivalent of a 4-second open shutter.

The conditions outside that night were almost completely dark (short of the moon and stair lighting on the locomotive) and the camera had very little to even grab for auto-focus. The resulting shot had a lot of digital noise that thankfully went away when I converted it to a filtered grey scale and used the Despeckle feature in Photoshop Elements 6.

The cropping is wide and skinny on purpose; it seemed to be the type of border that called out to me based on what was in the shot!

Mile-Long Union Pacific Dead Line

It started with about 15 engines a few months ago. Tired-looking veterans in a variety of conditions. Some were faded, some were burned, and others were tagged with spray paint. They represented models owned by the UP that we rarely see here in the Seattle area. Older boxey GEs, "Triclops" SD60Ms, Snoots (SD40s with long low noses), etc. The line, now two tracks wide, is literally a mile long. Why they are there, I can only guess. My thought, considering the overall condition of each one, is that this is a dead line. Given the economy and reduced rail traffic lately, it would make sense to trim the herd of engines that have become costly to repair.

Here are three examples of what is sitting there, and media from their earlier lives:

2279, 9115, and 2371 sitting together, Sept 27 2009

UP 9115 - GE C40-8 (Dash 8-40C) Built: 12/1987

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1029152

UP 2371 - EMD SD60M "Triclops" Built: 8/1989

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=987148

UP 2279 - EMD SD60M "Triclops" Built: 4/1989

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=155040

Seattle Archive Trolley Photo, 1929

Harbor Ave SW, 1929, originally uploaded by Seattle Municipal Archives.

History - especially Seattle history - really hooks me. What's amazing is that the region has been populated long enough now to have a diverse sense of what has gone on here for centuries. It's common to locate photos now that are well over 100 years old, with scenes that can be duplicated to some degree. Today's photo, sadly, would be a tough one for Now & Then.

This photo was taken looking toward West Seattle in 1929; the house near the middle of the photo is at 3039 SW Manning Street, which still stands. The tracks - for the most part - still exist on the right. To duplicate this photo today would be nearly impossible, as the area is covered in bridges and viaducts.

Thanks to Seattle Municipal Archives on Flickr for this great shot!

View Larger Map

Seconda Amtrak Cascades in Vancouver BC

Amtrak #513 Cascades Departing Vancouver, BC, originally uploaded by R R Horne.

While corresponding with my buddy Oil-Electric, he wrote that another railfan north of the border in BC caught an image showing one of the first runs of the second Amtrak Cascades train visiting Vancouver. That image, by RR Horne, captures the Cascades in early morning light on its way south.

Now our northern neighbors get two Cascades a day!

Video - BNSF & UP Meet in Vancouver WA

BNSF #4582 Meets UP #7772 in Vancouver, WA
by Tran77

Sit back for the next four minutes or so and check out the embedded video above. If you don't see it, click HERE to view directly in DailyMotion!

SR 519 Starts to Span SODO Tracks

SR 519 girder setting 1, originally uploaded by Washington State Dept of Transportation.

The girders are being put in place, and the overpass of this infamous crossing in SODO will soon be a reality. Royal Brougham Way at this crossing has been on this blog a number of times in the past, with people getting clipped by trains and even one getting a wheelchair stuck in the tracks. All instances reported occurred when people went around the crossing gates.

I looked at the plans for this overpass, and they're pretty awesome. It's a complicated plan to complete this Phase of the State Route 519 project, which makes it easier for goods to move back and forth to the port. But to me the safety element being created here is really important, and quite frankly makes for some great pictures.

Pentrex Ending Video Tape Sales July 31st

SONY 5850 3/4" VCR with SMPTE code reader installed! $50, originally uploaded by Great Deals Every Day.

As a railfan, you may know the name Pentrex; they have provided train nuts like me with truckloads of railroading video entertainment for more than two decades. Not only do they offer their own content, but also the entire catalog from Video Rails. Son David's favorite Pentrex products are mostly video tapes, ones we've picked up over the years at clearance racks, surfside bookstores, and on eBay. They include:

- Those Incredible ALCOs Volume II
- Snow On The Run
- Trains Along The Upper Mississippi
- Above California Rails

Now Pentrex is focusing their business on DVDs only, and ending all sales of video tapes after July 31st. So for one more day they are offering most of their VCR Tapes for $9.95 each! Final chance to get some great railroading tapes for cheap, if you still have a VCR like we do. Railroading media (books, magazines, DVDs etc) tend to be expensive since it's a niche market, so an opportunity like this one is a great way to get the good stuff for cut rate; and we all know how important that is right now!

My order has been placed, and we'll be receiving:

- Battle For Donner Pass
- Street Running

Hope you find something good too!

Clouds and Double Stacks

The Rain on Plain, originally uploaded by steveeshom.

Steve Eshom got this stunning shot of clouds above double stacks in Chelan County. Let's face it: unless you're really into taking pictures of locomotives, by themselves, sitting on tracks in a yard, getting out into the weather and catching those same locomotives in their element can be very rewarding! I'll admit that I do like to take "roster shots," but catching something like this would be my Holy Grail.

Happy Independance Day!

Photo courtesy of BL1961 on Flickr

Here's to a day whose real reason is lost on so many, buried under one-day sales and family get-togethers. If I could ask for one thing today, it would be that everyone have a chance to experience freedom in some measure.

Enjoy the day everyone!

Jalopnik Repost: Ten Worst Train Stations

Jalopnik typically writes about auto-related issues, because they're gear heads and like big diesels. But in an odd twist recently they wrote about the Ten Worst Train Stations in The World. It's a real crop.

Their post goes hand-in-hand with another blog post from The Infrastructurist on Eleven train stations that got the wrecking ball (six more listed HERE).

Great reading!

Video - Sound Transit Light Rail Testing

Oran Viriyincy posted this video of Light Rail testing in the Rainier Valley. It's 9 minutes of crossings, honks, bells, and traffic. Great stuff when you like trains, that's for sure!

If you can't see the embedded video below, click HERE to see it directly on YouTube.

Waiting...

"The past is behind me. My destiny is on the other side of that tank car. For now, I stand and wait."

Photo: DSC09011, originally uploaded by emilie_roulet

Track Fatality in Seattle

A man was killed on Saturday night on the tracks at Carkeek Park, according to this KIRO write-up. The locomotive horn scattered a number of people who were on the tracks, and the one killed was the one who didn't move. The group was not at a sanctioned crossing.

This sad tale is repeated every year along that line, at Golden Gardens and Carkeek. My heart goes out to the family and friends of this man.



View Larger Map

Random 1892 Wreck Photo in Ontario

Collision between two engines, Bay of Quinte Railway, ON, 1892, originally uploaded by Musée McCord Museum.

UP Railroad Crossing Sting

Awesome...UP and law enforcement got together and cited about 40 people with $140 infractions for crossing against the flashing lights in Centralia. The two comments posted in the article? "It's crooked," and "they're defrauding people."

I'll tell you what's crooked: the spine of a person who gets T-boned by a Big ACE at a crossing when they don't heed the warnings. UP just got done with the same sting in North Idaho; the reaction there was more amiable, understanding the risk and accepting the tickets.

I wonder what's different between the two areas! Here's a link to the KIRO Article about the Centralia sting:

Police Use Train In Railroad Crossing Sting - Seattle News Story - KIRO Seattle


View Centralia on Map

BNSF 6185 - Then and Now

Recently I did a piece on SD9 BNSF 1551, which is still trucking around Balmer Yard like an old soldier. Putting that post together made me think of a Interbay deadline occupant that my son and I photographed back in 2003 and 2004, also an SD9 numbered 6185. In order to get the shot, I had to climb ont the bed rail of my truck and stabilize myself against the cab - all in the effort to get the camera line above the fence between the road and the deadline (click HERE to see the location on a Google Map). Like 1551 this SD9 made it to the 21st century, only to be retired early into the decade. I had posted the pic above in an earlier post, but decided to expand a bit on this engine.

6185 started life as CB&Q 438 in 1957. Photos of 438 don't seem to exist so, thanks to Joe Hughes and #430, this is what 438 would have looked like in 1965:

Photo courtesy of Joe Hughes

By 1969 the unit may have received this paint scheme, portrayed here by CBQ 439:

Photo courtesy of Joe Hughes

BN Merger brought a new number, and it became 6185. By 1982 it was working Interbay, pictured HERE. By 2004 it was tied up in the yard and apparently done working. In April 2009, a picture was taken of the "new" BNSF 6185 in Ohio.

There aren't any details on what happened to the old SD9, but I'm certain it hasn't survived.

BNSF Exploring Electrification

http://www.railwayage.com/content/view/931/121/

Great Railway Age article about BNSF exploring the idea of electrifying some of its mainlines, by getting power from utility companies who want to use the railroad right-of-way for building out their services. Sounds like a win-win to me.

Let's get EMD GE to build an homage to the Little Joe and unleash them in Eastern WA!

Photo - UP Georgetown Lo-Fidelity

Ever heard of a Holga? I hadn't until about two years ago, when the world of Lomography was introduced to me merely by chance when searching for something on Amazon.com. Since I don't want to duplicate posts, read my personal blog if you want to know more about Holgas:

http://www.clarkblog.net/2009/06/foo-photo-my-first-holga-roll.html

Anyway, the above photo was one from the first roll of film I shot with a Holga. After he viewed the resulting slide show, one of the comments I got from a high school friend was:

"I liked the slide show, all very cool pics, the train pics almost look depression era, except the locomotive is a bit too new."

If the Holga does anything well, it's paying homage to The Depression! It's a great camera to release yourself from the world of editing your shots and placing you smack dab in the world of just taking pictures. What freedom!

Video - Train Report for School Project

My son was able to do a video report about trains for his class, and this is the result. He picked the media, took a lot of the photos and footage, and even chose the song used for the soundtrack. I edited, but tried to keep his voice primary in the video. You won't find much data accuracy here; David explains switcher movements in the rail yard as "fooling around." It's cool that he has a desire to explain what he sees in terms he understands. What you will discover by watching this is that an elementary schooler knows more about things like Balmer Yard and Amtrak Cascades than a lot of other kids his age!

Bottom line: starting kids early on trains can give them a reason to explore other things like video editing or photography, two areas that my son has already expressed interest in. If you don't see the embedded video below, click HERE to watch it directly on YouTube!

News - One Post Leads To Another

Idaho & Montana getting new passenger stations and service?

Occasionally when I'm researching railroad news that impacts the Northwest, I'll get more than I asked for. And now, the news...

Bonner County Daily Bee reported that the Amtrak Station in Sandpoint ID might be replaced by another depot in a different location. While reading the article online, my eyes happened to catch a small phrase that led to a bigger discovery:

“We’re going to study and produce a report that looks at the possibilities, and the costs and opportunities of restoring the North Coast Hiawatha service,” he said."

What?? That opened me up to yet another news story, which was made possible by stimulus money pointed straight at Amtrak. The carrier - in the face of ever-increasing rail passengers - is looking into reinstating the North Coast Hiawatha to run from Chicago, along the southern part of Montana, and on its way to Seattle. The route over Northern Pacific trackage was discontinued 30 years ago, which took many of Montana's major cities off the passenger service map. What's surprising - and a bit pathetic - is the NCH was discontinued because it fell below 150 passengers per mile - coming in at 149.

USA Today has this article about the potential route addition.

Will the North Coast Hiawatha once again run into King Street Station? Maybe not, because Seattle is well served by both the Empire Builder and the Coast Starlight (along with the Cascades and regional Sound Transit routes). But the possibility of a newer NCH terminating in Spokane or Sandpoint is very real, allowing those passengers to simply connect with the Empire if they are coming out to "The Coast."



View North Coast Hiawatha Proposed Route in a Google map

BNSF 1551 - SD9 at Balmer Yard

I'm pretty sure that isn't the cab this veteran was built with back in the mid-1950s, but any day you can see a locomotive of this age running around Balmer Yard is a treat.

Here's a link to a blog post I did about how many numbers this engine has been given over the last nearly 40 years:

http://blog.seattlepi.com/wetrails/archives/170077.asp

There's also a video highlighting that awesome non-turbo sound of an old diesel. Enjoy!

News - New Pasco Branch in Design Soon

A new industrial park means a new BNSF branch line in Pasco. Design contract has been approved, and now the work to connect the railroad with this new commerce resource is underway.

It's nice for once to see "Add" instead of "Abandon" in terms of tracks!



View Larger Map

Video - First Full Run of LINK Light Rail

KOMO TV Video of first full-line run of the light rail, from Westlake Center to Tukwila. Great stuff!

Photo - UP Georgetown Dustbowl

At Lucile Street, just west of Airport Way, you'll find a little piece of switching track that runs between businesses and a park, then ends abruptly at a brick building. This is the world just outside the Union Pacific's Argo Yard. Regularly you can find UP switchers moving back and forth assembling trains at this spot. The engines used are a blend of old and sort-of-old GP38s and GP15s. The number boards might change but the activity never does, day or night.

I shot this with film; 200-speed film to be exact, using a nearly 30-year old Canon AE-1 and a 135mm lens. With the dust and the cowboy hat, one might think the photo was from Texas instead of Seattle. I'm here to tell you it's the latter. Click the photo to see a larger view.

Argo Yard sits just west of the BNSF Mainline the runs under Airport Way. UP 669 was once owned by the Missouri Pacific before that road was bought out by Uncle Pete in the 1980s.

View Map of 8th and Lucile

Alaskan Way and Broad Street - Then and Now

Today's Then and Now segment isn't as extreme in terms of years as others that have been posted here. It's only a matter of half a decade. Check out the video embedded below (click HERE if you can't see it). It shows a BNSF freight heading south under the Olympic Sculpture Park.

Video courtesy of Citywalker on Flickr

Now compare it to the photos below, taken in 2005 and 2006 before the park was completed. First one - like the video - shows a BNSF freight heading south through Broad Street crossing.

Second picture shows riders getting off Metro's Waterfront Trolley. Where the bridge stands now was once the car barn for these machines. Promises back in 2005 to reinstate the line once a new car barn was built near Pioneer Square have fallen through; thankfully the trolleys are in "deep storage."

The trolley service is the element I miss the most from this spot.

View Area Map

Fatality on BNSF Tracks In Ephrata

Pedestrian fatality on the BNSF Mainline through Ephrata, away from a designated crossing. A very tragic story, sadly repeated many times throughout the year.

View Larger Map

Sunday Morning Rail Shot

09-03
Originally uploaded by Atomic Taco

Just a quiet moody Black & White shot taken by Atomic Taco and posted on Flickr.

Wet Rails - New Overpass Near the Stadiums

Posted a great track photo taken by WSDOT from stadium parking down onto Royal Brougham. Check it out here:

New Overpass Near the Stadiums

New Blog on The P-I - Wet Rails

A new opportunity has arisen, and I have started a new blog that is hosted by the Seattle Post-Intellingencer - Wet Rails. Just posted the first article this morning. My goal for Wet Rails is not lofty; I wanted to bring real-world language and understanding to readers unfamiliar with Rail Fanning, and discuss rail topics that impact the Northwest. I'll be moving news-related posts about railroading to Wet Rails, and linking to them from WARail and Twitter. There will also be some cross pollenation between WARail and Wet Rails while the new blog 'finds its voice."

I hope you all have a chance to visit the new blog!

Ferromex Sighting in Vancouver

Ferromex in the PNW I
Originally uploaded by steveeshom

Here we see the colorful southern iron of Ferromex from Mexico! After living in a sea of Great Pumpkins in Seattle, it's nice to see some variety in the Pacific Northwest.

Thanks Steve for the unique sighting in Vancouver WA!

Video - Air Freight and Commuter Trains

Here's some mixed video I shot at Horton St in Seattle. A UPS Plane flying overhead during some of the footage - backed by beautiful blue sky - was a nice surprise!

Electric On The Skagit River Hydro Project

Train at Skagit Project, 1947
Originally uploaded by Seattle Municipal Archives

Nice archive shot from 1947 of what appears to be electric trolley being used on the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project. The photo was posted by Seattle City Light on Flickr; one of the best parts of the Internet lately has been Creative Commons, which allows shots like this to be viewed by a new generation of rail fans. Some more experienced readers here may know where to find info about this car, but my search came up empty!

I love these old photos; black & white has so much emotion, oddly enough, even in the absence of color. For a current color picture of a more famous unit, check out "Old Number 6" in Newhalem:

http://www.railpixonline.com/SCL_6.htm

To find out more about the project visit here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ross_Dam

Photo courtesy of Seattle Municipal Archives

News - Coast Engine and Equipment Closing

After 60+ years of railroad and boat engine repairs, Tacoma's CEECO is closing shop due to the recession. I hate reading news about veteran companies going under, especially ones involving railroad operations and maintenance.

They did great work on White Pass & Yukon 114 when it was nearly destroyed in an accident in 2006. It's a shame that they couldn't hold out any longer. While I don't know the depth of the issue, it seems that their services will be needed at some time in the future.

KING5 News, in conjunction with Northwest Cable News, posted a news clip here:
http://www.nwcn.com/business/stories/NW_050509WAB-railroad-repair-company-SW.21fb82ee.html

Photo - North Bonneville Speed Shot

BNSF Reflection.
Originally uploaded by Darrell Wyatt (out looking for work)

Found this photo by Darrell Wyatt this morning on Flickr. It was taken east of Vancouver at North Bonneville, and shows a vivid reflection of BNSF 9316, an SD70 "Big Ace" on its way east. Check out a detail pic of this unit here: http://ow.ly/5ony

Nice way to start the day, with the greens of the trees, the greys of the skies, and the oranges of commerce. Go Washington!

Editorial on Sound Transit East Link

Recent editorial in the Bellevue Reporter about Sound Transit's East Link to Bellevue and Redmond: "City Council can stop East Link - Bellevue Reporter."

I wouldn't go so far as to call this project a "debacle" like the contributor. I'm also not clear on the motive behind his clear opposition to the East Link. Whenever I hear someone grind on and on about how the "taxpayers are getting the shaft," I get suspicious. My thought is that he lives near the proposed Right-Of-Way and is using the taxpayer as a scapegoat.

Spokane BNSF Conductor Safety Winner for 2008

Conductor Terrence "Ed" Carlson of Spokane is one of 2008's BNSF Safety Employees Of The Year. Also included is a 33-year employee who has never had an accident at work! I'm thinking he may have had a hangnail or two over three decades, but the company is probably not counting those.

Video - BNSF 2125 And The Garbage Train

Here is a video I shot of BNSF 2125 assembling the Garbage Train. It was the first time I attached my video camera to a tripod, in an effort to create a smooth transition back and forth as the train moved. I still prefer hand-held for this stuff, but I'm willing to try other methods. The right-of-way is along 2nd Avenue S. at Horton Street; one can park and - mostly importantly - stand legally and safely off railroad property to watch the procession of trains. Gritty as it is, this is now one of my favorite spots for train watching.

2125 is officially an EMD GP38AC built in 1971 as #648 for the St. Louis and San Francisco Railway, better known as The Frisco. This railroad was merged in to Burlington Northern in 1980, and the engines were spread across the system.

It's nice to see these merger machines still in service, almost 40 years after being built! For the record, up close this thing sounded awesome. I can imagine it in the great Frisco red & white paint scheme at some time in history.

View Location Map

Photo - Graffiti On A Hopper

Taken at Interbay, with my lens sticking through a fence! While I don't condone defacing private property, I have to admit this is perhaps one of the most stunning graffiti jobs I've ever seen.

Video - SDRX 904 Pushing Sounder

4/17/2009 - I just barely got out of my truck when this Sounder started blowing its way through the Spokane Street crossing. A quick power finger and a steady hand caught it on video heading north to King Street Station!

Building America

Orderly and Chaotic, all on one hopper that passed me at speed on 4/21/09. Graffiti on train cars can cause arguments for many (I'm personally against someone defacing property that doesn't belong to them). But it also can pull a person into the tag through use of color and confidence. This one, cropped with the Orderly on top and the Chaotic below, signifies more than just a tagged car. It shows - despite the mix of color and form - order continues to rise above the illegal.

Taken with a Canon AE-1 with ISO 200 Film and a 135mm lens.

Last Sounder of The Day

Shot this picture at the intersection of 3rd Avenue S. and S. Horton Street in SODO. This was the last Sounder train heading back to Tacoma for the day on April 21st. The picture is "tweaked" a bit; I removed all the power lines from the shot. I also got some help with composition and lighting from another railfan - Thanks Robert! The shot is definitely grainy; it was cheap ISO200 film, but good practice for future shots.

SDRX 904 is an EMD F59PHI, a 3200hp locomotive designed for passenger trains. Top speed is listed as 110mph.

Amtrak Pioneer Feasability Study Begins

Amtrak #228 Pioneer Eastbound Telocaset Oregon
Originally uploaded by paulspages

http://www.idahostatesman.com/eyepiece/story/740640.html

I've written previously about the Amtrak Pioneer possibly coming back. Now, with new rail money coming in from the stimulus, Amtrak has been instructed to conduct and finish a feasibility study for reinstating the Pioneer through Boise, and to complete by October of this year.

Amtrak #228 Pioneer Eastbound Telocaset Oregon
Originally uploaded by paulspages

Mainline Steam Meets Online Masses

Making steam-powered locomotives relevant in the 21st Century is a daunting task. It means taking technology from the 1800s and teaching current generations about the legends and history of US Railroading. After steam was removed like the plague from railroads in the 1950s, the task of telling that American story was handed to the men and women who worked on them coast to coast. Then a second generation took over, people who were too young to work on mainline steam in revenue service but grew up listening to the hiss and spit of these big beasts from trackside. With each passing generation, their story was farther removed from what it meant to live and breath steam engine service. In the early 1990s we lost the Norfolk & Western 611 - one of the most beautiful steam engines I've ever seen - from excursion service. Many of the massive machines that remain are beyond functional repair and are only suitable for display.

Only a fraction of these legendary monsters of history still operate in the US, bound by obvious safety laws that have made them antiquated in appearance only, but very modern under the skin. Thanks to dedicated railfans, engines like SP 4449, SP&S 700, UP 844 & 3985 and others have been preserved for future generations to see and experience with a full head of steam. But with fewer steam engines on the tracks, it means the story of steam is tougher to tell. But despite their reduced numbers, steam locomotives are still amazing and mesmerizing new generations of kids all over the country.

Now an extra arrow has been added to the quiver of steam awareness; Union Pacific has entered the world of Social Networking by starting a Twitter account for the UP Steam Program. If you're not familiar with the service, think of it as an extremely small version of what you're viewing right here - a mini-blog with 140-character posts. Much of the media surrounding Twitter lately has been filled with excitement, because as a communication tool it is simple and effective. It forces a person to make smart word choices, because there are only 140 characters to work with. If you're not long winded, and you just want people to know where you're at, then Twitter is for you.

That's why UP's Twitter account for steam makes so much sense. Railfans can follow the progress online as UP 844 and 3985 move around the nation on their seasonal tours. No frills, just basic info saying where they are and what's happening with the units. Also, from the messages posted, I discovered that UP has 50 different Earth Day projects going on in 40 locations. Clearly this is a tool that will provide a 21st century view (including pix) into steam railroading, in a form not previously used. The online masses can now see and understand the machinery that made this country. Check out the feed right here:

http://twitter.com/UP_Steam

And while you're at it, you can follow Washington Railblog too!

http://twitter.com/warail

Video - Seattle Double Stack Train with Helper

Here's a little video of a Union Pacific double stack train that I shot along Airport Way South at Norfolk Street last January. It was the first time I ever saw something run through Seattle with a helper engine on the back end. While the train took a full four minutes to pass my location, I trimmed 2 minutes out of the middle of the footage because the whole thing looked the same; I may like trains but four minutes of sitting in a computer chair watching a unit train pass on the screen just isn't my thing. On a nice day this location will yield a stunning view of Mt. Rainier looking to the south. This day was more typical of Seattle winter - grey and 40 with some snow still on the ground.

Heading up the train is UP 7727 - a GE ES44AC. UP currently has over 700 of these. This particular engine really gets around; I found pictures on the Internet from what appears taken surfside in California and then also another in Illinois. I guess it's no surprise these things accrue a million miles with little effort.

Amtrak Cascades - Vision And Experience

10 years and 3/4 million passengers later, Amtrak Cascades is alive and thriving. From the crazy Talgo car wings to the unique Cabbage Cars, it's a train that you can identify purely on site. The line runs through some of the most stunning parts of the region, serving the US and Canada. Last year the train saw a huge jump in ridership, and for 2010 another train to Vancouver BC will be added for the Olympics.

But wait...isn't "rail travel" dead? Not by a long shot, if you ask those associated with the Cascades. In fact, the Governors of Washington and Oregon consider it a Signature Line and a testament to the value of public/private partnerships in railroading. The train has a decade of experience now, finding out what works and what doesn't. They've succeeded, and now with a renewed Federal commitment to rail they have the ability to pass on what they know to those in DC who want to restore High Speed Rail to America.

Governor Christine Gregoire and Oregon's Governor Kulongoski recently cheered the Obama Administration for making rail transport a priority; no doubt this had plenty of leverage from a new Vice President who has used Amtrak to commute now for many years. Gregoire and Kulongoski also wrote a letter to the US Secretary of Transportation (available HERE in PDF form, and great reading) which outlines the success of the Cascades and what they hope to achieve in the future. They also provided some insight on what it takes to make a line succeed, with the most important point being the goal of investing long-term.

Experience shows that a transportation model like the Cascades can work; vision keeps the model relevant. As air travel gets slower at the security gate, and more volatile on the credit card, people are once again seeing the value of hitting the rails. All Amtrak needs now are passengers, and with the way the numbers have been in the last 12 months I don't think that's going to be much of an issue.

Car - Train Collision in South Seattle

View Area Map in Google

A car made an illegal turn in front of the LINK Light Rail train as it was running through South Seattle. No major injuries but the driver was hospitalized briefly.

Pay attention people!

Video - Train Meet in Seattle

Captured this video footage along the BNSF Mainline of a Train Meet between Spokane and Horton Streets in Seattle. It was a surprise meet between the southbound Garbage Train and the northbound Coast Starlight (which appeared to be on time).

Montana has "The Night Gas." Powder River Basin has "The Coal Train." I find it funny that an eco-friendly area like Western WA is known in rail circles for "The Garbage Train." Does that resonate with anyone else?

Boy and Girl Track Fatality in Woodland

View Woodland WA on Google Maps

Two kids died when they were hit by an Amtrak train in Woodland. It's always sad to report this type of news, especially when there are children involved. This fatality happened where there is no appropriate crossing. The dangers that surround tracks are so black and white; there is no reset button, no second chance to escape a train moving at tremendous speed. This sort of education is what Operation Lifesaver is all about.

My heart and prayers go out to the family members who are feeling tremendous loss today. Details from the news are here:

http://www.kirotv.com/news/19186584/detail.html#-

East Link Bridge Funding Is Back

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/archives/165823.asp

We reported last week that Bridge Funding for Sound Transit's Eastside Light Rail Project was on hold. Through some adjustments the State was able to come up with funding to keep the project on time...for now. But there are a lot of discussions right now over what State projects will receive funding in this downturn world of money.

Eastern Washington Gateway Line Part II

Looks like the state and US Rail Partners have come to an agreement on how to move forward with the EWGRR. Both finances and operations will be addressed, and the carrier is no longer in jeopardy of being kicked off the line by July.

Woohoo!

State Funds On Hold For Eastside Light Rail

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008952405_bridgerail31m.html

Given the financial situation in the Washington right now, the State has backed out of a $29 million commitment to fund work on the the I-90 bridges in support of the Eastside LINK Light Rail project. This could delay the line considerably if funding isn't found.

Eastside Light Rail Route Under Fire

It was only a matter of time before this happened.

The chosen route laid out HERE - down Bellevue Way and then to 112th Avenue - is coming under fire from people who don't want the LINK Light Rail to run near their homes. P-I reports this morning that the opponents are starting to come out of the woodwork in general, arguing against the preferred route which would take the trains down 106th Avenue through town. A real estate agent also claims that small businesses will be destroyed by the route, a claim that I don't support.

Once again the call for using the BNSF Right-Of-Way, which hasn't been purchased by the Port Of Seattle quite yet, in place of the route going down Bellevue Way. Both routes end up back at the same place at SE 8th Street, but the concern I have is that the right-of-way route bypasses any chance of having a rail station at the South Bellevue Park&Ride.

Discussions are ongoing. It's no wonder why our big projects around here take forever to complete. We'll have to see how this one plays out in the next few months, as the planning stages for the line become more advanced.

BNSF 2759 Crossing The Duwamish

The elements of this shot developed within minutes.

While out train watching with David on Thursday night, he insisted that we go to Harbor Island. H.I. is still a bit of a mystery to me, and I'm always afraid that I will end up driving down some road with a security booth and no way out. But in the late evening light of March - thank you New Daylight Savings Schedule - I was able to see the roads of the Island a bit better than in the past. Our driving led us to SW Klickitat Way, near the bridge you see in the picture. Klickitat runs along the Duwamish River, an estuary in peril from over 100 years of industry along its banks. Efforts to clean up the river are serious and ongoing.

When we got there the bridge was up. Within seconds it started to go down. Then David saw a rumbling road switcher heading down the other side of the river, pulling a few empty hoppers. We grabbed the camera and hopped out of the truck to stand in a convenient clear spot near the tracks. Not long after, a brakeman walked across the bridge towards the switches on the other side. "Just going to get some ice cream," he smiled. We reminded him to bring two back for us.

Eventually BNSF 2759 lumbered its way over the span and I shot photos as fast as I could wind the AE-1! SODO and Harbor Island are both great places to catch urban railroading at its gritty best. Thanks to David's keen eye and persistence, we were able to get another great shot for our archives.

View Location in Google Maps

Eastern Washington Gateway Line in Trouble

View Map of EWGRR

We seem to be getting all sorts of new out of Eastern WA lately. While Old MILW trackage near Othello is on the radar for recovery, another shortline is at risk.

The State of Washington and a shortline operator may part ways on the Eastern Washington Gateway Railroad, which is owned by the State and operated by US Rail Partners Ltd. A number of issues are in play with the shortline that runs from Cheney to Coulee City. Required rail tie maintenance has not been done. Also, a rough wheat harvest would typically be a majority of the traffic on the line, but this year the harvest was bad. It's hard to point blame at one thing here, but the end result is one less railroad and a ton more trucks on the road.

Talks are ongoing

Eastside Rail Corrider Purchase Delayed

Short Version: Economy forces Port of Seattle to hold off buying the $107 million corridor from BNSF:

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/archives/164833.asp

Long Version: Port of Seattle thought twice about issuing bonds to purchase the Woodinville Subdivision, mainly because of current state of the economy. In addition, the Federal Transportation Board hasn't completed its analysis of the deal. I don't think there is any indication it wouldn't go through, but given some of the notoriety the Port had last year I'd say the head honcho is being nice and conservative.

What's interesting about the above-linked article is that the P-I focuses on the bike trail angle of the transaction, rather than the potential transportation perspective that the line could become for the region. The media sees this as a bicycle resource, not a transportation resource for more than two wheels.

Not too balanced if you ask me.

Eastern WA MILW Line Being Resurrected?

According to this article, The Port of Royal Slope wants to lease the old Milwaukee Road right-of-way from the State of Washington, to start moving freight once more between Royal City and Othello. The project has been on the Port's books now for at least three years, but at this point they have been getting no response from the state on how to proceed.

However this pans out, it will nice to see a transportation resource like this get reused in one of the more unique parts of our state. I'll be interested in comments from our readers in Eastern WA!

View Right-Of-Way Map

Light Rail on Bellevue Way or Along 405?

Not all on board with Bellevue Way light-rail proposal | Seattle Times Newspaper

Routing is the big question going forward, when bringing light rail into the Eastside's most populous city. Should it be done on the west side of the Slough or the east? Well, in short, there are more homeowners who have conflict with a route that would bring a larger South Bellevue Park & Ride into existence, and then run up Bellevue Way to 112th. The other route, using right-of-way from the BNSF line that is no longer used along I-405, would take riders east of the slough and create a station near SE8th and 118th Ave SE. While not as vocal as homeowners from Bellecrest and Surrey Downs neighborhoods, condo owners along the proposed BNSF route are also concerned about constant Light Rail behind their homes.

It's all summed up well by Bellevue Councilman Phil Noble: "It's not going to satisfy everyone."

View Proposed Routes on Map

Railroads and The Law Team Up for Safety at Crossings

The word "Sting" is usually associated with some seedy underworld dealings, typically a skin house or "massage" parlor. This time the word is used to describe cross-bureau operating teaming UP, BNSF, and local police to get the word out about safety at Railroad Crossings.

This is not a new subject for us her at WARail. Sadly, nine people died at crossings last year in Washington. I would love to see this go to Zero if possible, and this effort is well justified.

Light Rail - Bellevue Shapes Future With Transit

This short Editorial piece discusses and describes accurately the feeling of excitement that many on the Eastside feel about getting Light Rail over Lake Washington.

Yesterday's article about what's called the Bel-Red Corridor puts the editorial into perspective; a large chunk of the region has been in decline for a decade, which is a good indicator that rezoning and new thinking are in order. The fact that Bellevue wants to build this up around Light Rail is a promising development. Mrs. WARail - who was born and grew up on the Eastside - laments the disappearance of the Bellevue she's known since she was young, but understands that change is imminent and in this case an addition to the quality of life for the region.

View Bel-Red Corridor on Map

Archive Photo - UP in Pullman

Another example of motorcycles and trains...

The other day I found some negatives in the garage, black & white but with no prints to be found anywhere. They document the two motorcycles we owned at the time; I only remember vaguely taking these photos, and I would have never figured they would have any significance someday.

This particular one is significant for what is no longer there. Primarily the shot depicts my wife's 250 Rebel in 1990 along SE Riverview St, but also shows former Missouri Pacific railcars owned by the Union Pacific - presumably there after dropping coal at the university power plant. Behind it, the East Main Street bridge - then locally known as "The Viaduct." The UP no longer runs through Pullman, nor does the BNSF; both pulled out in the early 1990s and the area has been Short Line territory ever since - now under the ownership of the State and serviced by the Washington and Idaho Railroad.

For more archive shots of Pullman and other areas, visit Robert McDonald at Oil-Electric. For pictures in and around Pullman from the present day (and Washington at large), visit Mike Bjork's collection at Railpictures.net!

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Porters - Historic Heroes of The Rails

As part of America's Black History Month, Seattle Times today reported that Railway Porters - historically a job filled by men of color - are being honored next week in Oakland as pioneers in civil rights. This vital part of the railway service industry broke barriers starting just after the Civil War, with many former slaves joining the railroads to tend to needs of passengers. The job came with newfound freedoms, but also its fair share of racism. Because of this, porters are being considered the lamplight to a movement that ensured rights to everyone, and ultimately ushered in our country's first Black President.

The picture is of Nat Love, famous cowboy better known as "Deadwood Dick" and railway porter. Don't you just love history?

Photo - Old School Signaling

You know what's cool about Public Domain? It's cool that you can use pictures like this for anything you like! Even though this photo wasn't taken in Washington, it still gives us an important visual into the past of railroading. The Library of Congress describes the scene as follows:

Indiana Harbor Belt RR, switchman demonstrating signal with a "fusee" - used at twilight and dawn - when visibility is poor. This signal means "stop." Calumet City, Ill.