Opinion Piece on Rail Service in Central Puget Sound

Think it's new and modern to concoct huge over-arching transportation plans for the Central Puget Sound? Think again. Ross Anderson wrote this Opinion Piece on rail transit in Seattle; aside from discussing Seattle's streetcar future, he also reminds us that the region has a long history of "forward-thinking consultants" and lavishly grand schemes to advance the lifestyle of King County. Think transit tunnel under Lake Washington, huge civic centers, and all of Mercer Island turned into a city park....in 1912.

There is also a long history of people voting down those plans, and ultimately choosing the cheapest alternative available at the time. So in a way the message is "we want mobility now, but we don't want to pay for it."

Thieves Try to Recycle Old Rails

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The lowest of the low recycle what doesn't belong to them. These people stole rail from Humptulips and tried to recycle it in Hoquiam. I'm thinking that any potential profit from this theft would have been eaten up by the fuel necessary to move the contriband steel. A person with no decency might go so far as to call them Scumbags or Donkey Clowns.

Thankfully I'm a decent guy.

Seattle Streetcar Advocates Promoting More Lines

©2007 Mike Bjork

As mentioned yesterday, Seattle City Council heard reports from transportation officials about the pros, cons, and costs of street cars and electric buses.

Today the news reports that Seattle Streetcar Alliance is ready to promote the addition of more lines throughout the city. Not surprisingly, the routes mimic the lines that Seattle had prior to World War 2. It just goes to show the city was onto a good thing back then. Could be a good thing once again given enough support and funding, which the SSA is looking for now.

Lander Street Separation Project

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Look for this SODO project in the future, sending vehicle traffic above the BNSF mainline instead of through it. Currently the project ranks #22 in the 69 prioritized projects ahead of the Seattle Dept of Transportation, so it's not high on the list. Reasons include a vast funding gap for the estimated $155 million project. But when completed, it will create more movement east to west through this heavily industrial part of the city.

Here's a 27MB Powerpoint download from the 5/12/2008 Seattle City Council meeting that outlines the projects:

http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/docs/download/4-1-08%20Major%20Projects%20Funding%20FINAL%20projection.ppt

Port of Seattle OKs Eastside trail deal

Agreement between Port of Seattle and BNSF has finally been signed for the Woodinville Subdivision. BNSF is choosing a short line operator for the customers still on the line, and advocacy groups are now jockeying for position as right-of-way uses by people and trains are proposed for the future. One group wants "further study" on the line's use; that group is made up of people who own property butting up against - or near to - the tracks in Kirkland. "Further Study" in advocacy speak means "We don't want trains in our back yard," or "I bought this property assuming the trains would no longer run someday."


We saw plenty of that when King County was struggling to put in a rail trail along the east shore of Lake Sammamish. Some of the property owners - once BNSF pulled the tracks - went so far as to fence across the right of way and keep the trail in court for years, under the assumption that the right of way would revert to private ownership once the line was no longer used. When that didn't happen, the fight got messy. Eventually King County won out and now the most level route between Redmond and Issaquah can be ridden by bicycle, in the shadow of the Northern Pacific.

As always, we're watching this situation closely. It's a pivotal event for the Eastside, and will have impact on the region's ability to move in, out, and around the east part of King County

Seattle Weighs Streetcars vs. Trolley Buses

Funny to think that for the future of Seattle surface transportation, technology with roots in the late 1800s is being compared to technology that is not much younger. Streetcars and Electric Trolley buses were in a shootout last night at the city council meeting after the city's department of transportation presented reports on which parts of Seattle would be best served by either one.

Up front, the costs for electric buses are lower, but the report stated that the system doesn't last as long as a streetcar system or light rail line - which both cost more per mile. Then there's the thing that nobody wants to mention here, because it's a heartstring argument: data indicates streetcars bring in ridership better than buses, even if the overall costs are higher.

Big Red Train - New Shirt for Little Train Lovers

The recent F7 Post got me thinking about creating another design for TrainShirts.net. The Big Red Train is a basic stylized streamliner, done in primary colors and portraying one of the most famous types of trains in American history. It's available in kid and adult sizes, on quality products!

Check out this and all the other designs when you have a chance!

The Secret of SODO

Most every railfan can understand the thrill of finding a perfect spot to watch trains do their thing. Seattle's SODO ("South Of Downtown") district is one such place that lies humbly due south of the Safeco and Qwest Fields. This mostly industrial heart of Seattle is usually known by the sports teams that play in the stadiums to the north, but SODO also harbors a secret that brings smiles to railfans young and old. Like trains? You'll find them here in a big way. There's a busy multi-track mainline running north/south through the center, commuter rail tracks running nearby, and a busy international switching yard for BNSF. Add some of the common regional cloud cover to the Seattle skyline to the north, and you have a railfanning experience that is unique to Washington.

Railfanning in an urban environment is a far cry from the leafy snowy scenes of many railfan photos we see on the Internet. But urban railfanning has its own character. It's gritty, showing trains in a true light because they themselves are gritty. Because of its closeness to our home, SODO is a favorite destination for me and my sons - day or night. Photo opportunities are everywhere. Parking is easy to find unless it's "Game Day." SODO is flat, so even walking or bicycling the area is easy. The trains run often enough that visitors are treated to at least one double-stack unit train, or if timed right the Amtrak Coast Starlight. There are "garbage trains," mixed freight trains, commuters, passenger trains, engines running without cars from one yard to another, and even scrap metal trains. Switching work along the mainline and in other areas occurs almost 24/7. If you don't see a train when you get there, find some coffee (Starbucks World HQ is in SODO, and has a store just to the north on 1st Ave) and wait another 1/2 hour. The variety will keep any camera happy.

Finding SODO is easy; take the 4th Avenue exit of either I-5 or I-90 and turn right (south). Once you cross Royal Brougham Way, you're there. The busy BNSF Mainline runs parallel with 4th Avenue S and 1st Avenue S down the length of the area before entering a large freight yard south of Spokane Street. It also runs - literally - underneath Safeco Field's eastern end, and provides another unique experience: federally mandated crossing blasts from trains during Mariners games. A few years back the media tried to get BNSF to stop blowing the horns during the All-Star game "because it would ruin the broadcast." They were laughed out of the meetings. Since then it has come to be an expected and welcome part of a Mariners game, much like the Green Monster is to Boston.

Four major streets in SODO cross the Mainline: Holgate, Lander, Horton, and Spokane. Holgate and Lander both offer close public parking that will allow a railfan to troll the area with a camera. In fact, there is a Krispy Kreme at the corner of 1st and Holgate within ear shot of the mainline. Horton is a true gritty industrial street; parking is minimal but walking the area can often find a hidden road switcher or two. Spokane Street runs underneath the Spokane St Viaduct towards West Seattle; parking areas there are more congested, and making a left turn anywhere near the viaduct is difficult unless you know the backroads.

The BNSF International Gateway Yard was once called "Stacy Yard" and named for a street that doesn't intersect with it; this is a bustling place filled with switchers, trucks, and railcars of all types. Once owned by the mighty Northern Pacific and used extensively by the Milwaukee Road, the yard is home to some of BNSF's big new orange loading cranes - seen easily from 1st Avenue S. One of the most interesting things I've seen there, parked right along Colorado Avenue, was a trio of locomotives from the Alaska Railroad awaiting their boat ride back to the North. They were close enough to touch (of course that wouldn't be a good idea). A drive down Colorado can look different every day; sometimes the yard is entirely clear while other days it's so full a person can't see anything from the road. On the north end of the yard (Atlantic Street), switch engines use a track that runs directly underneath the Alaskan Way Viaduct to move their cars around. Parking nearby allows you to get out and get close to the action. Guaranteed dry railfanning in the winter time, thanks to the viaduct!

So if you're looking for a different railfan experience that doesn't include trees (unless those trees are bare and strung with wires), SODO can offer some uncharacteristic sites and sounds. Getting the true feeling for what goes on there takes several trips, or one really long one. But once you visit, it's sure to be a secret you'll share with all of your friends!