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

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

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#-

Video: Vintage Amtrak Commercials

Not a bad view, considering someone pointed a camera at a TV screen and recorded these vintage commercials onto YouTube! At least they used quality sound.

As a side note, I'm interested to see how Amtrak will fair in 2009 - with a new administration, uncertain financial times, pain-in-the-ear lines at the airports, and fuel currently trading at their lowest levels in years.

Amtrak Leavenworth Station NOT a Bust!

Wow, talk about turnaround!

Within hours of the last blog post about Leavenworth's Icicle Station, I received an email from a Leavenworth Real Estate agent telling me the project was actually a go. He then put me in touch with the mayor of Leavenworth, who told me it's active and moving forward.

"We have passed 65% construction documents and will have our 100% plans on Jan 15, 2009," he says. "We will go out to bid for construction in Feb, with construction anticipated to start mid-March 2009. We are currently working on our agreements with Amtrak for Operations and Maintenance. We are estimating service start in mid to late September 2009."

So now we've got a clear idea of what's going on. Visit the Icicle Station Website or read the Official Press Release from the City of Leavenworth HERE!

Amtrak Leavenworth Station a Bust?

Back in January the Seattle PI reported that Amtrak was adding a new Leavenworth Station. I dutifully added my blog post with a map. Since that time there apparently has been zero movement on the project, and repeated contact with the town officials who championed the project for so many years have gone unanswered. Amtrak is even telling me they have no plans to build a station there.

So unless we hear otherwise, we can imagine that folks won't be stopping in Leavenworth while on the Empire Builder any time soon.

Bellingham Crossing has Attention of Safety Advocates

View Location Map

A pedestrian crossing in Bellingham, the scene of a fatal accident last month, has now come under scrutiny by groups who have identified this spot in the past as both dangerous and in need of serious help. BNSF and the City of Bellingham entered an agreement in 2001 to rehab this pedestrian crossing; so far none of that proposed work has been done. A PDF of the 2001 plan is available HERE.

Amtrak train collides with bike; woman killed

Fatality number eight for Washington this year. A tragic - and often avoidable - situation.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004428802_webbiketrain21m.html

New Amtrak Stop in Stanwood

Stanwood will be getting a new Amtrak stop in 2009, thanks to a state-funded project that will allow the trains to stop there for the first time in decades. With the area fast becoming a bedroom community for Everett and even Seattle, it's not surprising and very very welcome on two points. First, the region gets for train service. Second, the high speeds at which Amtrak runs through the town may now be cut out because trains will actually stopping there instead. The corner on which the platform will be located is where some folks have crossed and gotten hit.

Amtrak's Pioneer could Return to Seattle - Salt Lake

Could Amtrak service through southern Idaho return? That's the question some people have since Amtrak is seeing a growth in passenger numbers in the last year or two. The Pioneer was discontinued in 1997, and could return after a feasibility study is done and equipment is located. At this point Amtrak is maxed out on its equipment, essentially using every nut and bolt they own to serve the routes they have. To reinstate the Pioneer, it would require new trains.

Many are optimistic about this route between Seattle and Salt Lake City returning, including the head of Amtrak. But the Idaho governor wants to make sure the train will pay its way rather than being a money sapper. The environment for passenger rail service has changed in ten years, so the possibility for the Pioneer coming back - and making money - is a good one. If it does, it will be the first passenger route reactivated by Amtrak in the last 20 years!

Amtrak to Add New Leavenworth Station

Great news for folks who like Leavenworth! Amtrak will be adding service to the town with the Empire Builder. This is historic, since Leavenworth was bypassed with the Chumstick Cutoff in the 1920s. No tracks run through the town anymore, but the BNSF Stevens Pass line runs close enough for bus service.


For people like me who love Leavenworth, this comes as great news because it means my family can take the train there rather than drive. And someday we will!




View Larger Map

Stanwood man hit by train seriously injured

I can't say it often enough...if you have no business being on the tracks, please stay off!

Stanwood man hit by train seriously injured

Amtrak Cascades Talgo Cars Back in Service

Sooner than expected, the Talgo cars that went out of service in August have been approved and sent back to run the rails once again. Service north of Seattle, however, will continue using the "Superliner" cars, much to the dismay of anyone hauling a bicycle on their trip since there are no racks on board!

Talgos Return to Service Delayed

The Amtrak Cascades trains have looked a bit different in recent week; seems that stress cracks were found in the suspension of theTalgo car sets being used for the regional service, so they were taken out of service for repair. There is a delay, however, because the Feds need to approve the work. Meanwhile, eagle eye tracksiders like myself have seen standard Amtrak equipment taking up the slack.

Sources say the trains will be back in service mid-November.