Sounder Northline shut down until at least Monday
SEATTLE - Sound Transit's Sounder Northline rail service has been canceled through at least Sunday due to a continuing series of mudslides along the tracks between Seattle and Everett.
The service also will not operate to and from the Seahawks' game against the St. Louis Rams.
The Northline Sounder usually serves as a weekday route for commuters between Everett, Mukilteo, Edmonds and Seattle, but the service has been disrupted more or less continuously since Dec. 17. Prior to that, numerous closures occurred in November because of rainfall.
Gus Melonas, spokesman for Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad, says continuing damage from heavy rains has made the lines used by the Sounder passenger trains unsafe. He says railroad crews are taking out trees with roots exposed to decrease possibility of debris falling on the lines.
He said the railroad will evaluate slope conditions through the weekend to determine whether passenger rail service can resume on Monday.
One train line has been able to provide freight service.
The service also will not operate to and from the Seahawks' game against the St. Louis Rams.
The Northline Sounder usually serves as a weekday route for commuters between Everett, Mukilteo, Edmonds and Seattle, but the service has been disrupted more or less continuously since Dec. 17. Prior to that, numerous closures occurred in November because of rainfall.
Gus Melonas, spokesman for Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad, says continuing damage from heavy rains has made the lines used by the Sounder passenger trains unsafe. He says railroad crews are taking out trees with roots exposed to decrease possibility of debris falling on the lines.
He said the railroad will evaluate slope conditions through the weekend to determine whether passenger rail service can resume on Monday.
One train line has been able to provide freight service.
Glad I take the south bound service. I would never rely on the North bound line. Idiots.
BNSF is one of the better railroads for cooperating with Amtrak, so I'd be suprised if they are really out to displace the Sounder. But perhaps they should cut their wait time to 24 hours from 48. (And relocating the route is totally impractical.)Â
What is really egregious is how Sound Transit is no longer running additional replacement buses when Sounder can't run, and instead just dumps the Sounder riders on already overcrowded CT & ST bus service.Â
Sound Transit leadership chose to put hundreds of millions of dollars in heavy rail, despite critics pointing out its flaws.Â
Sound Transit leadership should now live up to its responsibility and provide additional substitute service when Sounder can't run, instead of shirking its resonsibility in a desperate attempt to save $$ on the backs of the regular bus riders who are already choosing a far less costly mode of transport.
Sound Transit: Biggest fraud in US taxpayer history?
.....well, at least no $$$ rider subsidies until then.
This is absurd as it constantly happens. No wonder ridership is down on the sounder from Everett to Seattle. It's not terribly reliable for a commuter to rely on. BNSF should be required to either fix the problem from happening again or to close the rail line entirely and relocate it away from steep slopes and lands prone to mass wasting/mudslides.Â
BNSF should be required by the state to permanently shut down this line until substantial and permanent shoring up of the cliffs is done. The only way BNSF will ever do this is if they lose the revenue from the freight traffic. As it stands, the Sounder is a fiscal annoyance that BNSF has to tolerate.