Sounder north service canceled through weekend
SEATTLE (AP) - A Burlington Northern Santa Fe spokesman says train passenger service between Seattle and Everett has been canceled until next Monday.
Spokesman Gus Melonas says continuing damage from heavy rainfall 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.
One train line has been able to provide freight service.
Passenger train service between Seattle and Everett has been shut down since Dec. 17. Prior to that, numerous closures occurred in November because of rainfall.
Spokesman Gus Melonas says continuing damage from heavy rainfall 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.
One train line has been able to provide freight service.
Passenger train service between Seattle and Everett has been shut down since Dec. 17. Prior to that, numerous closures occurred in November because of rainfall.
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.
@Glassman You hit the nail on the head. Excellent idea.
Real nice that freight trains still get to run. I wonder how the contract/lease was written between Sound transit and BNSF for using the rail lines. Seems to me that somebody is getting screwed over. Thinking it is Sound Transit.
 @Thepriest it has nothing to do with the contract/lease, it's a federal mandated law that prohibits passenger rail from using the tracks until they are clear of problems/debris/potential for 48hrs. Until BNSF can stabilize the slopes and remove any potential threats to the passenger traffic Amtrak and Sound Transit just have to sit on their hands.  There is no such restriction for freight however, if the line is open they can run freight all day long.
...and removing all the trees will only make for more mudslides. they should plant MORE trees and shrubs. seems like they will have to do something in the future to keep this line up and running - as it stands, how could anyone possible rely on the service?
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I know next to nothing about this train line, other than it's out a lot lately. Can it not be moved to another place less affected by weather? Or is it basically stuck where it's at?
 @Sanctuary with Puget sound on one side and premium waterfront housing on the other I would say moving is not going to happen.  Best they could do would be build a berm or wall of some sort to keep the slope/s from sliding into the rails but as passenger rail doesn't earn BNSF very much (compared to freight) I don't see it happening.
 @Sanctuary That sounds expensive!