Western Railroad Discussion > High/Wide Detector

There used to be a high/wide detector at mp100 of the BNSF Stampede Pass line, just east of Auburn, WA.  It's not there anymore.  Why?  What technological breakthrough has rendered it unnecessary?  Nobody makes mistakes anymore?  There is another one nearby?  They removed the tunnels?  I'm curious.

Ed

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Don't have an answer, but that is a damn nice image!!!!

Bob

Hi there Ed

Looks like the detector has been gone since at least
when I took this image in 2014. I think they moved it
to another location since the Stampede line here is
​Restricted Limits -RL MP 100.  The North Branch
Dispatcher usually gives Warrants from this point
(around the corner) and this is also a crew change point.

Jay
​Sumner Station Agent PM

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Its been gone for a number of years...maybe 4 or 5?. I am guessing it went away when they stopped thinking about loads eastbound. No need for a high/wide for empty grain hoppers.
Roger Beckett

It was there in 2013 !

Taken 8/30/2013

​Jay

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up833 Wrote:
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> Its been gone for a number of years...maybe 4 or
> 5?. I am guessing it went away when they stopped
> thinking about loads eastbound. No need for a
> high/wide for empty grain hoppers.
> Roger Beckett

You'll have to explain your reasoning here. Are you saying that loaded covered hoppers are larger than empty ones?

I think Roger's point was just that, in past years, some eastbound manifests used Stampede Pass.  With today's "Iron Triangle," the line usually just sees empty unit trains - coal, grain, and oil.  The high/wide detector is probably no longer useful on Stampede these days.

I think a high/wide detector is located on the Stevens Pass line - near Sultan? - that wasn't there a few years ago - could this be the transplanted Auburn detector?

Tony Dell
Puyallup, WA

stmarieswestern Wrote:
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> I think Roger's point was just that, in past
> years, some eastbound manifests used Stampede
> Pass.  With today's "Iron Triangle," the line
> usually just sees empty unit trains - coal, grain,
> and oil.  The high/wide detector is probably no
> longer useful on Stampede these days.
>
> I think a high/wide detector is located on the
> Stevens Pass line - near Sultan? - that wasn't
> there a few years ago - could this be the
> transplanted Auburn detector?
>
> Tony Dell
> Puyallup, WA

That makes sense. No loaded stack trains, just empty grain. Check, thanks!

Any news from anyone about raising the roof on the Stampede Pass tunnels? (Or lowering the floor)?

Ed

The Hi-Wide detector was moved just up the line to Covington, WA.