Passenger Trains > Amtrak special at Easton, WA

This is a continuation thread started on the Western Board here: http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,2447562

East of the Cabin Creek Road grade crossing the passenger special led by the 2 BNSF C44-9W's stopped with the 4 Amtrak units between the Wye switches and then pulled the train east to let the two units on each end Wye themselves. The 75 moved around the Wye first. Here is something I never thought I'd see. The two legs of the Wye cross the John Wayne Pioneer trail. This trail was of course once the Milwaukee Road.

1) Here I am facing west on the old MILW ROW as the 75 slowly backs over the trail towards the tail track.

2) Moving forward again the 75 heads back out towards the ex-NP main line.

3) With lots of squealing and grinding the 75 is soon facing west so it can lead the special west out of Easton in a few hours.

Brian Ambrose
Renton, WA

---

---

---

Next comes the 73. It backs around the west leg of the Wye after the 75 has cleared and backed onto the other two Amtrak units.

4) Stopped on the tail track you can see why not much can be turned on the Wye at one time. Amtrak 73 will now head out the east leg of the Wye to be put on the rear of the test train.

Then the two BNSF units will couple to the 73 and the whole thing moved west again.

5) Here the 75/74/12 are heading up the train at the west end of Easton. They will stop in a few moments and the two BNSF units will cut off and tie up on a side track. Then the test train will back up again and park up by Easton once more, but are at least arranged to head west.

6) Back at Easton the 73 rests at the west end of the test train.

The test train would leave in about 90 minutes and I will mess up the shot. It had been sunny the whole time I was waiting west of Easton but just before the train arrived a cloud blocked out the sun over the tracks and the train was really, really dark while the rest of the scene was completely washed out still being in sunlight. I was not pleased but figure the testing will go on over two weeks so I stand a good chance of getting better shots in the coming days.

Brian Ambrose
Renton, WA

---

---

---

Thats going down in the history books as real rare to have Amtrak using the Easton wye. Thanks for the photo series.
Roger Beckett

Heard it went fairly well today..

Was the wye there when the MILW was running?

Thanks,

* JB *

prr4828 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Was the wye there when the MILW was running?
>
> Thanks,
>
> * JB *

No, though there was a connecting track between the NP and Milwaukee in that same area.

The NP did have a Wye at Easton though it was west of town and the tail track was to the north. The new Wyes tail track faces south and was installed by BNSF when the line was rebuilt in the mid-1990's.

Brian

It is a little confusing why they are using so much Amtrak equipment. I would think that the project would be very well developed and nearing completion, so they prefer the cars have the right characteristics and schemes for all the subsequent photos. What it also suggests is that Amtrak has abundant equipment and is not concerned with shortages elsewhere, is that the case? Maybe this is obsolete or gutted equipment?

The reason for so many cars is so they can calculate and input data into the computers for sropping distances. Starting with smaller trains and working up to the 24 cars. Have to have fhe right settings so the train stops before the red block or red flag.

Amtkrd4man Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The reason for so many cars is so they can
> calculate and input data into the computers for
> sropping distances. Starting with smaller trains
> and working up to the 24 cars. Have to have fhe
> right settings so the train stops before the red
> block or red flag.

All works great until the computer crashes unknowingly

Thats for sure. Hopefully I wont have to deal with it all.

Taking engines to seattle today. Possible one superliner also. Tk is also they migjt stop and pick up some cars at covington along the way