Western Railroad Discussion > Snow trips to the BNSF Scenic sub

This past Wednesday found me with some unexpected time on my hands, so a quick trip to the BNSF Scenic sub seemed like a good idea.

Lots of snow but not many trains, due to a train with mechanical problems just west of Scenic.

But one good shot for the day is good enough.

1) An EB stack train with BNSF 5219 was languishing in Skykomish for a couple of hours until the train with a broken airline managed to find it's way in to the siding. It was getting dark so, I figured I would be lucky to get one shot of this train crossing the Foss River bridge east of Skykomish. I'd already driven it a couple of times and had a good idea of how much time I'd have after the train left town. After verifying it was under way, I drove quickly to the bridge and stepped out of the truck only to hear the roar of the GE's already. A mad dash in the snow and ice to the right spot, opening the tripod on the way, left me with just enough time for one test shot, and a manual focus. As soon as the light hit the trees, I opened the shutter and prayed it would turn out. It wasn't until I got home several hours later that I was able to tell that it was in focus and all I had hoped for.

2) Here's the train crossing the South fork of the Skykomish river a couple hours earlier.

3) The following Saturday my son and I headed back to the Scenic sub. Some inside info prepared us for a dearth of trains, with the only hope of something interesting being a work train at Skykomish. Turned out to be the snow plow. Here it is in Skykomish getting ready to back down off the siding and back on to the main for an EB move.

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography

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4) When the plow headed back our way, we weren't expecting it to be plowing. My son (8yrs) got this shot out his window. Is that a wave from the crew?

5) We dashed (at the speed limit) through town to the crossing at the east end, to find the plow stopped in the crossing. They had hit something and broke an air line, we could smell the oil tainted air when we got out to get this shot.

6) After the hose was fixed, the backed toward Skykomish and we thought they were done.

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography

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7) But we were wrong. I heard "Ramming speed" over the radio and was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time. The chance for a snow plow pace shot was just about unbelievable. With camera set to high speed burst mode and hopefully the right shutter speed, I blasted away. This was the only one of the bunch in focus enough to work. Shortly after this shot, I heard "Stop, Stop, Stop.." They apparently hit a guard rail and spent some time making repairs.

8) Since the plow seemed out of service for a while, a call to our "Eye in the Sky" tipped us off to a train on it's way to the east portal of the Cascade tunnel. Thanks Chief!! We arrived with a couple of minutes before the train with this now rare paint scheme on the point.

9) We never saw the plow again, and it was getting late. On the way home, we heard of a meet at Gold Bar, and we waited to get an EB crossing the Skykomish River at the Big Eddy.

All in all an enjoyable couple of days.

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography

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Very nice set of photos, a real feeling for a railroad in action. Thanks for sharing!

Very nice pics indeed. Wish I could get out there and get some snow shots.
The first pic with the glow on the bridge looks like the Polar Express is crossing! :D

Thanks for posting this fun-in-the-snow day images. Gerry

I AGREE great series of shots and the green plow great catch....

Those are really nice photos, especially # 1.

But in # 8, I noticed BNSF has changed the h/light to the nose. It sure takes away from the units face, with all that cutting.

DelMonteX Wrote:
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> This past Wednesday found me with some unexpected
> time on my hands, so a quick trip to the BNSF
> Scenic sub seemed like a good idea.
>
> Lots of snow but not many trains, due to a train
> with mechanical problems just west of Scenic.
>
> But one good shot for the day is good enough.
>
> 1) An EB stack train with BNSF 5219 was
> languishing in Skykomish for a couple of hours
> until the train with a broken airline managed to
> find it's way in to the siding. It was getting
> dark so, I figured I would be lucky to get one
> shot of this train crossing the Foss River bridge
> east of Skykomish. I'd already driven it a couple
> of times and had a good idea of how much time I'd
> have after the train left town. After verifying
> it was under way, I drove quickly to the bridge
> and stepped out of the truck only to hear the roar
> of the GE's already. A mad dash in the snow and
> ice to the right spot, opening the tripod on the
> way, left me with just enough time for one test
> shot, and a manual focus. As soon as the light
> hit the trees, I opened the shutter and prayed it
> would turn out. It wasn't until I got home
> several hours later that I was able to tell that
> it was in focus and all I had hoped for.
>
> 2) Here's the train crossing the South fork of the
> Skykomish river a couple hours earlier.
>
> 3) The following Saturday my son and I headed back
> to the Scenic sub. Some inside info prepared us
> for a dearth of trains, with the only hope of
> something interesting being a work train at
> Skykomish. Turned out to be the snow plow. Here
> it is in Skykomish getting ready to back down off
> the siding and back on to the main for an EB move.

Well done on the first one Steve. Hang that print up on the wall.

A great set of photos, particularly numbers 1,7,and 8. Love the snowplow pace shot!

Rich

That bridge light-blur shot is fantastic!

Love the plow pace shot!

Ryan

Really nice pacing shot Steve, and shots around Skykomish. I always enjoy the Snow Dozer "in action" shots!

--Sasquatch