Western Railroad Discussion > UP on the BNSF Fallbridge sub?

Every weekday morning I cross the Fremont Bridge (I-405 in Portland, OR) over the Willamette River. Over the last few weeks I have noted long UP consists on the BNSF Fallbridge line between Union Station and the Willamette River railroad bridge. Anyone know why the UP trains are there? The UP line runs on the other side of the river, through the UP Albina yard. I assume this might be related to diversions due to the southern Oregon UP closure at Willamette Pass. But I do not see why UP would need to use the BNSF trackage in Portland.

UP has trackage rights trains in and out of Lake Yard. If I recall correctly, Lake Yard trains have a symbol of PT.

MisterPleasant Wrote:
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> Every weekday morning I cross the Fremont Bridge
> (I-405 in Portland, OR) over the Willamette River.
> Over the last few weeks I have noted long UP
> consists on the BNSF Willbridge line between Union
> Station and the Willamette River railroad bridge.
> Anyone know why the UP trains are there? The UP
> line runs on the other side of the river, through
> the UP Albina yard. I assume this might be
> related to diversions due to the southern Oregon
> UP closure at Willamette Pass. But I do not see
> why UP would need to use the BNSF trackage in
> Portland.

Nomo says:

Just to set the record straight, it's not the BNSF Willbridge Sub, it's the BNSF Fallbridge Sub.

Union Pacific and BNSF own the Portland Terminal Company. The PTRR was originally called the Northen Pacific Terminal Company and was owned by the Northern Pacific, Union Pacific, and the Southern Pacific. I do not know the percentages, but I think it's pretty close to 50 - 50 BNSF/UP.

At one time, the freight yard at Portland Union station was the interchange yard between the UP, SP & NP. NPTC / PTRR handled all the switching and servicing of the pasenger trains (pre-Amtrak). Cars were taken to Lake Yard and "looped" on the balloon track to prepare for outbound trains at the depot. I have memories of seeing a Terminal Company ALCO switcher pulling the consist of the Cascade into the station for the afternoon departure.

UP currently operates an MRVPT (Roseville - Portland) and an MNPPT (North Platte - Portland) into Lake Yard. They also run a Lake Yard Transfer from Albina Yard. They also run an MPTPS (Portland - Puget Sound & Pacific (Centralia, WA)) and an MPTFI (Portland - Fife, WA) NB out of Lake Yard on the BNSF Fallbridge Sub to Vancouver.


Nomosantafe
Fort Worth, Texas
"Where the West Begins"

SD9E Wrote:
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> UP has trackage rights trains in and out of Lake
> Yard. If I recall correctly, Lake Yard trains
> have a symbol of PT.


You recall correctly. I think UP also uses it as an escape route for Nothboud Seattle traffic if the north end of Albina Yard (and Peninsula Jct, etc) are clogged. I've seen UP's Seattle bound trains come through from time to time, typically at night.

DH7324 Wrote:
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> SD9E Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > UP has trackage rights trains in and out of
> Lake
> > Yard. If I recall correctly, Lake Yard trains
> > have a symbol of PT.
>
>
> You recall correctly. I think UP also uses it as
> an escape route for Nothboud Seattle traffic if
> the north end of Albina Yard (and Peninsula Jct,
> etc) are clogged. I've seen UP's Seattle bound
> trains come through from time to time, typically
> at night.


Nomo says:

No they don't. UP can only run the PTPS and PTFI north out of the Lake Yard.

nomosantafe Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> DH7324 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > SD9E Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > UP has trackage rights trains in and out of
> > Lake
> > > Yard. If I recall correctly, Lake Yard
> trains
> > > have a symbol of PT.
> >
> >
> > You recall correctly. I think UP also uses it
> as
> > an escape route for Nothboud Seattle traffic if
> > the north end of Albina Yard (and Peninsula
> Jct,
> > etc) are clogged. I've seen UP's Seattle bound
> > trains come through from time to time,
> typically
> > at night.
>
>
> Nomo says:
>
> No they don't. UP can only run the PTPS and PTFI
> north out of the Lake Yard.


I'm too busy paying attention to what you are saying on the radio to pay attention to the yellow crap rolling by anywasy, HAHA!

nomosantafe Wrote:
> Just to set the record straight, it's not the BNSF
> Willbridge Sub, it's the BNSF Fallbridge Sub.
>

Thanks for the correction, Nomo. And for the details on why UP is there. Apparently they have been there all along and I just have not noticed.

I believe, according to a recent STB filing (regarding P&W's trackage rights over the same track) that UP is limited to four trains daily between Union Station (MP 0.0) and PTRR Lake Yard.

PTRR is owned 60% by UP (40% UP, 20% Oregon & California -> SP) and 40% BNSF (40% Northern Pacific) - in the early years the railroad was known as the Northern Pacific Terminal Railroad.