Western Railroad Discussion > Busy afternoon on the BNSF Seattle Sub

1) The old guard is still in charge, but not for long as the work for the new routing of passenger trains is well under way.  Here's Cascades 516 is passing under a new signal bridge at the Nisqually interlocking. 

2) The going away shot, with the new route (old track work still) off to the right, along with some of the new welded rail for the new route. 

3) Some of the new switch motors needed for the project. 

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography

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4) On the heels of 516, was a northbound baretable. 5) After the northbound bare table rolled by, this southbound freight helped to illustrate some of the aspects of the new route for the passenger trains, including a new signal.  Yes, the telephoto exaggerates the grade. 6) I was planning on heading home, but I heard a meet around Steilacoom on the radio, so I diverted to another location near Nisqually (just north of I-5) and caught this unusual empty grainer move (southbound, instead of over Stampede).  This was the INBPAS and may be headed for storage. 

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography

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7) When I have a choice between I-5 or a route home along the Sound through Steilacoom, I always pick I-5 (right!)  As I left the Nisqually area, I heard about a bit of a traffic jam shaping up between Steilacoom and Titlow, where a NB UP grainer was tied down.  I arrived in Steilacoom just in time to catch this SB UP intermodal approaching the ferry boat crossing, while a NB BNSF grainer was already in the crossing.  They met in front of an ugly chain link fence in bad light (i.e no photo).
 
8) Like the soutbound UP lead unit, the lead unit on the BNSF grainer (seen crossing Bridge 14 at Chambers Creek) has some decal problems.  This unit looks as if it has an idenity crisis. 

9) Here's the result of the traffic jam.  The dispatcher's plan, as I interpreted it, was for the BNSF grainer to keep rolling along a track speed through Steilacoom, past CP Bridge 14 and up to CP Pioneer where it would have either have just passed the southbound UP or only waited briefly, before crossing over to main 1 to pass the UP train tied down at Titlow, and then on to the Nelson Bennett tunnel, passing the southbound Cascades 509 on main 2, between Nelson Bennett and Titlow, which would allow the 509 to crossover at Titlow without stopping.  Didn't work out that way.  Due to perhaps an lack of communication and over (necessary?) abundance of concern for blocking the ferry boat crossing, the northbound BNSF grainer stopped just south of the ferry boat crossing and requested instructions as to if they should proceeed on to Bridge 14 ( the signal of which they can't see) and/or on to Pioneer.  That delay was enough to unravel the plan, resulting in 509 cooling it's heels for a few minutes at Titlow.  At least the passengers had a nice view. 

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography

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10) With reasonable light and known train about ready to head south along the Sound, I went to a nearby spot to catch 509.  The results here is a composite shot of the train at three different spots between Titlow and Nisqually.  The first location it is just about 1 mile south of Titlow, the next spot is approaching Salter point, just south of the Steilacoom ferry (bridge 15 is barely visible) and finally, it just past Solo point and about to pass under the gravel loader for Glacier Northwest. 

11) The shot of the day..  While taking the last series of shots to make the composite, I had to avoid some trees that were invading the shot.  But it occurred to me that those branches might be a nice addition if there was a bird perched thereabout.  Perhaps a robin, or something similar, or maybe an eagle.  This guy (or gal) swooped in a couple of minutes after the last shot of the 509.  I was certain that by the time I got back to my truck and a spot that would feature the bald predator, that both badly and trains would be missing from the shot. But he stuck around and after numerous shots and waiting, I heard the rumble and horns of an approaching southbound.  

12) The eagle finally found his dinner shortly after the train vanished from the scene. It was time for mine as well, so I called it day ( a very nice one).   Note the railroad tracks in the background (required railroad content). 

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography

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Great stuff again! I think I'll be seeing #11 as the IOTD - what a shot!

Steve, I love your photos. With a daughter now living up there and retirement arriving, it's nice to see what I can look forward to.

Jim

 It's hard to beat a train photo, that includes an Eagle!

GP30Frank Wrote:
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>  It's hard to beat a train photo, that includes
> an Eagle!

AGREED...!!

GOOD stuff....!!

Great bunch.
JB

Really great photos.

Ronda Thomas

Great pics and I know you had a blast!

Posted from Android

Thanks for all the nice comments. 

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography

The "Circuitron 6000 Tortoise" is a model RR switch machine.  Photoshop at play in photo #3 perhaps????

spladiv Wrote:
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> The "Circuitron 6000 Tortoise" is a model RR
> switch machine.  Photoshop at play in photo #3
> perhaps????

I was wondering when someone would notice that.   Yes, couldn't resist a little Photoshop fun. 

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography