Western Railroad Discussion > Tracks In The Snow 2017

The 14th (or so) annual Tracks In the Snow event on Stevens Pass took place this past weekend.   Just an informal collections of Pacific Northwest railfans converging on the mountain pass that features the BNSF Scenic Sub (former GN crossing of the Cascades).    The Railroad town of Skykomish serves as a sort of headquarters and it’s always nice when Sky has snow.

1)    For me the weekend started on Friday with a westbound crossing the Skykomish River just east of Gold Bar with Mt Index in the background

2)    After securing my room at the Cascadia Inn, it was off to catch another westbound coming down the hill from Scenic, just before the Foss River bridge. 

3)    Later that evening after dinner, it was back out to the Foss River bridge to catch the Empire Builder. 

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography

---

---

---

4)    Saturday the first train for me during the light (there were about 10 trains during the night through Skykomish), was this westbound J train, featuring a gaggle of 737’s (some assembly desired). 

5)    The going away shot as the train crosses the Skykomish river just west of Skykomish.

6)    Up at Scenic (the west portal of the 7.8 mile long Cascade tunnel), three trains were to pass through in a relatively short period of time.   First a meet between a very long SPOEVE manifest, while an eastbound stack train (I think it was a Z train) held the siding. 

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography

---

---

---

7)    The stack train was finally given a light for the tunnel after the 20-30 minute exhaust flush.  The train featured a couple of slightly dirty units.

8)    The stack train heading for the tunnel under US 2. 

9)    There is plenty of time to make the drive (barring ski traffic and weather) from Scenic to the East Portal and catch a train at both ends.  Here’s the stack train approaching the portal.

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography

---

---

---

10)    About an hour later the second eastbound train made it through.  The SPOEVE held the main until this train arrived in Scenic 

11)    The SW sky was doing some pretty cool things while the stack train made its way to Berne and beyond.

12)    Ever get that feeling you’re not really alone?  It turned out I wasn’t alone while shooting the train.  These little specks are just a small portion of the probably millions of snow fleas that were slowing moving past me. 

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography

---

---

---

13)    Out at Merritt, another eastbound stack train passes under the signal bridge.

14)    And on down the hill to Wenatchee for a fresh crew.

15)    Decided to head home Saturday evening and my finale was this night shot in Index of a westbound train with Mt Index in the background. 

Another great event in the books!

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography

---

---

---

Great series of photos.

Ronda Thomas

GREAT stuff...!!

​I can't say I ever heard of snow fleas.......

Nice angle in photo #3.
John

jmbreitigan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nice angle in photo #3.
> John

And photo #9 looking into the tunnel!  Great series of photos!

Very NICE series!! 

Larry

Excellent photos, thanks for sharing.  It's nice to see photos from this subdivision. 

I worked this territory one day a week, as the Sunday 1st shift DS, as part of my relief job covering 2 other desks the other 4 days.  I liked working this territory and worked with some really great people from train crews to MOW.  I worked it the last 5 years before I retired in July 2015.  I don't miss the daily grind and "BS", but I sure miss the people I worked with.  They made the job very enjoyable

Nomosantafe
Portland, Oregon
"Pacific Wonderland"

Snow fleas?  That's a new one!

P Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Snow fleas?  That's a new one!

I'd heard of them, but never seen 'em.

They are arthropods and under the Springtail fleas classification.  Here's a link to some information on these cold critters


http://www.fleabites.net/springtail-and-snow-fleas-collembola-hypogastrura-nivicola/

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography

Looks Ike a signal sans backplate there in the second pic?

DelMonteX Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 7)    The stack train was finally given a light
> for the tunnel after the 20-30 minute exhaust
> flush.  The train featured a couple of slightly
> dirty units.
>
> 8)    The stack train heading for the tunnel
> under US 2. 
>
> 9)    There is plenty of time to make the drive
> (barring ski traffic and weather) from Scenic to
> the East Portal and catch a train at both ends.
>  Here’s the stack train approaching the portal.

Fantastic series!

I photo #8, the first signal (red) controls the siding.  The narrow signal in the background is an indication for the tunnel flushing.  I'm not clear on what the combinations mean, but it was flashing lunar when the train started up. 

zorz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Looks Ike a signal sans backplate there in the
> second pic?
>
> DelMonteX Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > 7)    The stack train was finally given a
> light
> > for the tunnel after the 20-30 minute exhaust
> > flush.  The train featured a couple of
> slightly
> > dirty units.
> >
> > 8)    The stack train heading for the tunnel
> > under US 2. 
> >
 

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography

Aha, thanks!

DelMonteX Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I photo #8, the first signal (red) controls the
> siding.  The narrow signal in the background is
> an indication for the tunnel flushing.  I'm not
> clear on what the combinations mean, but it was
> flashing lunar when the train started up. 
>
> zorz Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Looks Ike a signal sans backplate there in the
> > second pic?
> >
> > DelMonteX Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > 7)    The stack train was finally given a
> > light
> > > for the tunnel after the 20-30 minute exhaust
> > > flush.  The train featured a couple of
> > slightly
> > > dirty units.
> > >
> > > 8)    The stack train heading for the
> tunnel
> > > under US 2. 
> > >
>