Western Railroad Discussion > Puget Sound Sea Level Snow Day

Western Washington got a bunch of snow (for us) today.  Not record breaking but certainly resulting in havoc on the roads. 

The railroads on the other hand seemed to deal with it fairly well.   The snow began to fall early Sunday evening and kept up for nearly 24 hours.  With temperatures staying below freezing most of stuck around all day Monday.

Here's what the railroads looked like. 
1) Charger WDTX 1407 pulling Cascades 518 on Sunday, as the snow began to fall, at the 19th St crossing in Tacoma.

2) BNSF’s Tacoma yard with Monday’s snow fall.

3) The UP local working the Tacoma tide flats.

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/05/19 11:36 by DelMonteX.

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4 & 5) Tacoma Rail jobs working the Muni Yard

6) Muni Yard from the air

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/05/19 11:36 by DelMonteX.

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7) More of the Muni Yard from the air.

8) Pacific Rail Systems new MP15 working rather late in the day, pulling a cut of empty well cars to the transfer yard. 

9) Cascades 504 with Charger WDTX 1401 meets a BNSF intermodal at Ruston.  Never figured out which direction the stack train was headed.  It stretched from Ruston to CP Harbor, with two units on both ends.

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/05/19 11:37 by DelMonteX.

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10) A very late, more than 2 hours, Cacades 517 with Charger 1407, crosses Bridge 14, while a north bound coal train, stretched out all the way to ferry crossing, creeps north, anticipating a better signal a CP Pioneer. 

11) And a better signal appeared shortly thereafter as the coal train is now moving much faster as it passes the south edge of CP Pioneer. 

12) South bound BNSF freight with the Olympic mountains in the background.  It’s still snowing lightly, but the end of the storm (but not the cold) is seen in front of the mountains. 

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/05/19 11:37 by DelMonteX.

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13) Same train crossing Bridge 14.

14) Cascades 505 with Mater on the point, is only a few minutes behind 517, as it crosses Bridge 14. 

15) The wind is creating some rather choppy water on the usually calm Puget Sound, as Cascades 505 passes the old Steilacoom depot .

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/05/19 11:38 by DelMonteX.

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16) Charger WDTX 1400 brings up the marker lights of Cascades 505 as it crosses Bridge 15.5 and rounds the curve at Saltar Point. 

17) An empty coal train headed to Auburn and points east, is approaching Sunnyside Beach park, while the light “snow day” ferry traffic is blocked from boarding the Anderson Island ferry boat. 

18) An SD70 in the Executive paint scheme, brings up the rear of the empty coal train crossing Bridge 14.

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/05/19 11:38 by DelMonteX.

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19) Right behind the empty coal train was a short-on-hours empty grain train.  Both were eager to get to Auburn, but of course the dispatcher knew which on needed to get there first.  So, with Cascades 505 out of the way, the empty grainer crossed over to main 1 at CP Pioneer and back to main 2 at Titlow, which is just behind me.   Empty coal train conductor asked the dispatcher if they were chopped liver.   He responded, you’re both chopped liver, he’s just short on time chopped liver.

It was getting rather dark and the temperature was dropping, so I headed home.  Should have stuck around another hour, the sunset was pretty nice. 
 

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography

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These are just stunning.  Thanks Steve!

Excellent mixing drones and ground shots.  Like the bridges, one is to be replaced.

Bob

Another AMAZING series Steve. Thanks for sharing it with us.

BB

Those red/white Tacoma lokies look good in snow.

Those are some amazing shots!
JB

Quite pretty up there in the Pacific northwest.

Cheers, Jim

Awesome, Steve!
I can't wait to see your presentation at Winterail next month!

Hopmere Hank

The shots, aerial views of the yard, are really neat, but then it is hard to find a favorite.  All are excellent.  Thanks for the enjoyment of your work.  Mike. endmrw0205191047

Thank you for a really NICE series!!

Larry

Wow!  Thanks for all the nice comments. 

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography

All great photos. Number 1 of the 1407 reminds me of the scene from "Close Encounters" of passing alien craft on the highway.

Great stuff..!!  Thanks for sharing.

Nice shot of the Olympic Mountians. Nice work with photos 16,17 & 18.
John