Western Railroad Discussion > BNSF Scenic Sub, Carkeek Park, Thursday 6/6

A mostly-sunny-with-stormy-clouds day provided ample interesting and shifting light for several hours along the far west end of the Scenic Sub at Carkeek Park (about milepost 10.3).

1) 4:23 PM: On main 1, northbound (timetable eastbound) Sounder #1700 (with cabcar #304 leading and MP40PH-3C #921 pushing) heads through the S-curve.

2) 4:24 PM: #1700 heads around the next S-curve to the north, as a southbound (timetable westbound) intermodal (either the S-LPCTAC or S-LPCSEA) on main 2 is slowing to a stop at the intermediate signals at milepost 10.38 out-of-frame to the right (also where a defect detector is positioned).  This was 1 of 3 freights that would all come to a stop to wait for the 4 Sounders and the #8 Empire Builder to pass.  Power was ES44C4 #6835 and C44-9W #5304 (interestingly, no DPU's from going over Stevens Pass, which if present would've therefore been set out at Everett).

3) 4:50 PM: Eastbound Sounder #1702 (with cabcar #107 leading and MP40 #922 pushing) approaching the S-curve after crossing over from main 2 to 1 at control point Blue Ridge (along the neighborhood of the same name), in front of a stopped eastbound loaded oil unit on main 1 (power was C44-9W #4012, ES44DC #7861, and 2 DPU's: C44-9W #4895 and AC4400CW #5674).  (The #1700 had earlier also crossed over from 2 to 1 in front of said oil unit.)

Continued...

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Next 3:

4) 4:51 PM: #1702 approaches the intermediate signals at 10.38 after going underneath the park's pedestrian bridge.

5) 4:51 PM: #1702 rounds the next S-curve, passing the stopped S-series intermodal.

6) 5:06 PM: On main 1, the eastbound #8 Empire Builder with P42DC #206 heads through the S-curve, with the consist now at the 7 cars of the Summer travel season, with the addition of the 2nd coach.  The #8 also crossed over from 2 to 1 at Blue Ridge in front of the loaded oil.

Continued...

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Next 3:

7) 5:23 PM: Eastbound Sounder #1704 (with cabcar #301 leading and F59PHI #911 pushing) heads through the S-curve on main 1, also having crossed from 2 to 1 at Blue Ridge.  The building clouds have hidden the late afternoon sun, for the time being.

8) 5:33 PM: The eastbound loaded oil has gotten underway ahead of the arrival of the last Sounder, proceeding on main 1 to pass the still-stopped S-series intermodal, as well as a stopped local manifest behind the intermodal.  Another eastbound loaded oil would come later, but unlike the first, would not need to stop at Blue Ridge to wait for passenger traffic to clear.

9) 5:33 PM: Approaching the 10.38 signals and the intermodal.

Continued...

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Next 3:

10) 5:35 PM: Looking back through the S-curve, with the DPU's in sight.

11) 5:45 PM: The intermodal reflects on a still Puget Sound while waiting for the soon-to-arrive eastbound Sounder #1706.

12) 5:52 PM: Said Sounder #1706 (with cabcar #109 leading and F59 #909 pushing) passes the intermodal on its way to the next station stop at Edmonds.

Continued...

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Next 3:

13) 5:59 PM: The intermodal gets underway, with no more passenger trains to wait for.

14) 6:10 PM: With the intermodal having gotten underway, the local manifest proceeds forward to the 10.38 intermediate signals, waiting for the second eastbound loaded oil.  Power was SD75I #297, GP60B #340, and GP60M #156.

15) 6:18 PM: The second eastbound oil heads through the S-curve.  Power was ES44C4 #6739, ES44DC #7340, and 2 DPU's: ES44C4 #8174 and SD70MAC #9753.

Continued...

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Next 3:

16) 6:18 PM: Approaching the 10.38 signals and the local manifest.

17) 6:19 PM: Side view of the power.

18) 6:20 PM: The DPU's pass the manifest's power, as the clouds have moved away to the north.

Continued...

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Last 3:

19) 6:21 PM: DPU's heading into the next S-curve, with the cloud shadows still in the distance.

20) 6:22 PM: The local manifest gets underway.

21) 6:23 PM: Heading through the S-curve.

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Great shots!

Excellent photo study!

Ted Ferkenhoff
Flagstaff, AZ

We followed the local, symbolled EVELVJ, from Auburn to Tacoma later that evening.  The EVELVJ has been a good bet lately to get this kind of power.

Tony Dell
Spanaway, WA

Yesssir, the "Local" was the prize for the day.  Very nice modified H-1 schemed A-B-A consist.

I wonder if those units are still working the turn out of Spokane with the A-B-B-B-A combos.

Greg Stadter
Phoenix, AZ

Thanks, all.

E25 Wrote:
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> I wonder if those units are still working the turn out of Spokane with the A-B-B-B-A combos.

Yes, as far as I know, that is still the case.