Western Railroad Discussion > A Stormy Evening in Kent, WA

This past Sunday I had a few opportunities to make it out of the house between plumbers and final errands/touches on a little kitchen refresh happening at home. Home ownership has been amazing, but paying a plumber 625$ to install two 3/8ths supply lines under the kitchen sink sure stings! Anyway! The morning shots on my way to Home Depot left something to be desired, but I was able to shoot the Kent Valley Local south of Seattle for their first bit of work before it got dark.

I arrived to the small yard in Kent as torrential rain was soaking everything. The cells were moving fast and I knew that they'd break with some rays of sunshine. By this time of year in the northern latitudes it is staying light until 9pm. I started on the mainline to shoot an empty grain shuttle, before connecting with the local job to try and asses where they'd be working. The local currently has ex-BN GP38-2 2096 in consist which is becoming a sort of local legend as I believe the entire number of Cascade Green GPs for BNSF is down to single digits. 

1. As the skies began to open up an Interbay originating empty grain shuttle, most likely headed for Stampede Pass, came into view past the Kent Yard. The yard is primarily used for Autorack trains to be broken down and unloaded at a facility just out of sight. The Kent Local also uses the yard to switch manifest traffic for a dozen local industries populating a few old school industrial complexes.

2. Just before the crew showed up the most brilliant storm lighting illuminated the sitting power. Some of the most intense lighting conditions I've experienced.

3. Tonight's crew was incredibly friendly and foamer friendly which always makes the chase that much more enjoyable. They shared they'd be working the yard and then shoving back to one boxcar industry before working autos for the remainder of the night. 

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4. Something I really appreciate after living up here full time for 6-months is that crews use a caboose for most shove moves. I'm not sure if it is a contractual mandate or if they just do it better up here in the PNW. The conductor can be seen protecting the shove as the local nears Sheets Unlimited where they produce a wide variety of cotton sheets. However, it looks like the railroad brings in rolls of paper and leaves with empties. 

5. Wide angle from the switch. The crew drops the caboose before getting to work.

6. After setting the caboose, the crew will pull empties before setting and spotting loads at the loading bays. Someone with more information will have to share if it is empties or loads going out and what the materials is. 

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7. The conductor protects the shove, sets hand brakes, and then spots each individual boxcar aligned with a particular loading bay

8. After meticulously spotting each boxcar, the brakeman is ready to uncouple from the power before picking up the pulled cars

9. 2096 in all of its glory... AND working class lights gingerly couples onto the outbound cars for a job well done by a well-oiled crew

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BNSF 2096 is former SLSF?

DD40 Wrote:
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> BNSF 2096 is former SLSF?

It was built and delievered new to BN in 1985

Man you could have flown me from Tulsa to SEA and I'd have done all your plumbing work free, plus we could have chased trains for less than $625!!!!  Ouch!!!!

Jerry
ATSF5669

Caboose with a K3 horn. Have never seen that before!
Nice posting!
Regards, Jim Evans

Very NICE series, except the plumbing bill.

Larry

Nice shots! You managed to make Kent look good...

Jim B

Great group of photos in the late-day lighting.  Actually the 2096 is even older - having been delivered to BN in November, 1974:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoPicture.aspx?id=83195

Rich

SCUfoamer Wrote:
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> DD40 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > BNSF 2096 is former SLSF?
>
> It was built and delievered new to BN in 1985

SCUfoamer Wrote:
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> The local currently
> has ex-BN GP38-2 2096 in consist which is becoming
> a sort of local legend as I believe the entire
> number of Cascade Green GPs for BNSF is down to
> single digits. 

67 by my count.

> 1. As the skies began to open up an Interbay
> originating empty grain shuttle, most likely
> headed for Stampede Pass, came into view past the
> Kent Yard.

That's the Orillia Yard, and where you caught the crew just beginning to work is the Glacier Park yard.

SCUfoamer Wrote:
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> 2. Just before the crew showed up the most
> brilliant storm lighting illuminated the sitting
> power. Some of the most intense lighting
> conditions I've experienced.

That's an eye-popping lighting contrast, with a "just washed" look from the rain.

Good to see BN 2096 in your report again. Thanks for posting!
 

When I lived in the North Sound, it was not uncommon to see such dramatic lighting.  At Delta Yard in Everett, the BN maintained at least two former cabooses to use as shoving platforms for the Boeing train.  I also saw several former cabooses at both Stacy and Interbay yards to be used as shoving platforms. IIRC, the local that served West Seattle regularly used a shoving platform

MP555 Wrote:
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> 67 by my count.
> That's the Orillia Yard, and where you caught the
> crew just beginning to work is the Glacier Park
> yard.

Thanks for the yard orientation. Your count of 67 probably includes all cascade green GPs including those rusted to rails in the dusty corners of terminals with an infinite list of work orders and ones that are in storage. My single digit estimate was for active service, still pulling revenue freight.

Lookin’ good…great imagery. That’s the regular crew…all been around awhile and seasoned, good at what they do.

Great pics!!