Passenger Trains > Update on Empire Builder trains between Spokane and Sandpoint ID

Over the weekend, Empire Builder and BNSF freight trains were cancelled because of bridge overpass installation / construction activity west of Rathdrum, Idaho.  From what I could see this morning, a new bridge (Photo 1) is being constructed over BNSF rails just West of its Hauser re-fueling and staging yard.  The goal is to avoid further delays to emergency vehicles crossing BNSF's busy mainline.  At approximately 12:00pm - PDT today, I saw first the freight train that was cleared to proceed westbound under the new bridge.  Also seen today was a new, single-tracked bridge west of the Spokane River bridge.  For several years now, BNSF has been busy trying to double-track a very congested area from Sandpoint Idaho to Spokane Washington.  Still in progress are plans to double-track the Spokane River bridge (Photo 2 & 3).

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Wow!  Thank you for the photo update.  Great to see the work...

I think the bridge work in Spokane is for the new Pines Road underpass....

Posted from Android

I am not familiar with the specifics.  As a reference point, I concentrated on a large, yellow crane.  Behind that crane to the West is Pines.  Is there sufficient space in that area for an underpass?  If so, that would make a lot of sense for the locals, and non-locals alike.

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redberan4449 Wrote:
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> I am not familiar with the specifics.  As a
> reference point, I concentrated on a large, yellow
> crane.  Behind that crane to the West is Pines. 
> Is there sufficient space in that area for an
> underpass?  If so, that would make a lot of sense
> for the locals, and non-locals alike.

Is it possible that the new bridge (currently single-tracked) is part of the proposed underpass??  When I drove next to that bridge, I thought that it was crossing a creek, or something.

The new bridge is for the underpass.

Posted from Android

Thanks.

Any details about the Pine Creek Road bridge construction? How were the piers constructed? Will finishing work on the piers be necessary once the roadway is excavated?

New overpass at Pines Rd.

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From my on-site observation, it appears that a second bridge will be built on the left side of the new bridge.  Until then, this BNSF mainline will continue to be a single-track bottleneck in this area.