Scenic Sub Slides

[KristopherJ]

Thursday evening (3-10-11) I saw on the evening news that there had been a mud slide near Everett and that Sounder trains were terminated.

For those of you outside the NW, the Scenic Sub is the former GN line out of Seattle and heads over Stevens Pass. This slide was at MP 1784.3 or .4 (thats my guess).

Friday morning I headed to the scene to see what it looked like. When I got to the slide, an eastbound Z train was passing thru. The top containers were hitting the tree hanging over the track.

You could hear the mud and dirt falling, I was expecting the whole thing to go at any time.

-KristopherJ

 

[KristopherJ]

The M-EVEEVE came by on the Low Line and they called the DS to let her know that the tree was hanging low over the track.

It took awhile for someone to finally get there to look things over. Around 11am Amtrak #7 was allowed to depart Everett station and proceed past the slide.

In the second photo you can see a guy up at the top looking things over. After I came back from lunch the Little Giant was removing the debris. Then the signal maintainer repaired the slide fence.

-Kristopher J

 

[Jon Bentz]

Is this near Howarth Park and Everett Jct?

 

[KristopherJ]

Is this near Howarth Park and Everett Jct?

This location is about 100-200 yards north of Everett Jct. It is between the junction and the old Amtrak station. The trail is the Pigeon Creek Trail. Here is the link to the trail:

http://www.portofeverett.com/home/index.asp?page=63

You can park by the old Amtrak station and walk down to the trail, or turn left at the light and go over the tracks by Kimberly-Clark like you're going into the Port. Before you get to the guard shack, follow the arrows and make a u-turn, there are 3-4 parking spots along the road leaving the Port.

-Kristopher J

 

[Jon Bentz]

Thanks for the directions. Have they ever hassled you about photography down there. The security at Kimberly Clark is tight because of the chlorine tank cars on the spur in middle of the plant. They don't allow photography. Is port security tight to?

 

[KristopherJ]

Thanks for the directions. Have they ever hassled you about photography down there. The security at Kimberly Clark is tight because of the chlorine tank cars on the spur in middle of the plant. They don't allow photography. Is port security tight to?

Jon,
I have never been harrassed-yet. All of my photography has been from Bond Street south. I've never been up by the pulp mill.

No one from the Port has called me in yet. A couple years ago I photograph the Boeing Switch pulling a cut of cars off the dock, granted it was a Sunday morning and not many longshoremen are around at that time. There are no signs about photography. It's clearly marked as a "public trail". It opened in 2005, so if the City of Everett or the Port is concered about photography they should have never opened it. That's just my opinion, and I will make that clear in court if it ever comes to that.

The only word of caution I would give is when you go to the beach at the end of the trail, there are 2 homeless guys living there. They are not friendly, one looks like Charles Manson, and when they saw my camera gear they both started asking question about how much it was worth.

-Kristopher J

 

[ES44AC]

When I go out to take pictures alone anywhere, I always carry my .45 especially at remote or secluded areas.

The only word of caution I would give is when you go to the beach at the end of the trail, there are 2 homeless guys living there. They are not friendly, one looks like Charles Manson, and when they saw my camera gear they both started asking question about how much it was worth.

-Kristopher J

 

[Jon Bentz]

When I go out to take pictures alone anywhere, I always carry my .45 especially at remote or secluded areas.

Yikes! I'm 62 and have been on my own up on the 'hill' many times - never even thought about packing heat. If I see any 'suspicious' looking folks when I'm out - I just head the other way.

 

[mrmoose]

When I go out to take pictures alone anywhere, I always carry my .45 especially at remote or secluded areas.

I guess I won't be sneakin' up on ya' anytime soon then, if I see ya' trackside........

 

[KristopherJ]

KOMO 4 News just reported a mud slide south of Edmonds has cancelled Sounder service on Monday.

-Kristopher J

 

[Trackside]

I heard slides at MP 13.6, and another one at Howarth Park which apparently the westbound Z hit.

 

[ES44AC]

It's ok Kurt.

I guess I won't be sneakin' up on ya' anytime soon then, if I see ya' trackside........

 

[Jon Bentz]

Just were your bullet proof vest when you're out with Jason.

 

[mrmoose]

It's ok Kurt.

 

[Ballard Beaver]

Just heard centralia south dispatcher say that there are no less than 11 mudslides up north of seattle. he told a train near centralia to park it.

wow.

 

[Beverlyhelper]

Slides between Seattle and Everett

Just heard centralia south dispatcher say that there are no less than 11 mudslides up north of seattle. he told a train near centralia to park it.

wow.

It's just the cost of doing business. Slides have been coming down on this stretch since the late 1890's when the line was opened. There was a time in the 40's when GN considered building causeways across the open stretches, like from Golden Gardens to Richmond Beach, and then again north of Edmonds, but it was too cost-prohibitive (bet they wished they'd done it then before environmental rules kicked in!). This 30-mile stretch is always going to be slide-prone and BNSF will just have to live with it. When I worked with GN back in the 60's at Edmonds, we had a ditcher stationed at Edmonds, and slide patrols (on those wonderful speeders) went out in front of passenger trains schedules. I got to ride them a few times Edmonds to Golden Gardens, and Edmonds to MP31. Great times.

 

[ES44AC]

There is the diesel electric American crane at Edmonds for slides.

When I worked with GN back in the 60's at Edmonds, we had a ditcher stationed at Edmonds

 

[TCJim]

Have any studies been done on what it would take to shore up the slide areas, if BNSF actually owned the properties the slides are coming down from?

Before you say "Costs way too much!", realize that we spend millions on retaining walls for lightly travelled roads in this state.

For example, if you take SR522 east through Bothell as it passes the UW/Cascadia College campus, that is a pretty massive retaining wall holding back that hillside.

That project was listed as costing around $42 Million.

Now think for a moment, the actual route of SR522 through that area didn't need a retaining wall, it was created for that additional entrance/exit to the college. The college was already accessible via Beardslee Blvd.

Discount the cost of the overpass and traffic control, and it can be argued that 'my tax dollars' were spent on an un-needed 'driveway', without any question.

Granted, BNSF can run freight trains immediately after (and deadhead passenger equipment), but I wonder why we won't invest the same money in making a reliable corridor that carries over 1000 people per day (and we haven't even gotten to the summer travel season, and once gas tops $4.00/gal), that number could easily be over 2,500/day.

We spend more on highways built in 'critical areas' where the daily counts are only around 4,000 - 5,000 per day.

Jim

 

[Bluefox]

Jon,
I have never been harassed-yet. All of my photography has been from Bond Street south. I've never been up by the pulp mill.

No one from the Port has called me in yet. A couple years ago I photograph the Boeing Switch pulling a cut of cars off the dock, granted it was a Sunday morning and not many longshoremen are around at that time. There are no signs about photography. It's clearly marked as a "public trail". It opened in 2005, so if the City of Everett or the Port is concerned about photography they should have never opened it. That's just my opinion, and I will make that clear in court if it ever comes to that.

The only word of caution I would give is when you go to the beach at the end of the trail, there are 2 homeless guys living there. They are not friendly, one looks like Charles Manson, and when they saw my camera gear they both started asking question about how much it was worth.

-Kristopher J

Howdy Guys, Jon, Jason, Kristopher, etc. If you want the official Port policy you can contact Lisa Mandt at Lisam@portofeverett.com she is in charge of that sort of thing. My experience though is that if we have some sensitive material we don't want people nosing around or seeing we close off the trail and if we see someone taking pictures we ask them to put away the cameras,and to Please Leave, and come back another day. Most of the time there is no problem.
One of the things you don't see in the pictures of the slide is the black corrugated drainage pipes home owners had hanging over the hill. Those were pointed out to me by one of the BNSF Super's that was on the scene that day. He told the home owners were going to be in a heap of trouble over that. There is a question you can answer for me though and that is what is the name of the sub between Seattle and Everett? I work most of the time down at the Mt. Baker Terminal @ MP 29.1 C.P. Mukilteo on the pier Tues Night thru Sat morning doing 4-10's . Hope to see you around and meet you some day, Jon C.

 

[Jon Bentz]

Jon - Seattle to Everett is part of the Scenic Sub. Thanks for the info on Port photo policy. Always a balancing act between security and access. What you describe is a reasonable and civil approach. Now a question for you - is the Mt Baker terminal the new pier at Mukilteo?