Tacoma Yard Question

[RacerTodd]

I'm editing my next railfanning video and have a quick question.
I was shooting by the Tacoma Yard, on Dock St under the S 21st bridge and caught action on all 4 tracks. I'd like to know the names of the tracks so I can properly name them on the video.

Here is a screen shot. I'm on Dock St facing west. I've labeled the tracks A through D.

Thanks!
Todd

 

[The Renton Rocket]

I'm editing my next railfanning video and have a quick question.
I was shooting by the Tacoma Yard, on Dock St under the S 21st bridge and caught action on all 4 tracks. I'd like to know the names of the tracks so I can properly name them on the video.

Here is a screen shot. I'm on Dock St facing west. I've labeled the tracks A through D.

Thanks!
Todd

I'll take a good guess A is the dock lead, B Tacoma Main, C main 1, D main 2. But i'll dubble check next time i'm down there

The Tacoma main goes into the yard and the dock lead go to the "round house" and rip shed and turn table

 

[ES44AC]

A, Dock Lead
B, Tacoma Main
C, Main one(1)
D, Main two(2)

 

[Stan Lytle]

I'll go with Jason, I recall them being Dock Lead, Tacoma Main, Main 1, and Main 2. The track names are painted on the rails at the closed A Street crossing. The Dock Lead serves all the of the yard (turntable, fuel racks, yard). You can Google the yard and see the layout. And if I remember, there was a thread here about 2(?) years ago here, Steve Carter(?) and maybe others had some photos during construction. I was too busy shooting roster shots to think about construction shots.

 

[BNSFEng]

I'm editing my next railfanning video and have a quick question.
I was shooting by the Tacoma Yard, on Dock St under the S 21st bridge and caught action on all 4 tracks. I'd like to know the names of the tracks so I can properly name them on the video.
Here is a screen shot. I'm on Dock St facing west. I've labeled the tracks A through D.
Thanks!
Todd

I started a thread called Tacoma Construction update with the last entry on 8/10/2008 on page 8 of the MoW archives. You can see the entire job from several points of view and the construction of the new tracks and see how the tracks looked like in the early 2000s if you want the historic perspective.

 

[ES44AC]

We reconfigured the whole plant at 21st and we also opened up the curve between A & D streets, and the south yard got rehab

 

[Ballard Beaver]

We reconfigured the whole plant at 21st and we also opened up the curve between A & D streets, and the south yard got rehab

did that change the speed limit around that curve? i always thought that it seemed tight and the trains were going quite slow there.

 

[ES44AC]

Yes it did, IIRC, the speed went up to 35MPH.

 

[Stan Lytle]

I thought the speed restriction went from 10mph to 30 mph. What ever the increase, it used to be a nice spot for roster shots. Now they are right up against the fence, and at a speed that you can't get a good shot. Crew changes used to be done right in front of the yard office, and you could get good shots when they were stopped or nearly stopped. Now they change crews down at 21st Street, and except for early AM, it's really poor lighting.

 

[ES44AC]

I don't remember what the speed is.

 

[BNSFEng]

I don't remember what the speed is.

30 mph is the correct speed. When I hired on to the railroad in 1994 and found out a big huge railroad like the BN had a double track mainline with a 10 MPH speed restriction on a curve I was very disappointed. It should have been fixed many years ago. Just like CTC between Seattle and Tacoma should have happened back in the 60's.

 

[PNWhogger]

30 mph is the correct speed. When I hired on to the railroad in 1994 and found out a big huge railroad like the BN had a double track mainline with a 10 MPH speed restriction on a curve I was very disappointed. It should have been fixed many years ago. Just like CTC between Seattle and Tacoma should have happened back in the 60's.

Always a pain to have to slow down 10mph for that curve. The CTC is nice. No more track warrants to have to remember.

 

[East Of Easton]

Always a pain to have to slow down 10mph for that curve. The CTC is nice. No more track warrants to have to remember.

Just he opposite from a foamer's perspective. Now traffic zips through town with nary a whisper.

 

[Damon Hill]

The bridge that replaces the former D St. crossing provides some nice views for railfans of the curve and the entire yard--even passenger-style benches with reversible backs. But you do have to be quicker getting those photos.

Has the A Street crossing also been closed?

 

[East Of Easton]

Physically closed, still active railroad wise.