Railroadforums.com is a free online Railroad Discussion Forum and Railroad Photo Gallery for railroaders, railfans, model railroaders and anyone else who is interested in railroads. We cover a wide variety of topics, including freight trains, passenger and commuter railroads, rail news and information, tourist railroads, railway museums and railroad history.
Still no Empire Builder as a northbound (tt/east) freight passes through between the 5:30 and 6:00 Sounders. You cannot tell from this angle, but NS 2536 is an SD70 without the wide comfort cab seen on all the post SD40-2 BNSF diesels.
6:00 Sounder
The Empire Builder must be running very late as the garbage train is released after the 6:00 Sounder passes.
Around noon Friday (8-31-18) a southbound (tt/west) local passed Sunset Ave. I was not in a good spot to photograph the three shiny swooped-out Geeps at the head. I am sure many will miss the old Cascade green Geeps, but those units were getting very ratty looking.
BNSF 2515 may officially be a GP39-3, but with its distinctive raised dynamic brake blister, it will remain a GP30 to us old-timers.
BNSF 3035 is a former Santa Fe GP40X. Note the flaired, SD45 type radiators.
The Geeps were pulling some Boeing bunker flats and tank cars.
Looking south with the 100-400L II telephoto zoom.
Clearing Main St. crossing.
Dayton St. crossing is clear and the train has entered the curve just past MP17 next to Marina Beach and the off-leash dog park.
A train going into emergency can (and has) block the only access to the waterfront and ferry dock. An emergency waterfront connector has been proposed which would be built where I am standing. The connector would have a walkway which would provide new photo angles.
The evening Seattle-Vancouver, BC Cascades passes the marsh Saturday (9-1-18) about a half hour before sunset. The soot pattern above the windshield of 459 suggests it may have been recently used as the trailing unit on the Empire Builder.
While my son and I spent Labor Day at home, we did get down to Sunset Ave. around noon where I talked with a railfan from Japan. I told him to be sure to get the MP18 sign in a photo as this is a famous location among railfans.
A light power hop got signals to continue south (tt/west) after an MoW pickup passed by.
The train behind it had to sit for two north bounds (tt/east), which we caught at the marsh.
while I took photos of the second, which was an empty garbage train.
We returned near sunset to look for birds. I tried for shots using my super telephoto setup of the marquee lighting on the lead Charger unit of the Seattle-Vancouver, BC., Cascades. I could see Vancouver, BC through my camera, but I could not get a photo.
At noon I heard an usual sounding horn blowing for the crossings, then a Seattle bound Sounder rolled through town without stopping. Perhaps a member can tell us what was going on, as this was not the usual time for a weekday Sounder in either direction.
I heard from a good authority that police were in this train. It would stop whenever people were observed walking on the right of way and the police would cite them for trespassing.
On 8-10-18 the power unit of the evening Vancouver, BC-Seattle Cascades was a blue & silver EMD diesel. The diesel was lettered AMTRAK, not Cascades. It is the first blue & silver unit I have seen up here in over 20 years. One of the original Cascades Talgo sets back in the 90's was painted blue & silver before being repainted to the standard dark green, cream, and mocha.
The same unit or similar unit was the power a Tuesday afternoon (9-4-18) Everett bound Sounder.
A northbound (tt/east) passed the marsh Monday afternoon (9-10-18). A UP unit was in the consist along with four older Geeps.
Autumn colors are starting to appear in the trees at the marina across the tracks.
I returned in the evening while my son was playing tennis and photographed the lead Charger unit of the evening Seattle-Vancouver, BC Cascades with the big telephoto setup.
Just about got VANCOUVER BC on the marquee board.
You can see inside the engine compartment at night.
The one that got away: A southbound that had been waiting for the Cascades at MP 18 pulled out as I was driving down Sunset Ave. on my way to pick up my son. Its power was several older diesels that I have seen in lashups on transfer runs, including an SD40-2. It was too dark for photos, anyway.
Tuesday morning (9-11-18) I caught the Cascades returning from Vancouver, BC to Seattle.
At the suggestion of someone here, I shot at 1/125 to catch the full marquee destination sign on the nose of the Charger unit. Unfortunately that slow a shutter speed blurs the train.
A returning garbage empty had three units, which is unusual.
Trying to catch LED's on a moving vehicle is tough. Even shooting a stationary digital display, you should be around 1/30 to not get any weird patterns.
A cool numbered diesel headed a southbound (tt/west) Monday afternoon (9-24-18).
A southbound (tt/west) light power hop of two Geeps crossed Dayton St. while I was out on the fishing pier. The extended number boards to accommodate PTC hardware are visible on 3150.
Monday afternoon (10-1-18) was my first time trackside on Sunset Ave. since returning from my high school class reunion in Idaho. Fall weather has moved in as it was cloudy with occasional rain drops. A southbound (tt/west) freight with four Boeing 737 fuselages was sitting at MP 18.
The middle unit was one of Uncle Pete's. I have seen a lot of UP units going through lately. I'll have to review my photos to see if it is the same one.
I thought the freight would leave immediately after the Sounder cleared, but it sat for a northbound (tt/east) train that at first glance looked like a coal train.
I don't know if this is coal or coke, as coal trains usually consist of BNSF hoppers.
My son and I were out on the fishing pier Thursday afternoon (10-4-18) photographing birds with the super-duper telephoto setup when a southbound (tt/west) freight with foreign power (quite literally) passed through town.
The one that got away: Wednesday (?) a southbound (tt/west) passed through town with GP60M/GP60B's in the lashup. The trailing unit was a freshly pained FURX Geep in bright maroon.
RailroadForums.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com
RailroadBookstore.com - An online railroad bookstore featuring a curated selection of new and used railroad books. Railroad pictorials, railroad history, steam locomotives, passenger trains, modern railroading. Hundreds of titles available, most at discount prices! We also have a video and children's book section.
ModelRailroadBookstore.com - An online model railroad bookstore featuring a curated selection of new and used books. Layout design, track plans, scenery and structure building, wiring, DCC, Tinplate, Toy Trains, Price Guides and more.
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a commision from some of the links and ads shown on this website (Learn More Here)