Westbound grainers over Stevens Pass.....

[douglasm]

Just had a westbound grainer (I assume loaded) come through Rock Island. I know somewhere we talked about this happening, but I don't remember why. Will it (and coal) be more common this summer? And why Stevens and not Stampede Pass?

 

[Ballard Beaver]

im not a rail but i imagine that they run em over stevens because there still might be track work on fallbridge, or maybe just to remove congestion on fallbridge in general. i think the grades are steeper on stampede than on scenic. and from what i have seen the extra trains running over stampede have been eastbounds. generally i am still only seeing the one westbound per day.

also i have not been seeing that many grainers over scenic as i thought there would be. last year there were like two per day. i dont think they are running em that much at the present moment.

on a side note, there are some congestions problems on scenic right now. dont know if it is due to maintenance or what, but just heard on the wenatchee radio that "every siding is full" and they have crew vans going to get dead crews at cashmere, leavenworth, winton...

 

[washy]

im not a rail but i imagine that they run em over stevens because there still might be track work on fallbridge, or maybe just to remove congestion on fallbridge in general. i think the grades are steeper on stampede than on scenic. and from what i have seen the extra trains running over stampede have been eastbounds. generally i am still only seeing the one westbound per day.

also i have not been seeing that many grainers over scenic as i thought there would be. last year there were like two per day. i dont think they are running em that much at the present moment.

on a side note, there are some congestions problems on scenic right now. dont know if it is due to maintenance or what, but just heard on the wenatchee radio that "every siding is full" and they have crew vans going to get dead crews at cashmere, leavenworth, winton...

The grade is the same both are 2.2%, the BNSF is still getting over the numerous derailments they had last month. Also traffic has picked up quite a bit the last few weeks..

 

[auburnrails]

We're staying in Leavenworth for several days. Went out this afternoon to do a little train watching and saw an empty eastbound coal in the hole at Leavenworth and an eastbound freight (EVESPO?) with mid-train dpu's tied down at Cashmere.

Thanks to BNSF congestion, we ended up visiting the Aplets and Cotlets store. Ugh.

-Dave

 

[Beverlyhelper]

Aplets and Cotlets

We're staying in Leavenworth for several days. Went out this afternoon to do a little train watching and saw an empty eastbound coal in the hole at Leavenworth and an eastbound freight (EVESPO?) with mid-train dpu's tied down at Cashmere.

Thanks to BNSF congestion, we ended up visiting the Aplets and Cotlets store. Ugh.

-Dave

Whacha mean, "ugh?" Great mini-industrial tour, and great treats! My dad ran excursion trains to Cashmere back in the 60's and the shop was one of the highlights of the tour!

 

[douglasm]

Besides, it's right across the street from the tracks. Any idea why the westbound was holed up in Cashmere (Bell crossing) all morning?

 

[Trackside]

There have been a bunch of trains over the pass in the last few days.

I count 20 trains over Stevens for Monday.

 

[auburnrails]

Whacha mean, "ugh?" Great mini-industrial tour, and great treats! My dad ran excursion trains to Cashmere back in the 60's and the shop was one of the highlights of the tour!

Didn't mean to hit a nerve. lol Actually, it wasn't a bad visit or anything, but I'm not a fan of Aplets and Cotlets and the tours were done for the day. That left the giftshop and a dead main outside - not much to it, really.

Any idea why the westbound was holed up in Cashmere (Bell crossing) all morning?

When we were in Cashmere in early afternoon, there was an eastbound freight with midtrain dpu's sitting. Not sure how long it'd been there.

There have been a bunch of trains over the pass in the last few days.

I count 20 trains over Stevens for Monday.

Well, when I went back to the Leavenworth depot around 6pm yesterday, the eastbound coal was gone and an eastbound empty grain was rolling into the siding, It met a westbound mixed freight with 6 units on the point (including a BN green GP39M). It then departed east, so things seemed to be moving at that point.

-Dave

 

[PNWhogger]

Busy day on the Scenic sub. An EB empty coal had DP problems in the tunnel and things snowballed from there. Lots of dead trains and dogcatches. The loaded grainer made it up and over Stevens without any problems (I was on board.)

 

[otlocal]

Same situation on the Oregon Trunk,they've been running like street cars,trains tied down for days,crew van really busy,as of yesterday anyway.

 

[washy]

Busy day on the Scenic sub. An EB empty coal had DP problems in the tunnel and things snowballed from there. Lots of dead trains and dogcatches. The loaded grainer made it up and over Stevens without any problems (I was on board.)

Are you saying that's why it didn't have problems is cause you were on it?? (Jab jab..j/k)..

 

[PNWhogger]

Are you saying that's why it didn't have problems is cause you were on it?? (Jab jab..j/k)..

I'm a grain train good luck charm

 

[washy]

I'm a grain train good luck charm

Then that's a good thing!!

 

[run8]

I'm a grain train good luck charm

What I remember from the last couple of years is that guys didn't want you to ride with them because odds were something would happen when you were on board.

 

[PNWhogger]

What I remember from the last couple of years is that guys didn't want you to ride with them because odds were something would happen when you were on board.

Yeah, I finally used up my bad luck tokens. It's all blue skies and sunshine from here.