Washington State is a Mess

[funnelfan]

Here is the latest Advisory from BNSF;

"To: All Impacted Customers
11/07/2006

Preliminary Report - Washouts on Pacific Northwest Division

We have a preliminary report of five subdivisions removed from service as thru-routes account flood conditions and washouts: Scenic, Stampede, Sumas, Bellingham and Fallbridge. Various washouts have been reported along the main track, preventing movement on these subdivisions. In addition, the Seattle Subdivision reported a mud slide blocking Main Two near Longview Jct., WA, 35 miles north of Vancouver , however, there is a clear route via Main One at this time.

The purpose of this email is to inform customers that BNSF personnel are enroute to these locations to determine the impact and how this may affect shipments on trains moving through this area.

No further information is available at this time. Customers will receive a separate advisory as soon as we receive additional updates, outlining the anticipated impact to shipments and the estimated time of the track opening. "

Notice that the only track left open in the western part of the state is the Seattle Sub. Furthermore talking to Drew Mitchem, a Amtrak Cascades train #513 hit a mudslide in Tacoma, but did not derail. A slide near Skamania shut down the Fallbridge sub. High water on the Skykomish River and a 200' washout has got the Scenic sub shut down. Weyerhauser is shut down by a slide near Ostrander, and another derailment. And just general mayhem all around.

Ted Curphey
funnelfan@yahoo.com

[Trackside]

Wow, I didn't know it was that bad. Thanks for the update.

[FoamersNW]

Not sure if we have had at one time in the past all of the major rail lines into and out of the State of Washington closed.

At one point last night, all major east-west roads were also closed; SR-2, I-90, SR-12.

According to Drew Mitchem, the Z-SSECHC is detouring south today, should be through Centralia anytime.

Here in Rochester, the rain began on Sunday around 11am, and has been continuous since.

[Trackside]

Why can this happen on a Saturday when most all of us have the day off. I saw on the news last night that the road to Index was under water. I wonder how the clean up work at Skykomish was affected?

[MP 6.7]

Looks like it's pretty bad back home. I got a call yesterday evening from my brother saying there was a small washout on the tracks just north of Ruston, and that the northboung Talgo was stopped in front of it. Apparently they went back south to presumably load everyone onto a bus at Olympia/Lacey.

It looks like this is worse than the 6.5" of rain we got in November a few years ago. I just hope it'll let up before Thanksgiving week.

[FoamersNW]

Originally Posted by Trackside

I wonder how the clean up work at Skykomish was affected?

According to our colorful BNSF buddy Boom-Boom, they were caught last night between switches at Gold Bar, and couldnt get out for awhile. He said that there was a sink hole on the siding at GB, and two areas near Sky in which flowing water was over the tracks.

Hy2 was closed due to water or slide near Grotto.

Weather reporting at Rochester

Date Hi Low Rain Wind Pressure Humidity low and hi
11/7/2006 54.9 52.3 0.65 9.4 29.67 29.77 97 100 as of 10am.
11/6/2006 58.0 53.5 2.44 23.7 29.77 29.88 95 100
11/5/2006 56.1 45.7 1.12 17.8 29.83 30.05 91 100
11/4/2006 53.7 50.7 1.07 27.8 29.79 29.95 93 100
11/3/2006 53.9 48.2 0.85 25.2 29.71 29.87 98 100

6.13 inches of rain since the 1st.

[Bob]

Originally Posted by FoamersNW

Not sure if we have had at one time in the past all of the major rail lines into and out of the State of Washington closed.

Yes, we have. A few years back, when they had the landslides south of Kelso/Longview. The mainline was closed, I-5 was closed, and the only way to get to Portland was via airplane. Even the road along the coast was shut down. Slides had the rail lines on the passes etc were shut down too.

[martin burwash]

Just back in from running flooded road duty...seeing where we can get our feed trucks in and out. Having done this little chore for a number of years, thus far this flood is not as severe as 1990. So long as the dikes hold around Burlington/Mt. Vernon, and along the Snohomish, things should be fine. As of this morning, the Skykomish at Sultan was down a couple of feet.

As for rail service, the town of Stanwood still had their flood wall across the tracks so no trains running Everett - Vancouver BC until after the Stilli crests, although the water there is not near as high as years past.

Saw a work train with ballast cars and track panels Monroe on the Scenic Sub but didn't look like it was going anywhere right away.

Martin Burwash

[Youngwarrior]

Originally Posted by Bob

Yes, we have. A few years back, when they had the landslides south of Kelso/Longview. The mainline was closed, I-5 was closed, and the only way to get to Portland was via airplane. Even the road along the coast was shut down. Slides had the rail lines on the passes etc were shut down too.

That would be in February of 1996. Multiple slides covered the highways and rail lines in The Gorge and north of Vancouver. The rails were under water at Oregon City and south of Salem. I-5 was under water south of Albany. Slides also covered all the highways through the Cascade passes.

[AmtrakFan]

Apperntly 513(6) nailed a Mudslide at near Tacoma. 7/8 are turning at Spokane. Hope it gets better.