A "trashy" day on the Seattle waterfront, 3-4-2015
I found a bit of time to railfan on a sunny late-winter afternoon. My location is the SAM (Seattle Art Museum) overpass on the Seattle waterfront.
Just south of me a couple of welders were working on repairing a switch on Main 2. As I arrived, they were clearing out of the way as a MOW (Maintenance of Way) crew needed to pass through.
The MOW crew was driving what is called a "slot train". It's basically a long articulated gondola. It's commonly used to clear debris from the tracks. The excavator can travel the length of the train, scooping up debris and placing it in the train.
In this case, it's full of old ties, likely left from a previous tie crew that was in the area replacing ties.
A few minutes after the slot train passed, an empty garbage train approached northbound on Main 1. BNSF 4400 (C44-9W) was the lead loco.
After the empty train passed, the welders went back to work on the switch. The Renton Rocket local job then popped around the curve on Main 2. I expected them to cross over to Main 1 but Dispatch held them at the North Portal signal.
Sure enough, a few minutes later I spotted a train approaching southbound on Main 1. That's why the Rocket got held up, they had to wait their turn.
The southbounder turned out to be a loaded garbage train coming either from Balmer Yard in Seattle or Delta Yard in Everett and headed to the landfill in Roosevelt, WA. Lead loco was BNSF 5095 (C44-9W).
The overhead view lets you see that the 40ft containers carry garbage and are covered with tarps. The 20ft containers carry contaminated soils and debris.
Empty:
4400 / 7450
C44-9W / ES44DC
Loaded:
5095 / CREX 1314
C44-9W / ES44AC
Пікірлер: 24
Once again another interesting video in a well chosen spot.The trains look cool snaking through the "s" down in the south corner.
Thank You so much...I enjoy seeing your videos, I'm in the Chicago Area, and same BNSF...just not as wonderful as it is in the Pacific Northwest! :)
Nice, I was enjoying seeing the red caboose.
@SeattleRailFan
8 жыл бұрын
+Jennifer Springhorn You can also see the caboose in this video, shot from the same location: kzread.info/dash/bejne/dYh2xpOGiM3Xfs4.html
that area would be a setting for a model layout
Real nice video SeattleRailFan. Is the consist heading to a landfill with all that garbage and contaminated soil and debris? Sidebar: the facades on some of those condos along the waterfront (at the beginning of the video) could certainly use some color, heh! Unlike Ireland and Scandinavia where splashes of color on their facades add 'interest and depth' to the entire scene scope. I spent a short 'hard days night' in Seattle when I was with the Amtrak; whew what a night that was.
@SeattleRailFan
8 жыл бұрын
+Dimi Domo The first garbage train is an empty returning from the landfill. The 2nd train is loaded headed to the landfill. Google "landfill Roosevelt WA" to learn about where that garbage ended up. Seems like Seattle doesn't really do "splashes of color". Most newer condos/apt buildings tend towards pale neutral shades of browns, greys, green, blues etc. A few go for the bright colors, but not many.
I would like to see what is around that curve that goes between the buildings on the far left. That looks very cool.
@SeattleRailFan
8 жыл бұрын
+myesenc I can help you with that request First, here are some videos taken down by the curve, showing trains making the S-curve between the buildings. kzread.info/dash/bejne/paOpy8inp87QZ9Y.html kzread.info/dash/bejne/mq19lrmHnavel7Q.html kzread.info/dash/bejne/dnuk0Kapf7Otl5M.html kzread.info/dash/bejne/noN_t6qSesXJfLw.html After going behind the buildings, the tracks enter the GN Tunnel that runs under downtown Seattle. Here is a video of a train coming out of the tunnel: kzread.info/dash/bejne/pol1xI-JoZq1eps.html
Do you know if crews like this welding crew perform visual inspections as the train goes by? I was told that working crews are required to perform visual inspections of passing trains and report defects or faults to the train crew...
@SeattleRailFan
8 жыл бұрын
+ncrailfan 476 I don't know if they are required to or not. I have occasionally heard on my scanner a work crew tell a train crew that they had a "good roll by" meaning they didn't see any obvious issues as the train passed them.
I hate it when my ankle gets caught in the moving switch points....then having to yell loud and wave my arms to stop the train. Those switches need to be more idiot proof....just in case some folks can't yell and wave their arms.
Cool! Thanks
Hey Todd! Been awhile house hunting so I had some things go...A video of your usual high standards :-)
i was wondering who owns that red caboose next to main 1-2 is it a restrant. we have a old pulman car here in spokane as a dinner very nice place to eat.
@SeattleRailFan
9 жыл бұрын
The story on the red caboose is that it's an old Great Northern caboose (at least it's painted in GN colors) that's been parked by that building for decades. It's in the parking lot of the Diamond Building (3161 Elliott Ave) and is rented out as office space. Go to Google Maps and search for "3161 Elliott Ave, Seattle". Switch to Street View and you can see it in the parking lot. A bit of Seattle history: Joe Diamond started Diamond Parking in 1922 and he's been King of Parking Lots in the Seattle area for years. They used to be headquartered in the Diamond Building, but I think their main office is downtown now. It'd be great office space for a railfan. You'd be working in a real caboose and be right next to the tracks. On second thought, I'd never get any work done if I could watch trains all day! We got Pullman cars being used as restaurants as well. Google Map "2963 4th Ave S Seattle". That's the Orient Express Restaurant and Lounge featuring several old Pullman cars. The place has been around since I think the '60s or so - I remember driving by it when I was a kid in Ancient Times (aka the '70s).
@MrJimmybgood
9 жыл бұрын
SeattleRailFan thank you for that feed back its strange i never seen it before,it does look like it belongs there. very cool.
@SeattleRailFan
9 жыл бұрын
James Finborg I've shot a couple of videos from this location in past. The caboose is a fair distance from the overpass, so it's easy it miss it in my other videos. Try my video titled "Seattle Waterfront and an Amtrak, 8-20-2013". It was shot at the pedestrian bridge north of the caboose, you can see it at around the 4min mark.
Nice Video!
A old Gaboose on a sideing
@SeattleRailFan
8 жыл бұрын
+Raymond Wedley The red caboose seen is actually in the parking lot of the building, not on a siding. it's an old Great Northern caboose (at least it's painted in GN colors) that's been parked by that building for decades. It's rented out as office space. Go to Google Maps and search for "3161 Elliott Ave, Seattle". Switch to Street View and you can see it in the parking lot.
Are all of those quite zones?
@SeattleRailFan
9 жыл бұрын
MrCsxtrain There is a quiet zone in this section of track. There are 4 road crossings in a row, so normally the train would be blasting the horn almost continuously.
@MrCsxtrain
9 жыл бұрын
SeattleRailFan The train horn wouldn't have bothered me at all!