Archive for April, 2007

I caught today’s X RGTSWE (empty potash train) passing through what my friend Robert calls a sucker hole.  The break in the clouds was courtesy of our typical April weather which consists of a mix of clouds and sun.  It was one of those day where if you didn’t like the current sky condition, wait five minutes and it would change.

Why do we (the taxpayers of Washington) need to spend $110 million for bridge over the tracks at 39th St?  Here’s why:

This photo from the perspective of a driver westbound on 39th St demonstrates what can happen at this crossing.  In the foreground is the ‘north lead’ switch job running a cut of cars out of B6 into the SP&S main yard while the M-LYDINB rolls north on main 2.

Besides the general public’s obvious gripe with the crossing, the railroad too has noted it as an operational headache.  Rarely is there a train that fits between this crossing and Vancouver Center.  This of course causes train crews and dispatchers to have to think more carefully about where trains stop so as to not block the crossing.  In fact some dispatchers won’t even run a train south of Vancouver Jct. North until they know that the train can whiz through the center.  This just pushes the congestion at Vancouver farther to the north.

While the public thinks more of this as just a crossing elimination, it is really the beginnings of a larger project that will streamline transportation in the area.  When construction starts on this project late this year, I’m sure a collective sigh of relief will be heard from both railroad managers and the public.

Everyone does their own thing with the railfanning hobby.  I recently learned of someone with an interesting website offering downloadable train jigsaw puzzles.  The creator is now featuring one of my photos as one of the puzzles.

If you’re looking to kill some time with an online railroad game, check it out; it might be a good way to share the hobby with children.