You guessed it....another mudslide in Everett

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What a winter up there for BNSF/Cascades/Sounders! It's getting so these events barely rate a post; hardly news anymore. Guess now we're waiting for that "Man Bites Dog" story: "No Mudslides Cause New Rail Disruption." :D
 
WhoozOn1st said:
What a winter up there for BNSF/Cascades/Sounders! It's getting so these events barely rate a post; hardly news anymore. Guess now we're waiting for that "Man Bites Dog" story: "No Mudslides Cause New Rail Disruption." :D
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Indeed, I lost count on how many mudslides there have been this winter. Somewhere around 10 or 11 I think. Which would equate to 22 days of cancellations.
 
This is getting out of control and frankly unacceptable, it this was a highway people would have a fit about closed access several times a year.

What kind of earth moving work or barrier building would be needed to make this stop?
 
Some very expensive earthwork. Dirt costs 15$yard to haul these days. And the amount of dirt to make an acceptable slope that is less prone to slides would be extensive. A cut and concrete retaining wall probably isn't much cheaper.
 
WhoozOn1st said:
What a winter up there for BNSF/Cascades/Sounders! It's getting so these events barely rate a post; hardly news anymore. Guess now we're waiting for that "Man Bites Dog" story: "No Mudslides Cause New Rail Disruption." :D
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Amtrak service disruptions are a mere blip on the radar compared to BNSF problems. Where is the grand solution from BNSF owner Berkshire Hatthaway owner Warren Buffett; the oracle of Omaha.
 
jmbgeg said:
Amtrak service disruptions are a mere blip on the radar compared to BNSF problems. Where is the grand solution from BNSF owner Berkshire Hatthaway owner Warren Buffett; the oracle of Omaha.
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He doesn't have any experience here. Not many mudslides in Omaha. :giggle:
 
Finally able to confirm with Amtrak. Bustituted both ways tomorrow, something really needs to be done about the damn slides.
 
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Bierboy said:
NorthCoastHiawatha said:
Finally able to confirm with Amtrak. Bustituted both ways tomorrow, something really needs to be done about the damn slides.
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Interesting, I called Amtrak today and was told the #8 would run as scheduled out of Seattle tomorrow (Sat)...
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I believe the 8 would leave Seattle after the 48 hour rule expires, but so would 516. Again with the mixed messages.
 
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NorthCoastHiawatha said:
Bierboy said:
NorthCoastHiawatha said:
Finally able to confirm with Amtrak. Bustituted both ways tomorrow, something really needs to be done about the damn slides.
Click to expand...
Interesting, I called Amtrak today and was told the #8 would run as scheduled out of Seattle tomorrow (Sat)...
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I believe the 8 would leave Seattle after the 48 hour rule expires, but so would 516. Again with the mixed messages.
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I was just looking at the status map, and 8 is moving.
 
TraneMan said:
NorthCoastHiawatha said:
Bierboy said:
NorthCoastHiawatha said:
Finally able to confirm with Amtrak. Bustituted both ways tomorrow, something really needs to be done about the damn slides.
Click to expand...
Interesting, I called Amtrak today and was told the #8 would run as scheduled out of Seattle tomorrow (Sat)...
Click to expand...
I believe the 8 would leave Seattle after the 48 hour rule expires, but so would 516. Again with the mixed messages.
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I was just looking at the status map, and 8 is moving.
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They probably ran the equipment to Everett empty and bussed people to Everett and went from there. Sometimes the way Amtrak does things are truly baffling.

I wonder how the Great Northern would have handled this situation. Clean it up and run the trains through as soon as its clear?

On another note I just wish Amtrak would be better about posting information about service disruptions (one of my nagging pet peeves). VIA Rail posts updates on their website, why can't Amtrak (I know they post some, usually ones that involve an extended period of time)
 
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While the slides are a problem.. The 48 hr rule makes sense. Better careful then the potential of a trainload of passengers derailed with injuries, loss of life and equipment damage in the event the ground was still supersaturated and another slide occurs as a train rumbles by.

BNSF seems to have many issues with the lines of late.
 
ACVitale said:
While the slides are a problem.. The 48 hr rule makes sense. Better careful then the potential of a trainload of passengers derailed with injuries, loss of life and equipment damage in the event the ground was still supersaturated and another slide occurs as a train rumbles by.

BNSF seems to have many issues with the lines of late.
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It *might* make sense, but I'd like to see some data.

Number of mudslides that impacted tracks when Amtrak trains were running: X

Number of mudslides that impacted tracks during moratorium periods: Y

Now calculate A = Y/(X+Y) - i.e. the percentage of mudslides that occur during moratorium periods.

Number of days in which trains were canceled due to slides: Z

Number of days in the slide season: 150 (approximate)

Now calculate B = Z/150 - i.e. the percentage of slide-season trains that were canceled due to the moratorium.

Now compare A and B. If A exceeds B by a large margin, the rule makes sense. If, as I suspect, A is less than or equal to B, then the rule is not reducing risk. It would be easy enough to perform these calculations with a hypothetical 6-hour, 12-hour, or 24-hour moratorium to see if shorter restrictions would be better-justified.
 
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Gratt said:
This is getting out of control and frankly unacceptable, it this was a highway people would have a fit about closed access several times a year.

What kind of earth moving work or barrier building would be needed to make this stop?
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Actually, highway out of service times are freqently longer, even much longer. It is just that there are more detour routes possible. Also, it is not that BNSF is neglecting to fix things and thereby delaying Amtrak. This line is a major BNSF line, and it is in their interest to get it back in service as quickly as possible.

A couple of examples:

The CSX line across the Mississippi Gulf Coast was back in service after the hurricane at about the time work started on replacement of the parallel US 90 bridges. Blame Amtrak and Amtrak alone for failure to restore service.

Quite a few years ago when a slide blocked a stream and flooded the D&RGW main and parallel highway between somewhere in western Colorado or eastern Utah (I do not remember where) the D&RGW had built a replacement line that included either one or two tunnels before the highway work got going.
 
And, yet another one. Effective 10:50am PT 48 hour moratorium in effect. Mudslide 4 miles west of Edmonds. I feel for you guys. I'm getting pretty brutalized over here in Spokane too.
 
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