# Travels with Trackwalker- Empire Builder 4/26/2021



## TrackWalker (Apr 26, 2021)

Empire Builder #7 CHI-SEA
4/26/2021

2:14:45 CDT- Left Chicago 15 seconds early today. Off to a great start! Prior owner of my roomette even left a printed Empire Builder timetable for me. Great idea!

Straight run to Milwaukee pretty much 79 mph the whole way.

4:15 Come to a stop just west of Milwaukee. Conductor informs us there is a “ log jam” of trains ahead and expect not to move for about an hour.

5:15 We have not moved for an hour.

5:17 Announced that when we do move we will stop again to protect a crossing about a mile or two away.

5:20 On the move! Conductor walks by sleeper to head end to flag crossing.

5:30 stopped at crossing and then moving again

5:30-6:15 Enjoying the Wisconsin countryside during dinner at restricted speed. (Not to exceed 20mph) I still recommend the garlic and herb cod.

6:16 Up to approach medium speed now (not to exceed 40)


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## Cal (Apr 26, 2021)

Oh yay! I always enjoy reading your reports. 

Hope you make up the time to ensure the best views of Glacier!

You headed to Seattle or Portland?


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## TrackWalker (Apr 26, 2021)

Ending my Grand Tour back in Seattle where I started last Monday. 4/19/2021

Keep losing my Verizon WiFi. Did not realize Wisconsin was so remote.


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## TrackWalker (Apr 26, 2021)

6:48 Back to track speed. 79 MPH.
6:52 Columbus station with a double spot.

Will be dark soon and have yet to see any of those Wisconsin cows. Sad


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## TrackWalker (Apr 26, 2021)

Musings after dark-

Had a big smear on my roomette window on the inside. Informed my attendant and asked if he had any windex. He handed me the bottle. Good thing I carry my own paper towels with me.

Masks. Masks! Dammit, wear your masks! (Not an exact announcement quote)

Lounge snack bar closing soon announcements. Not, “I’m closed” like on another recent train.

Gaffer tape-‘nuff said.

Asked the dining waiter if the cod was flown in fresh. We both laughed. He then brought me my wine and a plastic dribble glass. I did not laugh.

Two coaches filled with Amish folken. Maybe Amtrak stands for Amish Track.

Baby on board! In the roomette right next to me. It’s getting to the point where I cannot tell if it is the locomotive blowing it’s horn or the baby.

If there are those who are not amused I recommend filling out the AU survey again and suggest an ignore thread button to management.


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## Cal (Apr 26, 2021)

TrackWalker said:


> Two coaches filled with Amish folk. Maybe Amtrak stands for Amish Track.


Two full coaches? Wow.


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## Michigan Mom (Apr 26, 2021)

Well, you're experiencing some of the peaks and valleys of train travel for sure... so weird I'm reading your report and hearing a distant train whistle at the same time... there's no Wolverine service at this hour so it's one of the freight lines. 
Still, wow, that sound and your report brings back the memory of our EB trip, February 10 years ago. Left Milwaukee in the evening, crossing the Mississippi in the dark.


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## TrackWalker (Apr 27, 2021)

4/27

6:09 Awoke to the faces of commuters stopped at Demers Ave crossing where according to my rv camping app is the location of the Grand Forks, North Dakota station.

According to my accuweather app it is 40 degrees. I did not know it was capable of reading my roomette temp. Just opened the door to the rest of the car and temp increased about 20 degrees. I may sleep with the hallway door open tonight.

My speedmeter app say we are doing 70mph.

Diner opens at 6:30 in four minutes. Must remember to get picture of my meal.

How primitive it must have been to travel before iPhones.


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## TrackWalker (Apr 27, 2021)

Had the omelet for breakfast. I was taught if you have nothing good to say about something don’t say anything at all. The blueberry muffin was delicious.

BTW, someone did not get the memo to throw away the old menus dated 0720 and replace them with those dated 0221. Quite the mix in different roomettes.

Westward. Forever westward.
Looking forward to a curve at some point in ND.

Did not realize how many county roads are still only gravel.

Noticed the passenger across from me got off the train at some point in the night. Not too soon in my humble opinion. It was becoming very annoying having him glare at me every time I was trying to look out his window.


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## TrackWalker (Apr 27, 2021)

8:44- Cow!


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## TrackWalker (Apr 27, 2021)

9:00 Minot, ND
Crew change, fuel the locomotives, water the cars, remove the trash, 1000 mile inspection, smoke break, stretch the legs





9:56 All aboard! Now running about 50 minutes behind schedule. Been making good time today and not going in the hole to wait for any freights.


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## TrackWalker (Apr 27, 2021)

10:01 Just west of Minot ties are marked for the upcoming tie gang. (And from the look of some of the ties, none too soon)


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## TrackWalker (Apr 27, 2021)

10:08 Just west of Minot.

North Dakota high!



BNSF structures crew with old panels removed from same bridge.


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## TrackWalker (Apr 27, 2021)

11:45 Local BNSF track inspector and surfacing crew foreman need to take turns riding the head end of Amtrak and make notes of the location of switches, crossing and bridge ends, and mud spots needing to be surfaced between east of Stanley and Williston.

Conductor had warned us to use a “wide stance” when walking the train through this stretch. He was right.


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## TrackWalker (Apr 27, 2021)

12:15 The Missouri River west of Williston. Lewis and Clark country.




11:25 Officially in Montana and Mountain time.


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## TrackWalker (Apr 27, 2021)

12:07 Intermodal stack train in the siding waiting for us. Sweet! That’s how to run a railroad.


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## Mystic River Dragon (Apr 27, 2021)

Is the coffee and hot chocolate lady still at Minot serving from her truck? Or did the pandemic stop that?

(Hope I’m thinking of the right town. It was somewhere we stopped for a long time for all that scheduled maintenance.)


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## Cal (Apr 27, 2021)

Mystic River Dragon said:


> Is the coffee and hot chocolate lady still at Minot serving from her truck? Or did the pandemic stop that?
> 
> (Hope I’m thinking of the right town. It was somewhere we stopped for a long time for all that scheduled maintenance.)


You are


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## TrackWalker (Apr 27, 2021)

I was unaware such a person existed on this trip.


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## TrackWalker (Apr 27, 2021)

1:03- Noshua, MT Rolling pass with an eastbound oil train. Us on the siding but never stopped moving. Good dispatching!


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## Bob Dylan (Apr 27, 2021)

TrackWalker said:


> 1:03- Noshua, MT Rolling pass with an eastbound oil train. Us on the siding but never stopped moving. Good dispatching!


So the Oil Trains are back on the High Line!?I guess the rising prices have jump started the Oil Biz after a Boom and Bust in that Oil Patch


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## TrackWalker (Apr 27, 2021)

1:50- Just finished my 1:30 sitting in the diner for lunch. Chicken Fettuccini. 

Brought my own Parmesan cheese. The secret with flex meals is to cover it with cheese until you can no longer see it.


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## TrackWalker (Apr 27, 2021)

Bob Dylan said:


> So the Oil Trains are back on the High Line!?I guess the rising prices have jump started the Oil Biz after a Boom and Bust in that Oil Patch


I don’t believe oil trains ever stopped running as our local refineries on the coast keep getting them. The oil loading facilities I saw today were doing gang buster business loading several 7,000 foot unit oil trains.


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## Cal (Apr 27, 2021)

TrackWalker said:


> I was unaware such a person existed on this trip.


Across the street from the station theres a food truck that serves coffee


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## TrackWalker (Apr 27, 2021)

3:38pm Havre, MT- More fuel for our thirsty locomotives. Then we will pull up to the station for a quick loading/unloading of passengers.


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## Cal (Apr 27, 2021)

TrackWalker said:


> 3:38pm Havre, MT- More fuel for our thirsty locomotives. Then we will pull up to the station for a quick loading/unloading of passengers.
> 
> View attachment 22017


I'm surprised they are refueled again so quickly. Doesn't the Starlight and Sunset only have one fuel stop altogether?


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## TrackWalker (Apr 27, 2021)

5:10 First snow fencer of many yet to come.


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## jiml (Apr 27, 2021)

Cal said:


> I'm surprised they are refueled again so quickly. Doesn't the Starlight and Sunset only have one fuel stop altogether?


I'm pretty sure the eastbound Sunset takes on fuel at Tucson, El Paso and San Antonio at least. It's been awhile since I did that route so different locomotives involved, but I've seen them fuelling at Tucson on railcam and have a picture of it at El Paso. I do only remember one on the CS during daylight hours, but there may have been another while everyone was sound asleep.


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## TrackWalker (Apr 27, 2021)

5:45 OK, quick quiz for both of you reading this thread while stuck here in Shelby for some unknown reason.

Why does this locomotive have a letter “F” on it?


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## jiml (Apr 27, 2021)

TrackWalker said:


> 5:45 OK, quick quiz for both of you reading this thread while stuck here in Shelby for some unknown reason.
> 
> Why does this locomotive have a letter “F” on it?
> View attachment 22020


It used to mean Front on the front of an "A" unit. Perhaps BNSF still uses this method?

Great report btw; keep it coming.


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## Bob Dylan (Apr 27, 2021)

Cal said:


> I'm surprised they are refueled again so quickly. Doesn't the Starlight and Sunset only have one fuel stop altogether?


The Sunset was fueled up in New Orleans, San Antonio,El Paso ,Tucson and LA.

Has this changed, I havent been West of Alpine in 2 years?


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## TrackWalker (Apr 27, 2021)

6:10pm- The windmills of my mind.





6:16- ‘Yar! There be mountains dead ahead! And they look mighty rocky!

Did I ever mention that the cafe/lounge attendant said I’m the only one drinking the rum this trip?



This is from the bridge west of Cutbank, MT. I always broke my couplers here playing Microsoft Train Simulator.


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## jiml (Apr 27, 2021)

TrackWalker said:


> 6:10pm- The windmills of my mind.
> View attachment 22021


A "Thomas Crown" reference. Everyone under 50 will have to Google that.


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## TrackWalker (Apr 27, 2021)

Hugemungas BNSF snow fence as tall as the train and made from steel I-beams.



Uplifted sandstone, mudstone, sand and silts west of Browning, MT. We ain’t in that flatlands no more.


Original abandoned Great Northern mainline. I always keep my eye out for these. Drives DW crazy.


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## Bob Dylan (Apr 27, 2021)

Cal said:


> I'm surprised they are refueled again so quickly. Doesn't the Starlight and Sunset only have one fuel stop altogether?


The Sunset was fueled up in New Orleans,San Antonio,El Paso, Tucson, and LA.

Has this changed, I havent been West of Alpine in 2 years?


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## TrackWalker (Apr 27, 2021)

7:55pm- So since 7pm (or was it 6? Time is different out here) we’ve been doing walking speed (4mph) behind a westbound freight with mechanical issues.

Disabled westbound finally limped into a siding and we followed him in. Can you see where this is going? I knew you would. (For those in the dark see the “on the ground” thread , somewhere in Texas post.)

We just had an eastbound freight go by us and we are going to make a reverse move out of the siding to get around the disabled wb freight. Our horn just tooted three times and we are backing up now.

8:04- Two short toots and we are moving west to East Glacier Park again... at restricted speed. Sigh.

8:15 Moving track speed! That calls for a drink!


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## Cal (Apr 27, 2021)

Bob Dylan said:


> The Sunset was fueled up in New Orleans,San Antonio,El Paso, Tucson, and LA.
> 
> Has this changed, I havent been West of Alpine in 2 years?


Didn't see any fuel trucks in El Paso a few weeks back.


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## TrackWalker (Apr 27, 2021)

8:20pm- East Glacier Park! Thank gawd. Back to an hour and a half late and the sun is gone and my phone is just about dead.


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## Cal (Apr 27, 2021)

TrackWalker said:


> 8:20pm- East Glacier Park! Thank gawd. Back to an hour and a half late and the sun is gone and my phone is just about dead.


Darn! Sucks that you can't see Glacier. Hopefully you will be able to see the Cascades tomorrow!


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## Bob Dylan (Apr 27, 2021)

TrackWalker said:


> 8:20pm- East Glacier Park! Thank gawd. Back to an hour and a half late and the sun is gone and my phone is just about dead.


You made it through the Big Nowhere!


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## Cal (Apr 27, 2021)

jiml said:


> I'm pretty sure the eastbound Sunset takes on fuel at Tucson, El Paso and San Antonio at least. It's been awhile since I did that route so different locomotives involved, but I've seen them fuelling at Tucson on railcam and have a picture of it at El Paso. I do only remember one on the CS during daylight hours, but there may have been another while everyone was sound asleep.


The one stop I was referencing is Tuscan. When I was on the Eagle early this month I didn't see any refueling done at El Paso.


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## Bob Dylan (Apr 27, 2021)

Cal said:


> The one stop I was referencing is Tuscan. When I was on the Eagle early this month I didn't see any refueling done at El Paso.


You probably werent awake when they Fueled up in SAS.

Guess theyve quit Fueling up.in El Paso, used to be a Regular thing before UP built the Huge New Fueling Station West of El Paso.


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## Cal (Apr 27, 2021)

Bob Dylan said:


> You probably werent awake when they Fueled up in SAS.


Definitely not!


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## TrackWalker (Apr 28, 2021)

10:20pm- Almost to Whitefish. Lots of eastbound freights on each other’s signal going up the hill. I stopped counting after seven. We just kept moving. Luckily a lot of the west side hill is multiple main 2MT.

Next refueling I was told will be in Spokane, WA.

10:25- Arrive Whitefish.


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## TrackWalker (Apr 28, 2021)

4/28/2021

2:45am PDT- I am awakened by a bright light shining through my window. Depot platform light in Spokane. HEP disconnected. We pull away from the Portland section of the Empire Builder and leave them to their fate as we exit Spokane and enter the eastern Washington scablands at 3:06.


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## TrackWalker (Apr 28, 2021)

5:15am- Ephrata, WA Woke up at 5am as announcement last night said breakfast will be from 5 to 7. Went to diner at 5:15 only to be told we don’t open until 5:30.

Running only one hour late at this point.


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## TrackWalker (Apr 28, 2021)

5:49- Heading down the Trinidad Hill to greet the Columbia River.




6:00- Rock Island dam



6:18 Wenatchee Amshak.


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## Rasputin (Apr 28, 2021)

Enjoyed your report very much. I believe the tall fences along the track around Browning and East Glacier are actually wind deflection fences and not snow fences.


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## TrackWalker (Apr 28, 2021)

Good to know. Thanks.


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## TrackWalker (Apr 28, 2021)

6:30- Departed WEN and now following the Wenatchee River up to Stevens Pass and the 7.79 mile long Cascade Tunnel.




Apple and cherry country.


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## Cal (Apr 28, 2021)

Nice! Be sure to send pictures of the Cascades. 

I don't know why the diner closes at 7 for breakfast, scheduled arrive time in 10:25. Some of it's padding so we can say 9:45. Can't it at least close at 8?


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## Cal (Apr 28, 2021)

Waiting for you on the Skykomish railcam


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## TrackWalker (Apr 28, 2021)

7:45- Enter Cascade tunnel
8:00- Exit Cascade tunnel
Transit time portal to portal by stopwatch exactly 15 minutes! Tunnel 7.79 miles long.



Rarely photographed view of the inside of the Cascade tunnel.


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## Cal (Apr 28, 2021)

TrackWalker said:


> 7:45- Enter Cascade tunnel
> 8:00- Exit Cascade tunnel
> Transit time by stopwatch exactly 15 minutes!
> 
> ...


Wow, what a beautiful picture. I wonder why not many take pictures of the view from inside?


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## Cal (Apr 28, 2021)

Hello!


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## Cal (Apr 28, 2021)




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## TrackWalker (Apr 28, 2021)

The Cascades in a nutshell



Skykomish railcam on corner of white building.


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## TrackWalker (Apr 28, 2021)

Stupid oil train got in the way of a picture I had planned taking of my son and the steel gang he was working with who were parked on the Baring, WA. house track waiting to go to work.


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## TrackWalker (Apr 28, 2021)

Cal said:


> View attachment 22040


Oh, yeah! Lookin’ good!


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## TrackWalker (Apr 28, 2021)

9:16 East of Everett
Blueberry fields forever


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## TrackWalker (Apr 28, 2021)

9:25- Just announced Everett will not be a smoke break stop today in order to make up time. Seriously? We’re 30 miles from Seattle and this a smoke break stop?


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## Cal (Apr 28, 2021)

TrackWalker said:


> 9:25- Just announced Everett will not be a smoke break stop today in order to make up time. Seriously? We’re 30 miles from Seattle and this a smoke break stop?


LOL. Maybe because of the padding?


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## TrackWalker (Apr 28, 2021)

Puget Sound or Salish Sea, take your pick.


Trains, boats and cranes




Mukilteo light house





Water, Olympic mountains and beach. That pretty much covers everything.


Ballard Locks


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## TrackWalker (Apr 28, 2021)

9:59- Edmonds! My car is parked up the hill at my SIL house. But do I get off here? NO! I make her drive into Seattle because like any other good AU member I go all the way!


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## Shortline (Apr 28, 2021)

jiml said:


> It used to mean Front on the front of an "A" unit. Perhaps BNSF still uses this method?
> 
> Great report btw; keep it coming.



If you look, you'll find EVERY locomotive in the US has this. It's an FRA requirement, to identify the front of each and every locomotive with an F stencil or marking. Probably no longer needed, but hey, its a law, so it's not gonna go away anytime soon. Really only makes sense on switch engines, which could be either way, or the old E/F and Southern RR engines that were set up for either bi-directional, or long hood forward running where it might be different. I don't think anyone is going to mistake the front of a modern road locomotive anymore. Even passenger units have it. Take a look, just behind the number of this Charger.


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## Shortline (Apr 28, 2021)




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## Dakota 400 (Apr 28, 2021)

TrackWalker said:


> 1:50- Just finished my 1:30 sitting in the diner for lunch. Chicken Fettuccini. View attachment 22016
> 
> Brought my own Parmesan cheese. The secret with flex meals is to cover it with cheese until you can no longer see it.



The appearance of the "table setting" with the food is appalling. My elementary school cafeteria tray looked more appetizing.


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## railiner (Apr 28, 2021)

TrackWalker said:


> 9:59- Edmonds! My car is parked up the hill at my SIL house. But do I get off here? NO! I make her drive into Seattle because like any other good AU member I go all the way!
> View attachment 22061


That’s how I roll!


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## Bob Dylan (Apr 28, 2021)

TrackWalker said:


> 7:45- Enter Cascade tunnel
> 8:00- Exit Cascade tunnel
> Transit time by stopwatch exactly 15 minutes! Tunnel 7.79 miles long.
> 
> ...


There used to be a Conductor on the Seattle Section of the Builder who would announce that we were approaching an area where a total Eclipse was going to happen , so people shouldn't move between Cars while it was Totally Dark!


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## TrackWalker (Apr 28, 2021)

Delayed report
10:31am- Seattle!

Interbay roundhouse



Seattle Waterfront



Arrived early!



King Street Station


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## Cal (Apr 28, 2021)

Yay! Enjoyed reading through. 


With this 50% on coach, I *might *(big might) be making a trip somewhere. Not sure...


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## railiner (Apr 28, 2021)

Great read, and photos....thanks for 'taking us along'!


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## KiraPi (Apr 29, 2021)

Thank you for the trip report! I enjoyed it! I'll be doing this trip in the opposite direction in October. I can't wait!


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