Derailment of Cascades #501, DuPont WA, 2017-12-18

[Cal]

No official date yet, they started crew qualification runs over the summer. There are rumors of an October 31st date. I do expect it before the end of 2021 in any case.

Seems like my December starlight trip will be over it. It’s a shame, I booked it for august to go along the water

 

[flitcraft]

Seems like my December starlight trip will be over it. It’s a shame, I booked it for august to go along the water

Well, if that is the case, then it is a shame, but keep in mind that you'll be past wildfire season, and the mountains will be in their winter finery by then. So maybe that will balance it out for you.

 

[Cal]

Well, if that is the case, then it is a shame, but keep in mind that you'll be past wildfire season, and the mountains will be in their winter finery by then. So maybe that will balance it out for you.

Yes, I am really hoping the Cascades are snowy!!

 

[flitcraft]

Yes, I am really hoping the Cascades are snowy!!

We're already getting snow in the mountains. By December, absent a historically unprecedented lack of precipitation in the mountains, you should have a front row seat for what winter brings to the Cascades.

Quick story: once taking the Starlight in mid March, we were sitting in the lounge alongside a small group from Australia who were excited about possibly seeing snow for the first time. Sure enough, going south into the Cascades, we started seeing small, rather dirty patches of snow, and they stayed glued to the windows, taking pictures of the snow. Within thirty minutes, we were deep into the Cascades, with majestic pines crowding the rails, covered in pristine snow, and more was falling. Our Aussie friends ended up deleting their first batch of 'snow' pictures...

 

[Cal]

We're already getting snow in the mountains. By December, absent a historically unprecedented lack of precipitation in the mountains, you should have a front row seat for what winter brings to the Cascades.

Quick story: once taking the Starlight in mid March, we were sitting in the lounge alongside a small group from Australia who were excited about possibly seeing snow for the first time. Sure enough, going south into the Cascades, we started seeing small, rather dirty patches of snow, and they stayed glued to the windows, taking pictures of the snow. Within thirty minutes, we were deep into the Cascades, with majestic pines crowding the rails, covered in pristine snow, and more was falling. Our Aussie friends ended up deleting their first batch of 'snow' pictures...

Good to know!

And I will be no better than the Aussies! I was over the moon when I saw snow on the EB.

 

[Rover]

The Washington Amtrak Cascades Train Disaster 2017 | Plainly Difficult Documentary