Fire in the path of the Empire Builder

[zephyr17]

There is a major fire burning in Stevens Pass.

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/wildfire-closes-stevens-pass-prompts-evacuation-order/
Just looked at the WA DNR fire map, and it is burning on both sides of tracks around Baring. US 2 is closed.

Think there is a good chance this afternoon's 8 will be either held or cancelled. The fire is right on top of the tracks.

 

[Acela150]

They’re sending 8 to PDX.

 

[zephyr17]

They’re sending 8 to PDX.

Well, based on @Amtrakalerts, it is clearly going via the Gorge and will meet up with 28 down there. Wonder if it will go all the way to PDX, though. It'll be facing the wrong way. I think it is possible 8 will turn onto the Wishram Sub at Vancouver, WA and they'll hook 28 up there, if BNSF will let them. The Vancouver Terminal's a busy place. If they do, that way they won't have to wye the whole thing at Portland.

Of course, knowing Amtrak, they may just run the whole consist backwards, too.

 

[Bob Dylan]

There is a major fire burning in Stevens Pass.

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/wildfire-closes-stevens-pass-prompts-evacuation-order/
Just looked at the WA DNR fire map, and it is burning on both sides of tracks around Baring. US 2 is closed.

Think there is a good chance this afternoon's 8 will be either held or cancelled. The fire is right on top of the tracks.

 

[zephyr17]

Just saw on @AmtrakAlerts they are going to detour 7(9) to PDX and stop, with a bustitution PDX-SEA. They aren't going to run up to Seattle.

8(11) is probably going to originate in Portland.

 

[Acela150]

Wonder if it will go all the way to PDX, though. It'll be facing the wrong way. I think it is possible 8 will turn onto the Wishram Sub at Vancouver, WA and they'll hook 28 up there, if BNSF will let them. The Vancouver Terminal's a busy place. If they do, that way they won't have to wye the whole thing at Portland.

Of course, knowing Amtrak, they may just run the whole consist backwards, too.

I guess not beliveing someone who would know is a thing? *facepalm*

 

[Cal]

Hope some people caught the 8 consist on the SEA-PDX corridor.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Just saw on @AmtrakAlerts they are going to detour 7(9) to PDX and stop, with a bustitution PDX-SEA. They aren't going to run up to Seattle.

8(11) is probably going to originate in Portland.

Makes sense since running to and from Seattle will cause a big delay (per an Amtrak alert I read yesterday).

 

[jsp]

Just watched a combined 7/27 consist arrive Wishram and paced it west to the Dog Mountain trailhead. Fun to see a full-size Amtrak running through the Gorge, even if the circumstances aren’t the best

 

[zephyr17]

According to @AmtrakAlerts they terminated 7(9) in Spokane. I guess that means they cut 27 off and ran it to Portland and the Seattle section is sitting in Spokane. I saw 27 on asm.transitdocs.com this morning.

 

[oregon pioneer]

Just watched a combined 7/27 consist arrive Wishram and paced it west to the Dog Mountain trailhead. Fun to see a full-size Amtrak running through the Gorge, even if the circumstances aren’t the best

Pretty neat to see that! This isn't a photo of the whole consist, but it was taken when we got off the EB #27 at WIH in Dec 2019. You can see that the lounge car is first behind the loco.

 

[trimetbusfan]

According to @AmtrakAlerts they terminated 7(9) in Spokane. I guess that means they cut 27 off and ran it to Portland and the Seattle section is sitting in Spokane. I saw 27 on asm.transitdocs.com this morning.

They ended up running the whole thing to portland. Got off a different train @ PDX today and was surprised to see such a long builder sitting there.

 

[Chris I]

They ended up running the whole thing to portland. Got off a different train @ PDX today and was surprised to see such a long builder sitting there.

I'm sure that will be the ongoing solution in the interim. Seattle passengers arriving on the Builder can transfer to Cascades or a bus to get to Seattle in just a few hours. Doesn't really help anyone between Seattle and Spokane, though.

Edit: Looks like the 7 just made it through Stevens Pass this morning. We're expecting more of an on-shore weather pattern this week, with cooler temperatures. They should be able to hold this one at the highway.

 

[jsp]

Apologies for the poor photo from across the river in the rain, but here’s a normal “fun-size” 27 passing the Coyote Wall just east of Bingen this morning.

 

[Agent]

I found a couple videos of the rerouted Empire Builder from Saturday. West Cascade Rail caught it in Tacoma.



BalloonBugle88 filmed it at Vancouver, Washington.

 

[trimetbusfan]

Here is a photo of them wying the train in Portland