Sound Transit train gets stuck on Tacoma hill

[CHamilton]

Sound Transit train gets stuck on Tacoma hill, stranding about 100

A Sound Transit railroad locomotive carrying commuters home to Lakewood on Tuesday evening lost traction on the steep grade between Freighthouse Square and M Street in Tacoma, briefly stranding seven cars and about 100 passengers.

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The train lost traction on the steep grade between Freighthouse Square and M Street in Tacoma about 5:30 p.m., briefly stranding seven cars and about 100 passengers.

Engineers were unable to make it up the hill after two more tries and ended up backing down to the Tacoma Station, where passengers had to disembark and wait about 30 minutes for the next train.

Sound Transit officials said Thursday the locomotive’s wheels began spinning when an automatic device that’s supposed to spread sand on slippery rails failed to operate correctly.

 

[Dutchrailnut]

Leaf season, it gets you every year, as long as sanders work your fine, but no sand or little drizzle and your dead in water.

 

[fairviewroad]

Some of those 100 pax should have gotten out to help PUUUUSSSSSHHHHH.

 

[jis]

This happens at least once or twice every year on the Millburn to Summit climb on NJTransit's M&E line. These days the track washing train has been very active hear washing down the track early morning and through the afternoon, and so far there has been no stalls this year.

It happens so often around here when it happens that no self-respecting newspaper, even on a slow day, reports it as news anymore