Travels with Trackwalker- Empire Builder 4/26/2021

[Cal]

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?

 

[Cal]

Waiting for you on the Skykomish railcam

 

[TrackWalker]

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.

 

[Cal]

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

View attachment 22038
Rarely photographed view of the inside of the Cascade tunnel.

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

 

[Cal]

Hello!

 

[Cal]

 

[TrackWalker]

The Cascades in a nutshell

Skykomish railcam on corner of white building.

 

[TrackWalker]

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.

 

[TrackWalker]

View attachment 22040

Oh, yeah! Lookin’ good!

 

[TrackWalker]

9:16 East of Everett
Blueberry fields forever

 

[TrackWalker]

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?

 

[Cal]

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?

 

[TrackWalker]

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

 

[TrackWalker]

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!

 

[Shortline]

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.

 

[Shortline]

 

[Dakota 400]

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.

 

[railiner]

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!

 

[Bob Dylan]

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

View attachment 22038
Rarely photographed view of the inside of the Cascade tunnel.

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!

 

[TrackWalker]

Delayed report
10:31am- Seattle!

Interbay roundhouse


Seattle Waterfront


Arrived early!


King Street Station

 

[Cal]

Yay! Enjoyed reading through.


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

 

[railiner]

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

 

[KiraPi]

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!