Cascades/Coast Starlight/Empire Builder Track Work

[sechs]

This post in the Seattle Transit Blog mentions BNSF track work between Portland and Vancouver, WA.

The Amtrak website already has a notice about the service interruption on the Cascades route, but is silent on the apparent rerouting of the CS and EB.

Comments posted state that the work is on the BNSF overpass of the UP tracks, and that the reroute is on the UP tracks on the other side of the river. Sounds like rare trackage, if correct.

Anyone here have any additional information on this?

 

[Rafi]

There are two pieces of trackwork happening in that area. From June 4 to June 19, UP is replacing ties and a couple of Cascade trains are cancelled, but everything else is running as usual. Now, on June 22 and June 29, BNSF will be replacing a bridge span over water (not UP tracks) between Portland and Vancouver (at East St. Johns) which will necessitate a detour of the Starlight and the Builder's PDX section. It's a very minor detour. Almost not worth mentioning, but here are the details:

Southbound CS and EB will detour from North Portland Junction, which is just north of the bridge, on the BNSF Fallbridge Sub via the UP Brookland Sub to East Portland; from there they'll back into PDX. The reverse will happen northbound, obviously, backing out of PDX to East Portland. Looking at it on the map it's not a huge detour (MAYBE 2 miles of track, if that); the backup move is probably the most interesting part of it, I'd suppose. Not sure what the plan is to get the Starlight re-oriented in PDX in/out of the correct direction. They're expecting only a 30-45 min delay for those trains.

Rafi

 

[sunchaser]

There are two pieces of trackwork happening in that area. From June 4 to June 19, UP is replacing ties and a couple of Cascade trains are cancelled, but everything else is running as usual. Now, on June 22 and June 29, BNSF will be replacing a bridge span over water (not UP tracks) between Portland and Vancouver (at East St. Johns) which will necessitate a detour of the Starlight and the Builder's PDX section. It's a very minor detour. Almost not worth mentioning, but here are the details:
Southbound CS and EB will detour from North Portland Junction, which is just north of the bridge, on the BNSF Fallbridge Sub via the UP Brookland Sub to East Portland; from there they'll back into PDX. The reverse will happen northbound, obviously, backing out of PDX to East Portland. Looking at it on the map it's not a huge detour (MAYBE 2 miles of track, if that); the backup move is probably the most interesting part of it, I'd suppose. Not sure what the plan is to get the Starlight re-oriented in PDX in/out of the correct direction. They're expecting only a 30-45 min delay for those trains.

Rafi

Thanks for the heads up! There's no chance that they will 'bustitute' NB Coast Starlight' from Portland to Vancouver, is there? It looks like we will get to experience a rare detour, at least northbound! The transit blog mentioned it should be completed the first week of July. Do they usually complete these things on time, or is it wishful thinking on their part?

 

[GoldenSpike]

This post in the Seattle Transit Blog mentions BNSF track work between Portland and Vancouver, WA.
The Amtrak website already has a notice about the service interruption on the Cascades route, but is silent on the apparent rerouting of the CS and EB.

Comments posted state that the work is on the BNSF overpass of the UP tracks, and that the reroute is on the UP tracks on the other side of the river. Sounds like rare trackage, if correct.

Anyone here have any additional information on this?

Long project! In mid-April they ran busses for s/b Cascades to PDX prior to noon due to track work. Then after noon, they allowed normal traffic both ways. Since the the CS and EB run in the p.m. they had no issues.

 

[Rafi]

Thanks for the heads up! There's no chance that they will 'bustitute' NB Coast Starlight' from Portland to Vancouver, is there? It looks like we will get to experience a rare detour, at least northbound! The transit blog mentioned it should be completed the first week of July. Do they usually complete these things on time, or is it wishful thinking on their part?

Given that they've already made arrangements with two railroads (BNSF and UP) to do the detour dance, I doubt they'd bustitute unless something happened to prevent the detour. Amtrak's certainly not planning on it. They ARE bustituting the Cascades, however, due the the comparatively high frequency of those trains. Given that BNSF relies on the bridge that's being replaced pretty heavily, I'd also be surprised if they didn't meet their goal for finishing it in time, but it's obviously not out of the question. Amtrak had problems replacing a bridge on the NEC last year and had to delay, as some on this board will remember.

Rafi

 

[sechs]

Southbound CS and EB will detour from North Portland Junction, which is just north of the bridge, on the BNSF Fallbridge Sub via the UP Brookland Sub to East Portland; from there they'll back into PDX.

You mean "Seattle" not "Brooklyn," right?

 

[Rafi]

Southbound CS and EB will detour from North Portland Junction, which is just north of the bridge, on the BNSF Fallbridge Sub via the UP Brookland Sub to East Portland; from there they'll back into PDX.

You mean "Seattle" not "Brooklyn," right?

"Brookland Sub;" not "Brooklyn" or "Seattle."

 

[sechs]

I can't find anything about a "Brookland" subdivision anywhere.

There's a Brooklyn subdivision which runs south from East Portland Jct. towards Eugene. (Brooklyn is the name of a neighborhood in Portland.)

There's a Portland subdivision which runs east from East Portland Jct. towards Cascade Locks.

There's a Seattle subdivision which runs northwest from East Portland Jct. past Albina yard, joining the BNSF Fallbridge subdivision at North Portland Jct.

My information is about a year and a half old, but I would have thought that someone online would have said something about a name change. What's your source?

 

[Rafi]

I can't find anything about a "Brookland" subdivision anywhere.
There's a Brooklyn subdivision which runs south from East Portland Jct. towards Eugene. (Brooklyn is the name of a neighborhood in Portland.)

There's a Portland subdivision which runs east from East Portland Jct. towards Cascade Locks.

There's a Seattle subdivision which runs northwest from East Portland Jct. past Albina yard, joining the BNSF Fallbridge subdivision at North Portland Jct.

My information is about a year and a half old, but I would have thought that someone online would have said something about a name change. What's your source?

My source is from within Amtrak; but not being from the area, I wouldn't know if it was a typo. Could easily be, especially if there's a Brooklyn neighborhood near Portland and it's in the area where the detour is happening.

Rafi

 

[sunchaser]

I can't find anything about a "Brookland" subdivision anywhere.
There's a Brooklyn subdivision which runs south from East Portland Jct. towards Eugene. (Brooklyn is the name of a neighborhood in Portland.)

There's a Portland subdivision which runs east from East Portland Jct. towards Cascade Locks.

There's a Seattle subdivision which runs northwest from East Portland Jct. past Albina yard, joining the BNSF Fallbridge subdivision at North Portland Jct.

My information is about a year and a half old, but I would have thought that someone online would have said something about a name change. What's your source?

My source is from within Amtrak; but not being from the area, I wouldn't know if it was a typo. Could easily be, especially if there's a Brooklyn neighborhood near Portland and it's in the area where the detour is happening.

Rafi

Maybe looking at a map would help you guys figure it out- Click here!

If you scroll down, it does show a Brooklyn Park & School. But no 'Brookland' on the map. May be a typo?

 

[Rafi]

It's my mistake--I take the fall on this one. It's the Brooklyn Sub (went and rechecked the source). However, the detour won't go nearly as far south as Brooklyn proper, which is southeast of PDX. If you look at the google map link SunChaser provided, look for the Heron Lakes Golf course; that's where the train will diverge south toward Columbia Blvd. It will then diverge northwest crossing Portland Road, and then make a reverse move southwest on the normal route toward Northgate park.

 

[sunchaser]

It's my mistake--I take the fall on this one. It's the Brooklyn Sub (went and rechecked the source). However, the detour won't go nearly as far south as Brooklyn proper, which is southeast of PDX. If you look at the google map link SunChaser provided, look for the Heron Lakes Golf course; that's where the train will diverge south toward Columbia Blvd. It will then diverge northwest crossing Portland Road, and then make a reverse move southwest on the normal route toward Northgate park.

I wonder what the chances are that NB sleeper pax may be allowed to get off the Starlight while the train is switched and then reboard before continuing? July 2nd is supposed to be when the Disney train is at PDX.

 

[sechs]

It's my mistake--I take the fall on this one. It's the Brooklyn Sub (went and rechecked the source). However, the detour won't go nearly as far south as Brooklyn proper, which is southeast of PDX. If you look at the google map link SunChaser provided, look for the Heron Lakes Golf course; that's where the train will diverge south toward Columbia Blvd. It will then diverge northwest crossing Portland Road, and then make a reverse move southwest on the normal route toward Northgate park.

Well, now we're back a few steps, because that sounds like the Seattle sub. Maybe Amtrak doesn't know what they're talking about here.

The first work day should have been yesterday. No reports?

 

[sechs]

As an FYI:

I was in Portland on the 29th near the station, with my scanner.

Both the Empire Builder and the northbound Coast Starlight backed out of the station, across the Steel Bridge, and onto the south leg of the wye at East Portland. From there the trains went forward on the UP tracks through Albina Yard on the "through tracks" into a tunnel (which conveniently isn't marked in Google Earth). They emerged at Penninsula Junction, and headed north to join the BNSF line at North Portland.

Also heard on the radio the southbound Cascades, which picked the Empire Builder's UP pilot at Vancouver and brought him back to East Portland, where the train made its usual crew change (which would normally take place at Portland Station). The train continued on towards Eugene, but I do not know if they took passengers, or if this was a deadhead move.

I can say that the Steel Bridge is pretty cool to watch.