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There has been a track-laying project near my home that I have been observing for the last week. The project connects Seattle's King Street Station with an expanded storage and service yard south of the station for Amtrak and Sound Transit trains. BNSF crews are replacing the 5 tracks that cross Holgate Street, at-grade, with new rails. For someone who has little knowledge of the technical side of railroading (me) it's been a real education on why capital improvement projects can be so expensive. On the first day, Sunday, the old dilapidated tracks were removed and a trench about 2 feet deep was dug. On Monday the new tracks were put into place along with communication cables. Monday night I stopped to look at the progress and noticed that the track was about 2 feet lower than street level. Tuesday morning the ballasting began and things started to get interesting. The ballast rocks are dropped from a hopper car onto the ties and then a crane car comes along and lifts the entire rail section, allowing the rocks to fall underneath, raising the height of the rails by a few inches. The process is then repeated and followed up with a tamping car and a laser-guided levelling car until the rails are raised to street level and the ballast underneath is solid and able to support the weight of the trains and street traffic. On Thursday I was observing the work and one of the supervisors came over to me and explained that things had been going well "until about 15 minutes ago". The crew had just discovered that the elevation of Holgate Street on the west edge was 5 inches higher than the east edge. Apparently this was a problem--previously they had presumed they were dealing with a level field. On Friday and Saturday the ballasting, tamping and levelling continued.
I don't know the total cost of this project but I'm getting a good look at the physical requirements of an expanded Amtrak system and what it takes to improve America's rail infrastructure for better freight and passenger operation. In Seattle there are 3 different rail projects currently underway: the heavy rail project just described, the Sound Transit light rail project and a city-sponsored streetcar line connecting downtown Seattle with Lake Union. Lots to see!
Railroad Bob Member # 3508
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I saw it from the inside years ago as a signal maintainer's (helper) on the old NWP out of Santa Rosa. We worked alongside track gangs and I have lots of respect for these unsung heroes of the RR. Lots more mechanization these days, yet still these are precise and physically demanding jobs.
yukon11 Member # 2997
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quote:Originally posted by Railroad Bob: I saw it from the inside years ago as a signal maintainer's (helper) on the old NWP out of Santa Rosa. We worked alongside track gangs and I have lots of respect for these unsung heroes of the RR. Lots more mechanization these days, yet still these are precise and physically demanding jobs.
********************* Must have been a while ago, Bob. I grew up near Santa Rosa...was it in railroad square or somewhere outside? Measure R, on the ballot this November, will be to build a light rail from Larkspur to Cloverdale..not sure of the chances of it passing.
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