Hello… I did a search on this in the forums but couldn’t find the answer I was looking for?
On Railpictures.NET I’m seeing a lot of pictures of the portal of the CASCADE TUNNEL. I’m curious, we’re going ot be on vacation out there in a couple of weeks. We might do a quick drive-by and I was wondering where exactly these photographers are taking these pictures? I would love to see it. Any thoughts?
Jeff
I can not tell what you are asking but will try to answer anyway. You need to take US 2 between Wenatchee and Monroe to get to the tunnels, there are two, the old and the new.
The new one is the one in service. East Portal of new tunnel is just west of Berne. If you are Westbound on US 2 the highway goes under the railroad just west of the West switch at Berne. The tunnel is about one half mile ahead on the right. As i remember you can pull off and walk to it. May be able to drive as this is the end with the ventilation plant so the BNSF has a road, but it may be gated.
Old tunnel East portal is a few miles west of new tunnel. It is on the right and below the highway. Power lines cross in the vacinity. I suspect you can get to it but have never done so myself.
To get to West Portal of old tunnel exit to the right (westbound) within about 200 yards of the summit of the pass. Go slowly and look carefully. The diverging road you are taking is on the old 4% switchback grade, and generally follows the switchbacks down to Wellington, which is the site of the famous and deadly avalanch of 1910. Wellington has been cleaned up from when I was a kid. You can walk from there to the Portal, it is not far. I understand you can walk through the tunnel. It is dry but take a flashlight. Tunnels get dark very quickly and this one is about 2 miles long.
You can continue down the road from Wellington to the West Portal of the new tunnel. If you stay on US2 at the Summit, look for a right turn shortly after you go over the railroad. If you are Eastbound from Seattle, it is a left before the bridge and just before the highway steepens for its final ascent to the summit.
Scenic is the siding just West of the West portal. The old line diverged from the new about the middle of the current siding and looped to the left (ascending Eastbound) crossed the highway and climbed up the mountain slope to your left as you look East on the highway.
A
Thanks so much for the reply. I’m hoping to get out there next week or so… Thanks again…
Jeff
There is an article on Stevens Pass in the November 1994 Trains. The April 1993 Railfan and Railroad also has an article which has a pretty good map showing both tunnels and US 2.
Dale