The 47 mile 18th subdivision of the BNSF between Renton and Woodinville Washington will most likley be abandoned with the widening of I-405 in July of 2007 when the highway tunnel over which the track travels will be taken out the line will be severd for dooming the line. If this does happen it will end 101 years of rail service in Bellevue and train will no longer cross the tallest wooden trestle in the west.
The Milwaukee Road used that line to reach Everett and Bellingham. I believe I read that they used 6 axel locomotives on that line, while BN followed their own rules and only used 4 axel locomotives on the line.
There is still rail service over that line – in fact, a rather well known and very high quality dinner train service.
yes I know but the dinner train will move woodinville and run up to Snohomish
BTW: I read about it in the newpaper so I dont how correct it really is
As far as I understand the line can’t be cut until the truss bridge near Renton is rebuilt to handle 737-900 aircraft bodies on flatcars - seems the clearances are a little tight and they are having to haul them down via Snohomish. The Boeing trains and the Dinner train are the biggest users of the line. Most of the other on-line customers have ceased using rail service.
I would imagine the Wilburton trestle would also be dismantled in this instance as there would be little point in having rails past Belleview.
It would be a big shame to see this line go. It’s the only alternative to BNSF’s line under Seattle and along Puget Sound so if anything blocks this line it’s all stop. It’s a visually interesting line and is well suited to doing as a model. I’m actually planning a model railroad of this line which I plan to start building next year.
Regards
Tim
bump