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Mud again closes BNSF Pacific Northwest main line
Wow, BNSF has had a heck of a Winter/spring. Avalanches, Mudslides… Challenging railroading
With all the mudslides in Washington, especially after the horrible tragedy in Oso, I would not want to go anywhere in that area.
I don’t know how this slide zone will ever get repaired. The tracks are right against the shore line with huge rocks to form a barrier against wave action. The hillside on the other side is steep and unstable. The NW rains continually soak the hillside. Environmental concerns on the water front limit many options. It’s like running through a hazard site. Too bad mud sheds couldn’t be installed. There’s plenty of space for serious concrete protection. The rest of the country thinks it a BNSF problem of not getting their act together. It’s tough beating Mother Nature no matter how much money you throw at the problem.