PORTLAND - Smoke billowing from a railroad tunnel disrupted freight traffic Monday morning in northwest Portland.
A driver spotted the smoke about 8 a.m. and called firefighters.
With thermal imaging equipment, Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue crews surveyed the site and found about 100 feet of wood beams on fire 500 feet from the tunnel’s west entrance.
The tunnel, in the Skyline area was unoccupied at the time of the fire, and an approaching train was notified and stopped.
Officials say it could be several days before the fire is out.
Does anyone know what RR it was on? In looking at the photo on the KOIN TV website, it looked like perhaps a shortline (i.e. looked like jointed rail and a pretty low ballast profile.) Didn’t look like UP or BNSF mainline.
Former Oregon Electric (United Railways), then SPS (E-Line), then BN, then abandoned, then State of Oregon (O-DOT). Operated by Portland and Western (Gen. & Wyo.). Summit of Cornelius Pass. Station name = Tunnel Spur.
Railroad will be shut down for some time and is now detouring trains through Portland via P&W-Willbridge-BN-Portland-UP-Brooklyn-UP-Willsburg Jct-P&W. 1st detour train was operated “On Time” (more-or-less) and so significant service disruptions have occurred. Actual terminal of the detours will be Brooklyn since the P&W comes into Brooklyn via agreement from Willsburg Jc.