Published: Wednesday, January 9, 2013, 9:40 p.m.
Mudslides again plague trains north of Seattle
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SEATTLE -- Mudslides continue to plague passenger rail traffic north of Seattle.
Burlington Northern Santa Fe spokesman Gus Melonas says tracks between Seattle and Everett have been shut down for passenger trains 95 percent of the time since Thanksgiving.
He says there have been 75 slides in that period. The latest was at south Everett Wednesday morning. Another slide Tuesday night covered tracks in British Columbia south of Vancouver.
Crews can usually clear the tracks quickly to allow freight train traffic to resume. Amtrak and Sound Transit Sounder trains must observe a 48-hour moratorium for safety.
Amtrak says its passengers will be bused through the area until the current moratorium expires at 8 a.m. Friday. Sound Transit says Sounder commuter train service in the corridor is canceled through Friday.
Burlington Northern Santa Fe spokesman Gus Melonas says tracks between Seattle and Everett have been shut down for passenger trains 95 percent of the time since Thanksgiving.
He says there have been 75 slides in that period. The latest was at south Everett Wednesday morning. Another slide Tuesday night covered tracks in British Columbia south of Vancouver.
Crews can usually clear the tracks quickly to allow freight train traffic to resume. Amtrak and Sound Transit Sounder trains must observe a 48-hour moratorium for safety.
Amtrak says its passengers will be bused through the area until the current moratorium expires at 8 a.m. Friday. Sound Transit says Sounder commuter train service in the corridor is canceled through Friday.
Story tags » • Transportation • Sound Transit • Weather
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