A mudslide Thursday morning has closed train tracks between Seattle and Everett, according to the Associated Press.
BNSF Railway spokesman Gus Melonas says the tracks will be closed to passenger trains and commuter rail until at least Saturday morning.
The slide happened at 10:10 a.m. about one mile south of Mukilteo in an area that experienced hundreds of slides this past winter. Melonas says this was the first slide in about three weeks.
Thursday’s slide left mud and other debris five feet deep on the tracks. A tree trunk that is 20 inches in diameter and 40 feet long also fell on the tracks.
Melonas says Burlington Northern is working on long-term solutions to stop mudslides in the area.
Prior to Thursday, 170 Sounder commuter train trips had been cancelled this winter due to mudslides on the tracks. The railway prohibits passengers trains from using the tracks for 48 hours after a slide. Sound Transit provides bus service as an alternative.
For more information, visit the Sound Transit website.
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