Another mudslide north of Seattle derailed plans to resume passenger train service between Everett and Seattle today.
Wednesday’s mudslide, which occurred about eight miles north of Seattle, means hundreds of commuters and others who use Sounder and Amtrak trains will have to find other means of transportation until at least Friday afternoon.
For safety reasons, federal law requires passenger trains to be halted for 48 hours after a mudslide. Wednesday’s slide happened about 2:30 p.m.
“This is new, muddy territory for us,” said Lee Somerstein, a Sound Transit spokesman. “The forecast over the next several days is not encouraging.”
The mudslide, along with slides Friday and Tuesday, have halted the trains for five of the past six days. The slides were blamed on near-record rainfall in the area.
The last time trains were halted because of a mudslide was in December 2003, Somerstein said.
Gus Melonas, a spokesman for Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, said the railroad would decide Friday whether it’s safe to reopen the tracks for passenger trains.
“BNSF has been working around the clock to ensure safety,” Melonas said.
A mudslide today would delay service until sometime Saturday. That would interfere with those planning to take the Sounder train to Seattle to watch the Seahawks in their playoff game against the Washington Redskins. Sounder trains are normally packed for Seahawk home games.
“Yes, I am concerned, you bet,” Somerstein said. “This is unprecedented.”
Reporter Scott Pesznecker: 425-339-3436 or spesznecker@heraldnet.com.
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