Olympia & Sand Creek, Episode 9 | On the right track

After host David Popp cleans up a few foibles around the cork roadbed, he turns to the task of modifying turnouts to accommodate Tortoise switch motors. And then his full focus goes to laying down the trackwork! Follow his fastidious process for aligning the main line and gluing into place…to perfection! And be sure to […]

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Second Vancouver, B.C., Cascades round trip set to roll Monday

A non-powered Cascades cab unit trails Horizon coaches as the morning train for Seattle leaves Portland, Ore., on June 17, 2021. Bob Johnston

SEATTLE — Beginning Monday, March 6, Amtrak adds a morning departure from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Portland, Ore., and drops in a mid-afternoon northbound frequency from Portland that departs Seattle at 7 p.m. and arrives into the Canadian city at 11 p.m. Including the Seattle-Los Angeles Coast Starlight, this will increase the number of Seattle-Portland […]

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Seattle-Tacoma light rail connection to be delayed

Map of light rail route changes under consideration by Sound Transit in Federal Way, Wash., area

TACOMA, Wash. — A project to connect Tacoma to Seattle by light rail has been pushed back by at least three years to 2035, the Tacoma News Tribune reports. Sound Transit says the planned 10-mile extension to connect the existing Tacoma light rail line to the full Seattle-area network at Federal Way, Wash., needs additional […]

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Olympia & Sand Creek, Episode 8 | Time for trackwork

Host David Popp has the track and cork roadbed in hand, so he’s all set for trackwork! Following good construction processes, David first surveys the various sites where tracks will route. You’ll see how to install roadbed along the main line roadbed, along the turntable lead tracks, under turnouts, and even over bridges! Follow along […]

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Olympia & Sand Creek, Episode 8 | Time for trackwork

Host David Popp has the track and cork roadbed in hand, so he’s all set for trackwork! Following good construction processes, David first surveys the various sites where tracks will route. You’ll see how to install roadbed along the main line roadbed, along the turntable lead tracks, under turnouts, and even over bridges! Follow along […]

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Weather leads to cancellations for Southwest Chief, Empire Builder

Passenger train leaves rooster tail of snow as it runs on three-track main line

CHICAGO — Weather is taking its toll on current operations of Amtrak’s western long-distance trains. According to the Amtrak Alerts Twitter feed, the eastbound Chief scheduled to depart Los Angeles today (Wednesday, Feb. 22) has been cancelled due to severe weather conditions, while the westbound Chief that left Chicago on Tuesday, Feb. 21, will terminate […]

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Washington state legislature considers train-length bill

Mean standing near railroad tracks as train approaches

OLYMPIA, Wash. — The state of Washington has joined the list of those considering legislation to limit the length of freight trains. The Columbia Basin Herald reports that state’s House Transportation Committee heard testimony Tuesday on House Bill 1839, by Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos (D-Seattle), that would limit the length of trains operating within the […]

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Santa Maria Valley No. 205 at Work

Newly restored Santa Maria Valley 2-6-2 number 205 is under steam at the Albany and Eastern Railroad shops as the crew readies the locomotive for a photo charter the following day. We’ll follow the 205 as she is pressed into revenue freight service for a day, March 17, 2022. The Albany and Eastern operates 64 […]

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