| The U.S. railroads have been loosing ground since | | | | Burlington Northern Santa Fe plus the demise of the |
| World War II. Some changes were needed where | | | | Milwaukee Road left us with only two rail passes |
| others were not.I love trains as a hobby and the real | | | | across the Cascade Mountain Range. The Union |
| railroad. Even as hobbyist we care about the heart of | | | | Pacific route is south to Portland and east through |
| our transportation system - the U. S. railroads.In this | | | | the Columbia River Gorge.Two get the double stacks |
| particular discussion, I would like to provide you with | | | | through the mountains you have to have tunnels that |
| a condition that affects the economic stability of the | | | | can stand the height of the double stack freight cars. |
| Pacific Northwest and perhaps the Nation.Railroads | | | | At present, only one tunnel can do that. That is |
| have been a significant part of the Seattle/Tacoma | | | | through the North Cascade Tunnel of the BNSF |
| metropolitan region for over a century. So has the | | | | through Stevens Pass. Problem, the tunnel is about |
| ability of the ships of the sea bringing us goods to be | | | | 7.8 miles long. It originally had electrified engines to pull |
| shipped by the railroads across our vast land. | | | | the freight and passenger trains though the tunnel. |
| However, a man made disaster has begun because | | | | Now they use diesel engines which generate |
| of bad management and the lack of foresight.The | | | | poisonous and toxic gases in the tunnel. Because of |
| Seattle/Tacoma combined ports are designated as | | | | this, the railroad was required to build huge fans to |
| the ninth largest in the World and the third largest in | | | | suck the gasses out before another train could enter |
| the United States. This is a feather in the cap of | | | | the tunnel. This creates a delay of 20 to 30 minutes |
| those who have helped build such an industry. There | | | | to accomplish. Basically you loose a half a day of |
| is a catch to this progress. The railroads can't get the | | | | traveling time.Second the Northern Pacific route |
| goods out of Seattle/Tacoma. It is going to get | | | | through the Cascades was shut down for economic |
| worse because the Seattle Port Authority has | | | | reasons. More recently the line has been reopened |
| bought three super cranes that have the capability to | | | | because of traffic problems but it has a problem. The |
| reach out over a ship that is 100 meters wide. These | | | | Stamped Pass tunnel is to low to handle double |
| ships are in design in Korea. They can hold an | | | | stacks. The railroad is thinking about either re-drilling |
| immense load of containers that range in the | | | | the tunnel or building a new tunnel adjacent to the |
| thousands.To give you an idea of how fast a | | | | old one because of other problems with the present |
| container can be loaded onto the ship and the same | | | | tunnel.Third and worst problem for the railroad |
| time off the ship is about a minute and a half each | | | | situation was allowing the Milwaukee Road to fall into |
| direction. Very skilled Long Shore men do this 24/7. | | | | bankruptcy by both bad management and a bunch of |
| The cost of a ship in port can range from $1,500.00 | | | | arrogant railroads. This railroad is vital to help get the |
| and up per hour. So the loading and unloading has to | | | | products in and out of the two port areas. It has the |
| be fast but so does the ability of the railroads to | | | | lowest ruling grade of the other two tracks of 1%. |
| handle these containers. In our present day situation, | | | | The other two railroad tracks have a ruling grade in |
| railroads management cannot mange the requirement | | | | excess of 2%. The Milwaukee Cascade tunnel was |
| to meet the shipping goals. This is without the super | | | | designed for electrification and had to have extra |
| ships.To give an example of how bad the situation is | | | | clearance in the tunnel to allow for the workman to |
| was the loss of the Nissan contract to this West | | | | maintain the system. This would allow for double |
| Coast port for all of their cars and trucks. They | | | | stacks with plenty of clearance.The Union Pacific halls |
| moved to Long Beach, California. This was costly for | | | | double stacks all the time but with one draw back. |
| Seattle and for Nissan. The city lost major revenue | | | | The track goes some 180 miles to the south before |
| and Nissan lost a day at sea travel. It is closer to | | | | heading east.This total inadequacy has become a |
| Seattle from Asia by one day than to the ports to | | | | head ache that may shut down a great deal of our |
| the South. It cost approximately $43,000 a day at | | | | commerce and unfortunately no body is doing |
| sea.With this in mind, we shall look at the four | | | | anything about. They just talk about it. The cost to |
| railroads that once existed in this region. Prior to | | | | re-track the Milwaukee Road to Spokane, |
| some of the major mergers in the railroad industry | | | | Washington will be peanuts compared to the cost of |
| the railroads in this area consisted of the Great | | | | getting a poorly managed port(s) and railroad right |
| Northern, Northern Pacific, Union Pacific and the | | | | always fixed when the super cargo ships arrive on |
| Milwaukee Road.With the advent of specialized flat | | | | the seen.Joy Ball has been involved in the restoration |
| cars, railroads could now carry two containers one on | | | | and maintenance of a variety of Brass Model |
| top of the other with a maximum of four containers | | | | Locomotives. Through her years of expertise, Mrs. |
| per car. Unfortunately only two of these railroads | | | | Ball has perfected the art of train restoration often |
| could carry the double stacks as they are called. With | | | | spending countless hours preserving vintage Brass |
| the merger of the Great Northern/Northern Pacific | | | | Locomotives to running condition of even the newest |
| and CB&Q into the Burlington Northern Railroad which | | | | Brass Model Replicas. |
| eventual included the Santa Fe to become the | | | | |