Local News

Passenger train service has resumed north of Seattle, following yet another mudslide.

BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas said service was suspended for 48 hours following a slide that covered the tracks with three feet of mud and debris in Everett on Sunday, but the tracks were back open for passenger service at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Melonas says there have been about 200 mudslides in the rail corridor between Seattle and Everett this winter, and 82 of them have been classified as significant. In 50 cases the slides have blocked at least one track and triggered the two-day ban on passenger service.

Melonas says BNSF continues to monitor the stability of the slopes in the area, and is working to improve drainage and prevent future slides.

The Associated Press

Passenger train service is up and running again north of Seattle, following two mudslides that hit the tracks last week.

BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas says the tracks opened for passenger service at about 4 a.m. Sunday.

The mudslides struck near Mukilteo, one on Thursday and another on Friday. Freight service resumed after the tracks were cleared, but the slides triggered an automatic 48-hour moratorium on passenger service through the corridor.

Melonas said that since Thanksgiving, 45 to 50 debris slides blocked the tracks. Passenger service was cancelled more often than at any time in the region over the past 25 years. He said the cause was day after day of heavy precipitation triggering mud and debris slides on high bluffs, particularly between Edmonds and South Everett.

Melonas said railroad geotechnical engineers continue to monitor the stability of slopes along the Sound.

The Seattle Times reported last week that as of Thursday, the Sounder Northline route had experienced a record 122 train cancellations for 2012-2013, according to Sound Transit spokeswoman Kimberly Reason. The last record for cancellations was 70 during 2010-2011.

The Times also said that a $16 million federal grant will help fund future mudslide-reduction work.

Sounder Northline service might start again Monday after BNSF crews take out trees that have been triggering recent mudslides, said spokesman Gus Melonas.

The more than 40 mudslides to hit the Seattle-Everett corridor’s tracks have repeatedly cancelled service for freight and passenger service, Melonas said. About half of those slides have come after heavy rains triggered surface slides and half were caused by trees that have been destabilized by previous slides, he said.

No freight traffic has been running on the corridor’s high-line tracks since a mudslide off a 150-foot cliff derailed seven cars on a train last week. Melonas said freight traffic might restart on the line this weekend and passenger service could start again on Monday. Sounder Northline passengers should still keep themselves updated on Sound Transit’s website to see if it does.

Passenger train traffic between Seattle and Everett has been shut down indefinitely because of continued mudslides north of Seattle.

BNSF Railway spokesman Gus Melonas said a moratorium on passenger traffic due to expire Saturday will be extended because of continued debris on the rail line. Engineers will assess the situation daily, he said. “This has been an extremely challenging week,” he said. Because the dry summer was followed so quickly by heavy rain, he said, soil hasn’t been able to absorb the moisture and rain has washed silt, mud, rock and loose trees onto the right-of-way.

Freight train traffic is continuing to move through the corridor at restricted speeds.

Sounder North Line train service to the Seahawks’ game against the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday has been canceled along with its holiday service previously scheduled to operate Christmas Eve, said a spokeswoman for Sound Transit.

For Amtrak information, see amtrak.com/service-alerts-and-notices. For information about Sound Transit, check www.soundtransit.org.

A mudslide three miles south of Mukilteo this afternoon has caused cancellation of Sounder Northline commuter trains and Amtrak service through at least Friday morning.

The 6-foot-deep mass of mud stretched across 30 feet as it came down at about 3:30 p.m., according to BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas. At least 30 mudslides have reached the railroad tracks between Seattle and Everett since Thanksgiving, he said.

One of those derailed a 66-car freight train south of Everett Monday. A witness recorded video of the 75-foot-wide slide of silt knocking over seven cars filled with general merchandise items such as soap and disinfectant.

“This year has been a challenge, but we’ve seen worse years,” Melonas said. He said BNSF already invests millions every year in stabilizing the area and structures near 150 miles of track between Tacoma and Vancouver, B.C., but the company is looking at additional ideas to help minimize mudslides.

“The railway plays a key role in moving things everyone here depends on … so we’re going to continue to make those investments,” he said.

If there aren’t any more mudslides on the BNSF Railway tracks between now and Friday, Friday evening passenger service will start again.

Until then, here are the alternate commuter routes and schedules Sound Transit released Wednesday afternoon:

Morning bus service – Thursday, December 20 and Friday, December 21

Everett-Seattle: Board regularly scheduled ST Express Route 510 at Everett Station bay C1, departing approximately every 10 minutes.

Mukilteo-Seattle: Board regularly scheduled Community Transit Route 417 at the Ferry Terminal departing at 5:49 a.m., 6:21 a.m., 6:51 a.m., and 7:53 a.m.

Edmonds-Seattle: Board regularly scheduled Community Transit Route 416 at Edmonds Station departing at 6:15 a.m., 6:35 a.m., 6:55 a.m., and 7:47 a.m.  

Evening bus service – Thursday, December 20.

Seattle – Edmonds: Board regularly scheduled Community Transit Route 416 at the temporary stop on 5th, between James and Cherry at 4:27 p.m., 4:58 p.m., 5:31 p.m. and 5:57 p.m.

Seattle – Mukilteo: Board regularly scheduled Community Transit Route 417 at 4th Ave S and S Jackson St at 3:59 p.m., 4:22 p.m. 4:50 p.m., and 5:30 p.m.

Seattle – Everett: Board regularly scheduled ST Express Route 510 buses are also available at 4^th Ave. S and S. Jackson St. departing approximately every 10 minutes.

A 75-foot-wide mudslide derailed seven cars of a Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight train south of Everett at about 1:30 p.m. today, shutting down Amtrak and Sounder service on the track for at least two days.

The surface slide came off an oversaturated 100-foot cliff that geotechnical engineers had been scheduled to check right after the 66-car train passed, according to BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas.

A BNSF-led crew of at least 50 people are cleaning up some of the general grocery store merchandise that spilled – products including soap, lemon juice, solvents and disinfectants. The Seattle-bound train came from Chicago carrying a wide variety of general merchandise including meat, ovens and other things.

Melonas said that although freight train traffic should return to the tracks after the derailed train is removed by tomorrow, commuter train service from Amtrak and Sound Transit will not be allowed through the area until at least Wednesday at 1:30 p.m.

Amtrak says it will be busing north-bound passengers from Seattle to Everett, where they will get back on a train. The company is also busing southbound passengers from Seattle to Portland until at least Wednesday because of an early-morning mudslide between Olympia and Tacoma, Amtrak spokeswoman Vernae Graham said.

Sounder Northline passengers can check Sound Transit’s website for updates on alternate morning and evening commute routes. The schedule for Tuesday morning is:

Everett-Seattle: Board regularly scheduled ST Express Route 510 at Everett Station bay C1, departing approximately every 10 minutes.

Mukilteo-Seattle: Board regularly scheduled Community Transit Route 417 at the Ferry Terminal departing at 5:49 a.m., 6:21 a.m., 6:51 a.m., and 7:53 a.m.Please note:These times do not correspond with regular Sounder schedule.

Edmonds-Seattle: Board regularly scheduled Community Transit Route 416 at Edmonds Station departing at 6:15 a.m., 6:35 a.m., 6:55 a.m., and 7:47 a.m. Please note:These times do not correspond with regular Sounder schedule.

The Associated Press

Today’s heavy rains and winds have caused at least 10 slides along the BNSF tracks between Seattle and Everett.

As a result, BNSF Railway spokesman Gus Melonas says, the railroad placed a 48-hour moratorium on passenger and commuter trains between Everett and Seattle starting around noon Monday.

He says crews are working to clear trees, mud and debris that have covered parts of the mainline track.

Most routes in Washington are open to freight travel.

Because of the moratorium, Northline Sounder service between Seattle and Everett has been canceled for this evening and will not resume until Wednesday evening. Sound Transit has announced the following back-up bus services:

EVENING BACK-UP BUS SERVICE (northbound) – Monday 11/19

Seattle – Edmonds: Board regularly scheduled Community Transit Route 416 at 5th and James at 4:27 p.m., 4:58 p.m., 5:31 p.m. and 5:57 p.m.

Seattle – Mukilteo: Board regularly scheduled Community Transit Route 417 at 4th Ave S and S Jackson St at 3:59 p.m., 4:22 p.m. 4:50 p.m., and 5:30 p.m.

Seattle – Everett: Starline Charter buses will depart 4^th Ave. S and S. Jackson St. at 4:33 p.m. and 5:35 p.m. with direct service to Everett Station. Riders may also board regularly scheduled ST Express Route 510 at 4^th Ave. S and S. Jackson St., departing approximately every 10 minutes.

MORNING BUS SERVICE – Tuesday 11/20
Everett-Seattle: Board regularly scheduled ST Express Route 510 at Everett Station bay C1, departing approximately every 10 minutes. 

Mukilteo-Seattle: Board regularly scheduled Community Transit Route 417 at the Ferry Terminal departing at 5:49 a.m., 6:21 a.m., 6:51 a.m., and 7:53 a.m. Please note: These times do not correspond with regular Sounder schedule.

Edmonds-Seattle: Board regularly scheduled Community Transit Route 416 at Edmonds Station departing at 6:15 a.m., 6:35 a.m., 6:55 a.m., and 7:47 a.m. Please note: These times do not correspond with regular Sounder schedule.

* Southline Sounder service between Seattle and Tacoma is not impacted and will operate as scheduled