Sounder Northline service for Monday, April 8 and Tuesday, April 9 is cancelled due to a mudslide south of Everett Sunday morning, Sound Transit said. The mudslide caused the last three cars of an Amtrak train to derail. All of the cars remained upright and there were no injuries reported. Sound Transit will provide special buses with express service to and from Northline Sounder stations for the duration of this service disruption. An update on evening bus service for Monday, April 8 will be provided as it becomes available.
Edmonds-Seattle morning bus service for Monday, April 8:
Special buses will depart Edmonds Station at 6:11 a.m. and 7:11 a.m. at the north side of the Amtrak lot. Riders may also board regularly scheduled Community Transit Route 416 at Edmonds Station departing at 5:45 a.m., 6:15 a.m., 6:35 a.m., 6:55 a.m., and 7:47 a.m. All special buses will provide express service to 5th and Jackson in Seattle. Regular fares will apply.
Monitor www.soundtransit.org for updates to Sounder Northline service prior to your commute.
Does anyone have photos? Would be interested in seeing them. I cannot understand how more coal trains could possibly be considered for this route with the prevalence of mudslides, the extra-heavy cars when filled with coal, and the already excruciatingly painful noise from so much train traffic through Edmonds.
The idea of working on a system that would reduce the noise pollution from trains through Edmonds was discussed briefly in a recent Letter to the Editor of the Beacon (written by Don Keene and published in April 4 Beacon). I think it’s an idea that deserves serious attention and consideration.
A few years ago the city investigated implementing a proven system that would eliminate the noise of train horns. I believe that the project was dropped because the funds to proceed with it were not available. I’m certainly for doing away with the noise pollution caused by train horns, but that’s not the preference of all citizens – some like to hear it.
Perhaps Stephen Clifton, eliminating train horn noise was his project, will read this and provide a status report here.
Trains can be a wonderful means of transportation. This train, however, is heavily subsidized by the public, has never been practical from an economic and ridership standpoint (much, much cheaper to provide good express bus service) and Sound Transit has known for fourteen years that it also unsafe. It is like playing Russian Roulette.
Below is the link to Sound Transit’s own 1999 Final Environmental Impact Statement Geotechnical Assessment for the “Sounder” train from Seattle to Everett.
Bottom line is that this 25 mile stretch is along numerous unstable slopes due to heights, angles, soils and underground springs.
Page 12 of the report includes the following quotes: “Overall, the character of erosion and sliding on these slopes has gradually been changing from more or less constant shallow sloughing and spalling of steep cliffs with occasional large block falls, to less frequent but more massive slides composed of accumulated loosened, weathered soils which become unstable during periods of wet weather.”
“Numerous landslides occur each year along the steep hillsides that border much of the coastline between Everett and Seattle. “Records…indicate that at least 161 landslides occurred at 117 different locations along the 25 miles of track…during the two winters of 1996-1997 and 1997-1998.”
“Numerous attempts have been made to increase the stability of landslides along the RR right-of-way… Many of these efforts have temporarily increased the stability of individual sites or reduced the short-term potential for slide damage. Much of the terrain along the coastline…is too high and steep to be effectively stabilized by these methods over the long term, however, and the bluff will continue to regress and sliding will continue to occur.”
This time, fortunately no one was hurt. One of these times, the cars will end up in the Sound. It’s irresponsible to keep running this line.
https://www.soundtransit.org/Documents/pdf/projects/sounder/ProgramEIS/Appendices/B_Geotechnical_Assessment.pdf
good report Maggie 161 landslides that was a wet winter the amazing thing about this year it hasn’nt been that wet, I was talking about this thing the other day with my brother my dad was a civil engineer he told us 40 years ago there were all kinds of unstable hills all around the pacific northwest I guess we are finding that out now