[62][4k] Railroad Bottleneck Cascade Tunnel, BNSF Northern Transcon, WA 06/14+15/2018 ©mbmars01

[@eismarille]

I am European, but I like American trains, especially freight trains. You make what I think of as a train ;) If the air brake and the length of the tracks were not limited, you would make them even longer. Besides, I have the feeling that here a philosophy of simplicity prevails, freely after the motto "Keep it simple" as we say here. This technique together with the scenery of the western USA fascinate me. Thank you for the beautiful shots around the bottleneck! :)

[@mbmars01]

Absolutely. Everything in the US is following that motto lol. But yes, it's just absolutely mind-blowing to watch these long, powerful trains traverse the mountains.

[@erichk2750]

Thanks x sharing ...love this . Greetins from Italy.

[@mbmars01]

Great you like it. Greetings back to Italy!

[@deadfreightwest5956]

You know how you tell a great railfan video? It puts you to sleep... really! I woke up to this one several times: Magnificent!

[@mbmars01]

Well, I hope that it wasn't the video that made you sleepy ;) Cool, thanks! :)

[@TrainmasterCurt]

Dead Freight West Sounds like you need a Jolt Cola ⚡️🥤

[@smithtimkris98]

Would really like to see the engineer’s view through the tunnel

[@jleveille2]

MBMars absolutely loved this video. The train leaving the tunnel I could not help but notice how close the two containers were very close to the top of the tunnel. I loved the train with the tank cars going up the mountain beautiful site. Captain obvious here I can see why they call it the Scenic Route. It must be nice getting out of the heat in Georgia. Thanks so much for the video

[@mbmars01]

I'm not surprised you liked it :) Tunnel and scenery are very special and I surely enjoyed the day out there.

[@cherijim2911]

Nice video and I liked the titles you added. Makes watching the video a learning experience also. The last time I visited the tunnel, the old signs were still above the portals. The new ones are okay but the old ones were historic. During the construction of the new line running up to the tunnel, the old Scenic Hot Springs Hotel was razed. There are photos showing the buildings with the new line being constructed pretty much in front of it. I believe a temporary trestle was erected and fill was dumped over it's sides to create the new grade. There is an article in the G.N. Goat (Great Northern Historical Society publication) about a family living in Scenic in 1927 during the construction of the new tunnel. Being that there was an actual town named Scenic, I assume that's where the "sub" got it's name.

[@mbmars01]

Thanks so much! Interesting. I didn't know that someone actually lived in Scenic, which is the siding just west of the Cascade Tunnel.

[@NW475]

To call it a bottleneck is an understatement. Fantastic video by the way!

[@mbmars01]

Lol, probably, but the line has a conventional single-track layout anyway, which slows down traffic even without special "bottlenecks". Thanks, glad you like it!

[@Greatdome99]

With the shift of heavy westbound tonnage to the Columbia Gorge and eastbound empties over Stampede Pass, it's not a bottleneck anymore. Stevens traffic is reserved for Amtrak, intermodals and empty coal and oil trains--nothing else. Sometimes you don't see trains on Stevens all day. BNSF is lucky to have not one route, but three!

[@tomschmidt3165]

I’m a CSX fan but it’s hard to beat that BNSF color scheme. Beautiful photography and location. Thanks for posting.

[@mbmars01]

I know, that's why I had to make these tours to the west in recent years.

[@AndreiTupolev]

What a lovely house by the edge of the river in the shot looking across the river! A real little green oasis in a rugged landscape. .

[@mbmars01]

Haha, I know. When I saw it I immediately imagined how it would like to live there!

[@mikehowey4869]

Man, what a cool video! Pumpkins, a war bonnet and the cascade tunnel.Loved seeing how the tunnel works.The scenery certainly is fantastic!! Thanks for sharing!

[@mbmars01]

Many thanks. Great you had fun watching this video! There will be more soon, stay tuned 😊

[@ejdsndnj]

no war bonnet here lol

[@J3scribe]

Excellent video. It's a rather spectacular change of scenery going from the Cascades out into the volcanic lands to the east. It stretches all the way down to northern California border.

[@mbmars01]

Thanks. That's right. The land between the Cascades and the Rockies is quite different. It was a bit unfortunate I didn't get to see any action traversing this area on the way to Spokane. Traffic patterns fluctuate a lot on those lines.

[@EntertainmentWorldz]

dear Friend love it. Really enjoyed. Thumbs up. Wishing you good health and beautiful Time. God bless you.

[@mbmars01]

Many thanks and great you enjoyed it! Wish you also all the best :)

[@Nojaru]

Theses mountain locations are amazing

[@mbmars01]

I know, that's why I made the long trip from the southeast to the northwest. I wanted to see trains in the mountains again :)

[@Bhil3]

Wow, amazing scenery, informative, and such good picture quality. Loved it.

[@mbmars01]

Cool, thanks for your feedback!

[@iusetano]

Fantastic shots. Loved watching your video. Excellent.

[@mbmars01]

I'm glad it worked out at the tunnel and I got these trains. I had to chase the first for 40 miles since there was no other train on the line at that time and I didn't have much time. Great you enjoyed the video!

[@railfanx4903]

Great footage bud! Skykomish is a beautiful town and I cant wait to one day visit the Cascades!

[@mbmars01]

Many thanks! The area is definitely worth a visit. One should bring some time, though.

[@railfanx4903]

mbmars01 one of these days im taking an adventure out there, the photography is endless!

[@mbmars01]

It's worth it!

[@fastcsx1412]

Great catches so so very cool!!! Very very lucky!!! And nice 776

[@mbmars01]

Thank you :)

[@fastcsx1412]

mbmars01 you’re welcome

[@atlanticcoastexpress]

Excellent videography...many thanks. I’ve never seen the diesel fumes being expelled from the Cascade tunnel....like you videoed ...ever before at the western tunnel portal. It illustrates the ventilation problem exceedingly well. I have subscribed. Rob, in Bournemouth, South Coast of England.

[@mbmars01]

Thanks so much, great you like it! I was surprised to see the exhaust coming out this way but it was very interesting to watch.

[@merylwade7578]

Enjoy each one of your videos! A pleasure to watch. Thank you! ☺️

[@mbmars01]

Thank you so much 😊 Keep watching!

[@Livinginohio25]

The definition of railroading in the mountains! Awesome video and shots!

[@mbmars01]

Absolutely! It looks like they get it managed. Thanks!

[@nancyoffenhiser4916]

WONDERFUL video! Been thru the tunnel a couple of times on Amtrak.

[@mbmars01]

Thanks! I was actually wondering what sort of experience it is for the Amtrak passengers to be in that tunnel for quite some time.

[@nancyoffenhiser4916]

mbmars01 Lets put it this way..its unnerving. However, you go thru a lot faster than a freight..but I admit I was thinking of Atlas Shrugged...

[@nancyoffenhiser4916]

mbmars01 I grew up in NYC and was on the Subway quite a bit as child. So, I thought the Tunnel would be fun! Hmmm..I don't think I would like the Chunnel train either.

[@mbmars01]

Oh cool. I love NYC. On my second channel mbmars02, there is a video about this great city that I made some time ago :) Gotcha, I've been on trains going through tunnels, but almost 8 miles is quite a distance...

[@mbmars01]

Lol, funny way of putting it.

[@djtodd3]

Looks like you were there either the day that Virtual Railfan started their live webcam or a couple days after. I remember for the first few days that the rail grinder was sitting in the siding in SkyKomish, WA. Great video none-the-less

[@mbmars01]

They started about a week or two before my travel. Thanks!

[@ElliottWolcott]

Nice catches of the trains.

[@mbmars01]

Cool, thank ya.

[@ElliottWolcott]

mbmars01 Your welcome.

[@jimaz6532]

Fantastic video. Well done. Some great scenery you’ve captured. Appreciate those well cars too. Thanks for sharing. 🚂

[@mbmars01]

It’s just awesome out there. Thanks!

[@christye6013]

Great camera work, fantastic locations and informative text, nice work

[@mbmars01]

Many thanks. I'm glad you had fun watching it :)

[@mountrainiern-scale8589]

Another amazing video, I knew the tunnel was up there but I didn’t know it was the longest one in the US, plus how it vents is pretty cool. Thanks for that info.

[@mbmars01]

Thanks! The second-longest tunnel is not too far away either: Flathead Tunnel on the Hi Line Sub in the Montana Rockies (7 miles). It's much younger and more modern. I didn't visit it due to lack of time, though.

[@BTTF7]

Amazing! I truly believe that the US and Canada have been blessed with the most gorgeous scenery of any other country!

[@mbmars01]

It’s great, but I’ve been in countries that have likewise beautiful scenery.

[@BTTF7]

mbmars01 The earth is beautiful regardless

[@mbmars01]

That's right and we should keep it in shape.

[@BTTF7]

Absolutely

[@guitarra4abel]

thanks a lot to share. Very intereresting your info abuot the tunnel.

[@mbmars01]

You’re welcome!

[@ScenicDepot]

At 19:45 some explanation is needed here. This is Pioneer Tunnel, which runs parallel to the main tunnel for about six miles and was used during construction in the 1920s to allow for much faster movement of rock and equipment during the record-breaking tunnel construction. There are crosscuts about every 1500 feet between it and the main tunnel, and a large stream has been pouring out of its mouth since construction was completed. Pioneer Tunnel partially caved in a couple decades ago, and there is now a steel door across the mouth of it to prevent entry. The steel door has a small air space at the top, and a small space at the bottom to allow the water to run out. West of the cave-ins, at least one of the crosscut doors is still open, and when an eastbound train enters the tunnel against the force of a fan blowing, there is a piston effect, and when a train gets to a point about a mile in, it produces a very strong air pressure into Pioneer Tunnel. The only way for the air to escape out of Pioneer Tunnel is through the gaps around the door, and the air blows through the water and produces a spray that you see that goes a distance of about 20 feet as shown, which is mostly water spray and not smoke. The piston effect is more pronounced with stack trains. This spraying usually lasts for several minutes. Prior to 1966, ventilation was controlled by the station operator at Scenic. Engine emissions used to be much more smokey in those days, and when an eastbound train had left the tunnel and both fans were running to blow out the smoke, it was quite a sight at the west end. One day a passerby saw this and came running into the depot to announce, "The tunnel is on fire!"

[@mbmars01]

Very good, thanks for the additional information! I knew of the Pioneer Tunnel, but I didn't know there's so much water in it.

[@robertheinkel6225]

I wonder why they never tried to use both for reducing the bottleneck? Most of the work is already done.

[@billbaranko8907]

pioneer tunnel was a small bore used for construction@@robertheinkel6225

[@dobdoa3691]

So the Pioneer tunnel was not the old tunnel? Just used for construction of the new tunnel.?

[@billbaranko8907]

when they dug the main tunnel the were actually digging from multiple faces at once and the pioneer had a narrow gauge to remove the waste and had several connections to the main tunnel. until the mid seventies it was actually listed in the time card as a emergency escape route.

[@dave3216]

Exceptional video. From the scenes, to the editing to the locations and the descriptions, love your videos. Hope to see your version of The Feather River Route. 👍👍👍👍👍

[@mbmars01]

Thank you so much. Well, there are so many places I'd like to go to... but yes, this is on my wish list, too.

[@danielyoung3426]

In one scene in the video you identified the train with only tanks cars as being an ethanol train. Usually those trains are empty Bakken crude oil trains going back to the oil fields from refineries in Washington State. The full ones go from Spokane southwest to Pasco on the old Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railroad tracks then follow the Columbia River to Vancouver where they head north to the refineries. This routing is also done for coal trains going to the power plant in Centralia, Washington, or for trains going to the coal loading facility at Roberts Bank, British Columbia.

[@mbmars01]

I'm not very familiar with the trains in the area so you're probably right.

[@RyansColoradoRailProductions]

11:11 4580 is in H3 paint a wreck rebuild after it derailed into a river in Wyoming in 2010.

[@dannygayler90]

Great stuff , Love the location too !

[@mbmars01]

Thanks!

[@clintonbump3848]

Awesome video love it

[@mbmars01]

Very cool, thanks!

[@salfordladcraigedeane2356]

Very satisfying to watch

[@mbmars01]

I'm very happy you enjoyed it!

[@RailfanTurner]

Terrific catches! Their is a Virtual railfan cam located at the city before Cascade Tunnel.

[@mbmars01]

Thank you!

[@anrails3220]

Why would somebody dislike these awesome perfect videos it makes me sad that people dislike his videos but this comment is by your truly fan me :) i just love your videos

[@mbmars01]

I appreciate your comment and I’m happy you like the videos! My theory is that those people simply accidentally hit the wrong button 😂

[@anrails3220]

Ooooh

[@anrails3220]

Lol

[@joshswarens9409]

Great video that tunnel is really cool

[@mbmars01]

Thanks! It definitely is cool!

[@joshswarens9409]

@@mbmars01 Is there a difference between the es44ac and the es44c4. Do know what the difference between them is?

[@georgiasunbelt]

❤️ It. Beautiful scenery, too.

[@mbmars01]

Thanks :)

[@CarterWHern]

Beautiful.

[@mbmars01]

Thanks!

[@Nicola636128]

Beautiful video.

[@mbmars01]

Thanks so much!

[@southernkentuckyrailfan9177]

Great video

[@lawrencewheeler8868]

Worked for Roadway (nowYRC), forr 18 yrs here in SLC,UT

[@philliplee980]

awesome catches.

[@mbmars01]

Thanks!

[@buckyc.9069]

Well, there weren't many visionaries in the rail biz around 1980 when MILW went down the tubes, and took Snoqualmie tunnel with it. Then BN shut down Stampede pass. Are we seeing a pattern of lost opportunity here?

[@mbmars01]

Of course. Once you start ripping off track, it's game over. Rebuilding such lines nowadays is way too expensive.

[@revengeoftheseph]

23:11 What was that bizarre sound coming from on 6379? (I know I've heard it before)

[@jarroddark8560]

that was awesome and how that tunnel go full power to get all the exhaust out that was impressive

[@mbmars01]

Thanks. Yea, it looks impressive, but this much pollution of the beautiful environment is also frustrating :/

[@antonijevicmarko1440]

Cool video,MBMars01!!

[@mbmars01]

Thank you! Good you enjoyed it!

[@roballen5670]

Super Video 👍👍👍

[@mbmars01]

Thanks!

[@denault3985]

Excellent video, what happened to the east-side of Cascade Tunnel...in the 1990's there were fences, warning-lights and alarms (kind of like a James Bond movie) when a train was coming.

[@mbmars01]

Thanks! There's nothing like that. Would have been cool to see this spectacle, though :)

[@ivanoffw]

24:42 - 27:29 shows that you don't need to be track side in order to get a great video. As usual great videos.

[@mbmars01]

If your camera has good zoom... :) I like those distant shots, but they are much more difficult than the trackside shots. Thanks, great you like them.

[@abangnakal1379]

BNSF my favorite Company ☺️

[@mbmars01]

I like how smoothly they operate, compared to others.

[@tom-and-mom]

@mbmars01 The west portal of the Cascade Tunnel is on the Cascade Highway.

[@hankpenninga]

In BritishColumbia,Canada,MountMcDonald Tunnel in the RogersPass is 14 kilometres long, which converts to 10 miles long, that seems to be2.2 miles longer.Maybe some of you should come and have alook at it .

[@novastardom2689]

hope you got to see the great northern and cascade railway in skykomish

[@mbmars01]

Unfortunately not - no time. After Amtrak 7 left Skykomish, I chased the intermodal east to get him at the eastern tunnel end. This way of railfanning is really hard work as the railroads rarely adjust their schedule to fit yours lol. Also, in contrast to some others, BNSF is rather efficient in what they are doing.

[@Bruh-ji3jk]

i like the checkers pattern on the humongous tunnel gate

[@mbmars01]

It really looks cool.

[@willempipo]

and another great video of you ! my dream is, one day, that I will stand there myself taking pictures … but I'm afraid I will stay a dream :(

[@mbmars01]

Many thanks. I hope you’ll be able to watch trains by yourself at some time. It’s worth it.

[@welasasihklaten684]

Is that the sound of the train doorstop siren ...? equal means in Indonesia there is a sound of the doorstop like that too This locomotive is really cool 4 2 at the front 2 on the back original cool .. wow .... thank you vidoenya my child loves it

[@mbmars01]

It's called a bell here. All locomotives have a horn and a bell. Great you and your kid enjoy the videos!

[@bradley.reim22]

Awesome Job

[@mbmars01]

Cool, thanks so much!

[@schirmeyerb]

Really impressive.

[@mbmars01]

It's definitely interesting to watch their operations in this complex environment. And it's simply beautiful out there :)

[@BorisLu]

Nice video!

[@mbmars01]

Thank you!

[@garysheehan5907]

I wonder how those reefer cars run towards the back of the consist???

[@buckyc.9069]

I suppose James J. Hill would be proud to see his namesake train still Rollin all these years after the "Dissapearin Rairoad Blues".

[@mbmars01]

Absolutely.

[@kirkzevola5004]

Why do they leave one tunnel fan on for the eastbound trains heading inside the tunnel as well exiting unlike westbounds?

[@willkoster]

If anyone noticed, the tops of those intermodal cars BARELY scrapped through ! maybe 2' of clearance in the corners ??? you can see it best right when the engines come out of the tunnel dang

[@kylewil12plays]

That seems to be normal for these tunnels the st Clair tunnel is the same only like 2’ of clearance I believe

[@JoseLopez-cf3bt]

Love video sr

[@mbmars01]

Thanks!

[@glennkanaley224]

Great video. It looks exactly like that on train simulator.

[@mbmars01]

Nice, thanks!

[@johnwilliamson5191]

great footage if you could get an official tour tunnel vent system and video that would be wild.

[@mbmars01]

I wish I could do that! If a BNSF official reads this, I’d be on standby for such a tour! 😊

[@jerseyrailvideos4139]

Awesome video and I LOVE THE INTRO!

[@mbmars01]

Thanks! That’s great you like the intro. It’s surprisingly time-consuming to create a good one.

[@AndreiTupolev]

Seems some rather tight clearances. I hope there's a signal inside the tunnel interlocked with the door .. I wonder if it would have been more cost-effective to continue with electrification, even if it would have meant a small dedicated fleet and changing power ?

[@mbmars01]

You raise a very good point and I though about it myself when I was there. However, keep in mind that the entire electric system was abandoned and removed in the 1950s when diesel was very cheap. Another advantage is that diesel is a "mobile" power resource, whereas electric trains required a complex network from the plant to the locomotive. However, I recently read that BNSF seriously thinks about battery-powered trains and on this line or at least in the tunnel such an operation might make perfect sense.

[@jamesfar446]

As always.....great video shots......probably the closest I’ll ever get

[@mbmars01]

Many thanks! I try my best to keep the videos as authentic as possible and bring the world of railroads into the living rooms of those who can't go to these places by themselves. I'm glad you enjoy watching the videos on this channel :)

[@menguardingtheirownwallets6791]

Here is how you decrease the bottleneck at the tunnel = blow air into the tunnel from the middle of the tunnel (central ventilation shaft). That way there is no need for those ventilation doors to close as air will be blown out of BOTH tunnel openings at the same time. And this means that the blower can be in operation even when there is a train in the tunnel, so the tunnel will be filled with clean air as the train is passing through it, no need to close the doors and wait.

[@KatoOnTheTrack1]

I’d imagine the desire is to have laminar flow during the process. A train in the tunnel I’m sure wouldn’t allow that. Having a fan in a central spot seems like you would need fans for both directions oppose your maybe having one fan rated for the tunnel

[@walterfink9782]

Great video, as all yours are! If I'm not mistaken, there is another large exhaust located above the tunnel. And maybe you can answer this question. On any train, that goes through a long tunnel, how do the crew in the cab keep the exhaust out of the cab? Are the sliding windows, in the cab, really sealed well enough, to keep out the exhaust? I've been on long passenger trains, but not through tunnels. I think the passenger cars are sealed, well enough, to keep most fumes out? Or, do the exhaust fans keep running at a lower speed, when a train goes through? Some shorter tunnels don't have the exhaust system. I guess my question, has man guess different answers, depending on the tunnel. I guess my question can also apply to cars going through longer tunnels as well. Exhaust systems probably in place on the longer tunnels. I may have let out the beast with these questions!

[@mbmars01]

Well, as long the train moves there is no problem. If I remember correctly, the crews do have some sort of gas mask in the cab for the case the train stops because of an emergency.

[@Greatdome99]

There is only an electric fan at the higher east portal to push air toward trains heading upgrade. Fans are not operated for westbound trains heading downgrade. Before Amtrak, GN's dome lounge had its A/C shut off while in the tunnel (~15 minutes or so). I rode the train once and as we emerged, the entire car was full of smoke! Yes, train crews carry oxygen just in case. There's a call box every few hundred feet inside the tunnel since radio reception is crappy in there.

[@Jacobkorowin4014]

Nice video. Have you ever been in the tunnel before.

[@mbmars01]

Thanks. No, the only way to get in the tunnel is on the Amtrak Empire Builder (or as a BNSF employee), but I haven't taken this train yet.

[@Jacobkorowin4014]

mbmars01 ok thanks.

[@billbaranko8907]

43 years with BN and BNSF, the inside is a nasty dirty place

[@BruceGordon925]

I have round tripped the tunnel (As a Hobo) interesting.

[@shadedmuse]

David went through the tunnel on Amtrak.

[@jed-henrywitkowski6470]

What if, and (likely when) the ventilation system, in whole or in part fails, with an active train inside?

[@mbmars01]

As far as I know, the crews have protective equipment (such as oxygen masks) in the cab.

[@DanMeyer80]

@@mbmars01 also there are 21 bays throughout the tunnel and each one has extra oxygen equipment, also the bays contain spare knuckles and airhoses and phones to call dispatcher

[@emjay1606]

Why vents and fans in tunnel? Does the heat accumulate and stall the engines or something?

[@mbmars01]

The problem is not the heat, but the exhaust of the diesel engines, which makes the engines (and the crew) suffocate if not replaced by fresh air. That's why they couldn't use steam engines either in the early days and operation required electric locomotives.

[@rickboivin7732]

Don't forget the Empire Builder.

[@CentralIndianaRailfan]

Very Nice!! Whats your intro music!? I love it!!

[@mbmars01]

Cool, it's called "Runner" by Silent Partner. I have created a music video of it in full length. Check it out, if you want. Its label on my channel is [5s].

[@ramo7963]

donc je suis obliger d allez au U S pour voir de superbe train avec des convoi démesuré !

[@rollieburrows1666]

THIS GOT SMOKE AND WIND

[@marquestainter4131]

I would love to see that in person someday. What I want to know, if that is the "new" tunnel, where is the old one, or did they just modify the old one. Awesome video, keep up the good work :-)

[@mbmars01]

Well, initially, there was no tunnel at all and the line went over the summit of Stevens Pass by using several switchbacks, which was a very time-consuming, slow process, in particular in winter with heavy snowfalls. Then the old tunnel was built and went into operation in 1900 at a lower elevation and was about 2.6 mile long. However, snow slides caused frequent issues and an actual disaster with many people dead. The decision was made to build a new tunnel at a much lower elevation, but this meant it had to be much longer. It was operational in 1929. Fragments of the old tunnel still exist and can be visited (by hiking a trail), but I didn't have time to explore it. Many thanks, appreciated!

[@marquestainter4131]

Thanks, on my next vacation, i may head up that way to check it out.

[@robertheinkel6225]

Since the tunnel has a ventilation system, why can't another train go thru once the previous train has vacated the tunnel?

[@m.moolhuysen5456]

They have to draw it away from the full length of the tunnel, not by passing it through separate ducts, but by drawing it through the normal tunnel cross section. It takes 30 minutes of ventilation to reduce the exaust from the previous train to such a low amount, that in combination with the exaust of the current train you won't reach hazardoes levels.

[@trainnut1958]

Do you know if the RR had to do any special track work at the Cascade tunnel so the double stacks get thru? I noticed that some of the seemed to have VERY close clearances coming out of the tunnel! Trainnut1958 🇺🇸🚂🚃🚃🚃🚃🚃🚃🇺🇸

[@mbmars01]

I don't think they did special track work, but they had to modify the portals. This is clearly visible in the shots at the west portal.

[@ScenicDepot]

To accommodate the intermodals, they had to notch the roof on both sides of the Cascade Tunnel. With the highest cars, there is sometimes just a few inches of clearance.

[@mattalbrecht7471]

but why close the one side door when a train enters the tunnel? does this create some vacuum effect?

[@mbmars01]

The fans are at the east end. If they wouldn’t close the east gate, the ventilation would be very inefficient.

[@DeansHome1]

How do they control the end DPU’s when they go through these tunnels ? Surely radio control would not work?

[@DeansHome1]

Does anyone know about this question or am I to assume that just magic is how they control DPU’s in an 8 mile rock tunnel? 😳. I would really appreciate an informed answer. Thanks.

[@irish00011]

What can anyone suggest, other than the actuality, you'll travel almost anywhere to capture railroad train traffic. You seem to be working through your bucket list. What a relief for you; no stinking desert heat in 2018. It's the Northwest for you; among the trees, the hills and the Cascades. How many installments, in total, will you have for this trip? And then, what; Western Canada; Eastern Canada; and finally, The Great Land of Alaska? This video about the tunnel is an eyeopener for me. Great job!

[@mbmars01]

I always enjoy learning how different railroads work and under which circumstances they operate, which difficulties or natural barriers they have to deal with. The desert trip last year was as enjoyable as this trip to the northwest. I don't know yet how many videos will come out of this excursion, but after having traveled 5 states (in just 10 days), they'll all be different. I have no actual plans right now for the next trip; there are so many potentially interesting destinations. Finding time is always the bigger problem (after all I have a job that is not railroad-related). Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed watching the video.

[@fhqwgads2]

@5:38 - An H3 C-44 followed by an H2 GEVO? Weird.

[@Chuck59ish]

Great video, too bad you couldn't have gotten one of the BNSF trains hauling the Boeing 737 bodies from the Spokane plant going to the Boeing main assembly plant, they are impressive coming ot of the tunnels.

[@mbmars01]

Thanks! I was happy I got trains there at all. It's maintenance season. These 737 parts are on westbound trains, i.e., they leave the tunnel on the west side which is by far not as impressive as the east side. Anyway, I saw a train with a section of 737 fuselages on flat cars in Helena, MT. Will appear in one of the future videos of this trip :)

[@Greatdome99]

Wichita, not Spokane!

[@Chuck59ish]

@@Greatdome99 Yeah Boeing trying to move everything East, but the Washington State is putting up a fight, they don't want to lose their major employer.

[@nevingroenig3834]

Nice this is why they need to send these empty unit trains over Stampede Pass, Stampede can't take double stacks only unit trains and plate E or below car manifest train. The nice thing with Stampede it's only a 2 mile tunnel and it doesn't have the bottleneck issue like Stevens.

[@mbmars01]

Right, I know that they share and distribute traffic like this. It's a pretty comfortable situation for BNSF to have these options in this difficult terrain. Unfortunately, due to lack of time, I couldn't explore the Stampede Sub this time.

[@nevingroenig3834]

That's to bad as there are places with jointed rail at Easton and Cle Elum. It will be replaced next year.

[@kjames1551]

After that head down to California and go to up roseville sub and elvas jct.and binney jct.

[@mbmars01]

Sigh... Yes, NorCal and SoCal are definitely areas I wish to go railfanning one day...

[@DanMeyer80]

i just took rode the empire builder through that tunnel, i timed it, took 15 minutes to go throught it. Curious what happens if a train goes in emergency in that tunnel?

[@trainsoffinland651]

Theres a sign that says no stopping in tunnel, so if a knuckle breaks or something you're fkd

[@SD_Marc]

General railroading question. Is there any rhyme or reason as to which engine leads, is 2nd or 3rd, or ends up DPU?

[@mbmars01]

Most engines can be used in any configuration.

[@SD_Marc]

@@mbmars01 Thank you.

[@salfordladcraigedeane2356]

Can anyone tell me why there's a gate on the tunnel entry

[@mbmars01]

The fans used for tunnel ventilation are located on the east portal, which is higher in elevation than the west end. If there were no gates, the fresh air they blow in would just disappear to the east on the short route.The gate prevents this and forces the bad air in the tunnel downhill, where it leaves the tunnel at the west end and is replaced by the fresh air. It's a somewhat sophisticated system, but it works.

[@James_lirr-ict_catches]

Why is it closing is it smoking in there

[@UPES44ACno2010]

BNSF 9941 isn't a SD70MACe, just a regular SD70MAC

[@mbmars01]

There's also a comment on dieselshop(dot)us that #9941 was converted to a MACe, but I have no actual means to confirm it.

[@tom-and-mom]

@mbmars01 The Cascade Tunnel is 7.8 miles, so what is it?

[@denisetindall1487]

I like train videos videos on KZbin 👍

[@mbmars01]

Nice!

[@jrrari_i]

Why a back engine? Is that load that heavy?

[@mbmars01]

Distributed power helps to better balance horsepower, tractive effort and braking power and this leads to less strain on the couplers and reduces the potential for knuckles breaking.

[@blxck_ivy9663]

Hi Mbmars, Long Time No See

[@mbmars01]

Welcome back! 😂