Coal Train In The Rain in Auburn, WA, 11-18-2013

Well, it's a perfectly normal day here in the Seattle area - meaning it's pouring down rain!
I've camped out on the covered pedestrian overpass at Auburn Station, about 20 miles south of Seattle. Here I can shoot without getting soaked.
I caught a coal train coming out of Auburn Yard and onto the mainline headed northbound. BNSF 7039 (ES44C4) was leading. This is more Powder River Basin coal headed to the export facility in Roberts Bank, BC.
7039 / 8752 / 720 / 9134
ES44C4 / SD70ACe / C44-9W / SD70ACe

[@IndianaRails]

Thanks, being that we rarely have trains sitting for any length of time here in Greenwood; I had never seen this. I'll pay more attention now that I know this happens. Merry Christmas to all of you! Here's to many new adventures trackside in 2014; HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

[@pgo1972]

Great shot. I was just there a month ago.

[@IndianaRails]

Thanks Dan!! I learned something new today!!

[@MikeSnow9]

Raining here! Happy New Year Todd.....Mike

[@Chaackaviationandtrainvideos]

Those EMDs always sound good pushing!

[@trainOholic]

nice catch :)

[@IndianaRails]

Hi, I am noticing that everything in the first segment of the video appears normal; until you reach 3:00 and the second locomotive get past that grade crossing. It appears to be some sort of steam or vapor escaping from the second locomotive; as the train throttles up, the cloud appears to get worse. This does not look to be exhaust fumes; it looks as if it is steam or a mist of some type coming from the radiator area on the locomotive. Are you aware of any problems that the locomotive had or anything reported to have happened further on along the trip north? Great video even with the pouring rain - good work!! Thanks Dave

[@ddblink02]

GE's do this alot, kinda neat to see actually. When it rains, the water pools on the sides of the radiator, when the engine is up to operating temperature, the thermostat opens, and lets water into the radiator, which then boils the water on top of the radiator creating this effect.

[@SeattleRailFan]

Dan is correct. The train was parked at Auburn Yard, likely for several hours while waiting for their turn. The engine would have cooled down as it idled. As it throttled up, coolant temp rises, the thermostat opens and you get the cloud of steam as the rainwater hits the now hot radiator.

[@SeattleRailFan]

SeattleRailFan Auburn Yard is different from a typical yard. It is basically only used as storage. It has 7 or 8 very long tracks. Northbound trains are parked there while waiting their turn to continue north into the congested area of Seattle. Trains headed east for Stampede Pass may also park at the yard until it's their turn.

[@JonathanTuom]

Sweet video, where you able to catch any trains during the recent snow storm? John

[@SeattleRailFan]

No, I was too busy with work to do any railfanning during our brief 1 day snow "storm". I did shoot one video in the snow, look back around January 2012 for the video.

[@JonathanTuom]

Will do. Thanks. BTW I just subbed. John

[@staintedcards]

a lot of flat spots on those cars no Quiet zones either

[@josiahduarte5947]

Nice