February 11, 2006



















last updated: 12/08/06


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David.Honan
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The weather forecast for Saturday, February 11, proclaimed cold air and clear skies, so I decided to do some exploration around my new home.

Seattle, WA With sunrise still more than a half-hour away, the Cascade Mountains were silhouetted against a glowing orange sky; the Bellevue downtown skyline looms over Lake Washington while itself being dwarfed by the Cascades.
Seattle, WA In this view from the aptly-named East Portal Viewpoint, early risers cross the Lacey V. Murrow Floating Bridge which carries I-90 from Seattle to Mercer Island.
Seattle, WA Two views of Mt. Rainier looking southeast from Colman Park on the shore of Lake Washington.
Seattle, WA Houses on the shore of Lake Washington catch the sun's first rays.
Richmond Beach, WA With the sun up I headed north to seek out locations from which to photograph trains. I got all the way to Richmond Beach before I found an accessible spot with good lighting, and it wasn't too long before the Z-SSECHC2-11C rolled to a stop on Main 1 to let the S-BPATPC1-02A slip through the single track at Edmonds and continue westwards (compass south) towards Seattle on Main 2.
Richmond Beach, WA One of the things I enjoy most about living in the Seattle area is that mountains rise on nearly every part of the horizon. Even more spectacular than the Cascades east of Bellevue are the snow-capped Olympic Mountains on the west side of Puget Sound.
North Beach, WA Congestion somewhere down the line caused the Seattle East Dispatcher to hold the S-BPATPC1-02A at Carkeek Park, which resulted in the railroad essentially become a single-track main line. Shortly after I arrived, BNSF 7693 led the M-INBEVE1-11A westward past the park.
North Beach, WA Once the eastbound was through Edmonds the dispatcher was able to run a pair of westbounds past the stopped stack train; leading the way was the L-NWE6011-11T imitating a unit grain train.
North Beach, WA Following closely behind the local was Amtrak No. 7, the Empire Builder, rolling quickly through the curves along Puget Sound and receiving a roll-by from the stack train's crew.
North Beach, WA Down on the beach, a little kid marvels at the long shadow he's casting.
Ballard, WA Bridge 6.3 in Ballard carries the Scenic Subdivision across Salmon Bay; a rolling bascule span allows tall ships to leave the harbor in the protected bay and enter Puget Sound.
Ballard, WA A gull shows off its wing span at the Ballard Locks.
Ballard, WA Amtrak Cascades No. 513 is just minutes away from its destination at King Street Station in downtown Seattle as it rumbles across Bridge 6.3.

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