February 18, 2006
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last updated: 12/27/06
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With another sunny winter weekend forecasted, I again prepared to head out for some local exploration.
This day's trip was focused on the stretch of BNSF's Seattle Sub that follows Puget Sound south of Tacoma,
but ended up getting somewhat repetitive as I spent a lot of time at one spot.
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| Steilacoom, WA |
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The first place I found early-morning light on the tracks south of Tacoma was at Bridge 14 on the north
side of Steilacoom. This view of northbound loaded grain train G-HWMINB9-12A would be the first of quite a
few repetitive photos. |
| Steilacoom, WA |
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Eight minutes after BNSF 4886 took the grain train north, BNSF 4883 led S-TCBCHI1-17L across Chambers Bay
with the Olympic Mountains looming in the distance. |
| Steilacoom, WA |
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Much to my surprise and delight, the unique drawbridge lifted to allow the Rain or Shine to slip
out into Puget Sound. |
| Steilacoom, WA |
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A half-hour later, southbound Amtrak Cascades No. 501 rolls across Bridge 14 at speed. |
| Titlow, WA |
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After Amtrak passed I headed north to explore other potential shots on the line. I didn't find anything
worth stopping for, but I did take a few minutes to pause in Titlow to photograph the second and third Tacoma
Narrows Bridges and some birds. |
| Steilacoom, WA |
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When I returned to Bridge 14 I found another railfan had arrived, so instead of continuing southward I
pulled off to introduce myself and see what I could learn. Scott O'Dell turned out to be a very friendly
and informative fellow and was more than willing to show me around the area as the afternoon progressed. |
| Steilacoom, WA |
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A pair of geese and a gull wandered by and posed for a portrait. We knew a northbound train was approaching,
so I moved down to water level to frame a shot with the gull perched on the stump in front of Bridge 14; to my
dismay, my movements startled the bird and it flew away. Quite unexpectedly, the gull returned just as the train
was approaching the bridge, allowing me to capture the image I had originally intended. |
| Steilacoom, WA |
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With the sun turning to the west, we finally abandoned Bridge 14 and headed down into Steilacoom proper. We
didn't have long to wait before empty BNSF grain train X-RGTABA9-16A rolled north across an inlet of Puget Sound.
A while later, shortly after a ferry passed by, a southbound UP stack train rushed past. A great quantity of
sailboats were out on the sound to participate in an Olympia-to-Steilacoom race. |
| Fort Lewis, WA |
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Scott knew that Amtrak No. 507 was scheduled out of Tacoma at 1433, so he suggested we head down to Solo Point
to watch it roll by. |
| Fort Lewis, WA |
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I couldn't resist posing my Jeep on the beach for a portrait with Ketron Island (right), Anderson Island
(left) and the Olympic Mountains providing the backdrop. |
| Nisqually, WA |
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The dispatcher was talking to 507 about No. 506 running about an hour and a half late, so Scott took me
down to Nisqually to check out the Nisqually River Bridge. Evidence of recent flooding is still visible. |
| Fort Lewis, WA |
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We had hoped to catch one last southbound before sunset at Solo Point, but the timing just didn't work out,
so I ended the day with this view of the late-evening sun rays playing off the water. |
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