Mud on the tracks: update on north line

By Joni Earl, CEO Sound Transit

Representatives of BNSF Railway Co., which owns the tracks that Sounder uses to operate train service between Seattle and Everett, reported to the Board yesterday on the company’s work to identify root causes of mudslides along this 100-year-old railroad corridor. Mudslides forced us to cancel 170 Sounder trips over 26 days this winter, by far the highest impact since Sound Transit began running trains on the north line in late 2003.

The state Department of Transportation has received a $16 million federal grant to work with BNSF to address some of the most slide-prone areas. With the Federal Railroad Administration, they have identified six specific sites to investigate more closely. Long-term solutions will likely require significant coordination with agencies, local jurisdictions and private property owners.