Western Railroad Discussion > Eastbound Xtrain on Stampede Sub - Easton, WA

Here is an eastbound Xtrain led by BNSF 5178 on the BNSF's ex-NP Stampede Sub yesterday 11-26-16.  Always enjoy watching them "get up and go" out of Easton.  Video is of the whole train.

Brian Ambrose
Renton, WA

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Nice to hear the wheels over jointed rail.

"Xtrain"??? I thought that was Bid Hitter's fantasy train between LA and Vegas.

You might say this was an Xpress considering how it highballed out of Easton.

Brian

PHall Wrote:
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> "Xtrain"??? I thought that was Bid Hitter's
> fantasy train between LA and Vegas.

Classic, the jointed rail is impressive. Almost had a 'brown esrthworm' except for a few grey cars and then the ribbed cars at the end. BNSF seems to get more HP per Ton than other roads, 3 units for that many cars on a mountain grade seems pretty good, but they run 2+1 every day all over the system.

Thanks again for another jointed rail wonder, and capturing the whole train including the "going away" sound.  Despite the fact it had a DPU, with a little imagination it sounded just like a caboose receding into the distance at the end (being downhill on a 0.7% grade or so, the DPU appeared to be in idle or very low throttle position, so no engine roar).

The track the train is on is Main 1 and has 112# jointed rail manufactured in 1946.

The closer track in the foreground is Main 2, near the east end of a 4.2 mile CTC island double main segment through Easton.  At one time, it was the east end of double track that extended over eight miles up to Martin, just east of the Stampede Tunnel, but was shortened to this remaining segment by BN in the 1970s or early 1980s.  It was relaid with 136# welded rail and concrete ties in 1996 when Stampede Pass was reopened by BNSF shortly after the merger.  However the turnouts for Main 2 at each end of the double track are diverging turnouts, so trains can operate at full track speed if they stay on Main 1.

Tried to view and TO says it is no longer a valid video??

Rob

OregonOldGuy Wrote:
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> Tried to view and TO says it is no longer a valid
> video??
>
> Rob

That's odd, I just checked and it played fine.

Brian

Very NICE Brian, enjoyed the jointed rail.

Larry