Northern Transcon

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The Empire Builder crosses the Two Medicine Trestle at East Glacier Park, Montana on the Hi Line Subdivision in 2011. Empire Builder @Two Medicine Trestle ( 2 Views ).jpg
The Empire Builder crosses the Two Medicine Trestle at East Glacier Park, Montana on the Hi Line Subdivision in 2011.

The Northern Transcon, a route operated by the BNSF Railway, traverses the most northerly route of any railroad in the western United States. This route was originally part of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, Northern Pacific Railway, Great Northern Railway and Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway systems, merged into the Burlington Northern Railroad system in 1970.

Contents

Route

The route starts at Chicago [1] and runs west across northern Illinois to the Mississippi River. It follows the eastern shore of the river through La Crosse and Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin before turning west again in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota to Casselton, North Dakota. From Casselton the route runs northwest to Minot, North Dakota, then west through Montana and Idaho to Spokane, Washington.

In Montana, the line passes the East Gate of Glacier National Park and crosses the Two Medicine River on a high trestle. From East Glacier Park, Montana, the route continues ascending until it crests the Continental Divide at the summit of Marias Pass. The line descends down the west side of the pass for 20 miles (32 km) to Essex, Montana, running mostly double track on a narrow shelf, and crossing several high trestles over the Flathead River. Essex is home to the Izaak Walton Inn, which was constructed when the line was built to shelter railroad employees during the winter months. It also contains a small railyard used to store helper engines, which are used to supply additional power to freight trains crossing Marias Pass. Prior to the invention of the powerful diesel locomotives used today, longer trains often had to be split in order to make it up the pass.

From Essex, the line follows the Flathead River valley to Whitefish, Montana. Located in Whitefish is a restored passenger depot/museum (also serving Amtrak). The line continues northwest to Stryker, Montana, then turns south and passes through the 7-mile-long (11 km) Flathead Tunnel as it runs west toward Sandpoint, Idaho. The line leaves the Rocky Mountains after Athol, Idaho and reaches Spokane, Washington.

At Spokane the route splits into two, with one line going to Seattle, Washington and the other to Portland, Oregon.

The two longest railroad tunnels in the country are along the Northern Transcon: the Flathead Tunnel through the Rocky Mountains in Montana and the new Cascade Tunnel through the Cascade Mountains in Washington.

From St. Paul to the West Coast, this is basically the route of Amtrak's Empire Builder. But the Builder turns north in Fargo onto a BNSF secondary line to reach Grand Forks, North Dakota, while the Northern Transcon heads directly toward Minot. The Builder rejoins the Transcon main route at Minot and continues on to Seattle, though a section branches off to serve Portland, Oregon. BNSF also owns trackage with running rights in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, where it has a yard operated by a switch unit and full crew. The track is maintained by a small track crew.

Historical alignments in Montana

The portion of the Northern Transcon line from Columbia Falls to Libby, Montana has been significantly rerouted twice since its initial construction in 1892.

Kootenai River valley

Prior to the opening of the Flathead Tunnel, trains left the modern route at Stryker, Montana and traveled northwest to Eureka, Montana, then traveled southwest along the Kootenai River and rejoined the present-day line at Jennings, located just below the Libby Dam.

In 1970, the construction of the Libby Dam formed Lake Koocanusa, flooding the towns of Rexford, Montana and Waldo, British Columbia and the railroad line. [2] This required the relocation of more than 60 miles (97 km) of track between Stryker and Jennings and the building of Flathead Tunnel which, like the dam, was constructed by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Part of the original main line from Stryker to Eureka is still in use as the Mission Mountain Railroad. Before the construction of the tunnel, the Empire Builder also had a station stop in Eureka.

The only visible remnants of the original route are a stub track at Jennings, where the unused original track still remains close to the current main line, and Northwest of Eureka the original mainline is now a trail that meanders over towards Lake Koocanusa, with the old right of way eventually diving into the reservoir.

Haskell Pass

The alignment that travelled from Whitefish to Libby via Eureka was created in 1902 to replace a predecessor alignment over Haskell Pass, farther to the south.

The pass was named for its founder, Charles Haskell, who in the winter of 1891 had set out to locate a reasonable alignment for the Great Northern railroad to take between Kalispell, Montana and the Kootenai River. Ranging as far north as the Canada–US border, Haskell's party eventually returned to Kalispell in early spring, having crossed a low notch in the Salish Mountains on the return trip. A year after the scouting trip, construction was begun on what was to be the first of three Great Northern lines through the Salish.

Completed in 1892, the Haskell Pass line left the modern alignment of the route at Columbia Falls, Montana, a few miles east of Whitefish. The line travelled almost due south to Kalispell, where a branch split off the route that ran to Somers, Montana on the shore of Flathead Lake. The line travelled west from Kalispell to Marion, then alongside Little Bitteroot Lake, looping up on a high trestle over Herrig Creek, and passing through a 1,425-foot-long (434 m) tunnel at the summit of Haskell Pass, emerging high on the mountains above Pleasant Valley. The line descended to the valley floor, then turned north along Island Creek, and west down Wolf Creek, to the Fisher River. The line followed the Fisher River north to the Kootenai River Valley, where it returned to the 1902–1970 alignment at Jennings.

The Haskell Pass line was used only for ten years before the Kootenai River alignment opened. Shifting to the Kootenai River alignment was controversial because the new alignment was 20 miles (32 km) longer than the old route, although the new route had less steep grades.[ citation needed ]

Much of the Haskell Pass route was abandoned in 1902. The leg from Columbia Falls to Marion remained in use as a branch line until 1948, when it was truncated to Kalispell. When Flathead Tunnel was constructed in 1970, part of the Haskell Pass alignment along the Fisher River was recycled, namely the leg from Jennings to Tamarack siding (originally Sterling). [3] On Haskell Pass, much of the right-of-way has been grown over, but small remnants of infrastructure and the original tunnel through the pass itself are still intact.

Winter operations

Keeping the Northern Transcon open during the winter is a significant challenge, weather from snow in the Midwest and mountains, or rain in the Pacific Northwest. Heavy rains have the potential to cause mudslides along Puget Sound between Seattle and Everett and in the Nisqually, Washington area between Tacoma and Olympia. For example, in early January 2006, there were four slides between Seattle and Everett. In late January 2006 and again in early February 2006, mudslides occurred both between Seattle and Everett and around Nisqually. Heavy snow in the Rockies around Marias Pass have the potential to cause avalanches that can block the tracks. Following the clearing of a slide or an avalanche, no passenger train can run on the track for 48 hours to ensure that the slide area has stabilized, per BNSF policy.[ citation needed ]

Passenger trains

Amtrak operates its Empire Builder on the corridor between La Crosse, Wisconsin and points west, though the train utilizes a more northerly route between Fargo and Minot.

The Metra BNSF Line operates in the whole Chicago Subdivision, providing commuter rail service. These are the only passenger trains directly operated by BNSF via a "purchase of service agreement" with Metra. This stretch of track also hosts the Amtrak California Zephyr, the Amtrak Southwest Chief, and the Chicago-Quincy sections of the Amtrak Illinois Service on their way to Galesburg and points west.

The Northstar Line operates north of Minneapolis on the Midway and Staples Subdivisions. Also, the Seattle Subdivision hosts Amtrak Cascades as well as Sounder commuter rail trains.

Subdivisions

The Northern Transcon is divided into many subdivisions. From east to west, these include: [4] [5]

To the west of Spokane, WA (at Latah Jct, as of June 1973 [6] to the present day [7] ), the line splits into two main routes, [7] one using mostly the old Great Northern Railway route directly to Seattle, WA, and the other using mainly the former Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway route, but also a large section of the former Northern Pacific Railway route, to Portland, OR via Pasco and Vancouver, WA; then it travels north to Seattle.

Expedited Transcon traffic is generally routed via the direct Seattle route, and slow bulk-freight traffic is generally routed via the Spokane–Portland–Seattle route (through Vancouver, WA). The Spokane–Portland–Seattle route is mostly water level with a 1.15% maximum grade near Marshall, Washington. (Note that there is a parallel BNSF-owned route that bypasses the 1.15% grade with a maximum grade of 0.8%; they operate it directionally.) There is a 0.95% maximum grade in the Napavine, Washington area. [7] The direct Seattle route traverses the Cascade Range at the Cascade Tunnel (Scenic and Berne, Washington); it has 2.2% ruling grades in the vicinity of the tunnel. [7]

Direct Seattle route: [7]

Portland-Seattle route: [7]

The former Northern Pacific Railway route via Stampede Pass through Pasco and Auburn, WA to Tacoma, WA has had a checkered history. Since 1996 it has been a third route to the coast. As of 2010 it was seldom used but still in service.

Stampede Pass line: [7]

Proposed projects

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Northern Railway (U.S.)</span> Defunct American Class I railroad

The Great Northern Railway was an American Class I railroad. Running from Saint Paul, Minnesota, to Seattle, Washington, it was the creation of 19th-century railroad entrepreneur James J. Hill and was developed from the Saint Paul & Pacific Railroad. The Great Northern's route was the northernmost transcontinental railroad route in the U.S.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BNSF Railway</span> American freight railroad

BNSF Railway is the largest freight railroad in the United States. One of six North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 36,000 employees, 33,400 miles (53,800 km) of track in 28 states, and over 8,000 locomotives. It has three transcontinental routes that provide rail connections between the western and eastern United States. BNSF trains traveled over 169 million miles in 2010, more than any other North American railroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burlington Northern Railroad</span> Former American railroad company

The Burlington Northern Railroad was a United States-based railroad company formed from a merger of four major U.S. railroads. Burlington Northern operated between 1970 and 1995.

<i>Empire Builder</i> Northern U.S. rail service

The Empire Builder is a daily long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak between Chicago and either Seattle or Portland via two sections west of Spokane. Introduced in 1929, it was the flagship passenger train of the Great Northern Railway and was retained by Amtrak when it took over intercity rail service in 1971.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flathead Tunnel</span> Rail tunnel in Montana, United States

The Flathead Tunnel is a 7-mile-long (11 km) railroad tunnel in the Rocky Mountains of northwest Montana near Trego, approximately 28 miles (45 km) west of Whitefish. Located on the BNSF Railway's Kootenai River Subdivision, it is the second-longest railroad tunnel in the United States after the Cascade Tunnel. It is ultimately named after the Bitterroot Salish, also known as the Flathead.

<i>North Coast Limited</i> Former named passenger train

The North Coast Limited was a named passenger train operated by the Northern Pacific Railway between Chicago and Seattle via Bismarck, North Dakota. It started on April 29, 1900, and continued as a Burlington Northern Railroad train after the merger on March 2, 1970 with Great Northern Railway and the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. The next year, it ceased operations after the trains which left their originating stations on April 30, 1971, the day before Amtrak began service, arrived at their destinations.

<i>North Coast Hiawatha</i> Former long-distance Amtrak train

The North Coast Hiawatha was a streamlined long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak between Chicago, Illinois, and Seattle, Washington.

The Hi-Line is a railroad in Montana running between Havre and Whitefish. It serves as a portion of the BNSF Railway Northern Transcon. Originally the mainline of the Great Northern Railway, the Hi-Line name has its origins in the railroad line being the northernmost transcontinental railway line in the United States. While the modern BNSF Railroad has only named this portion the Hi-line, the term is colloquially used for other portions of the Northern Transcon. Hi-Line also more generally refers to the area of northern Montana near the Canada–United States border and U.S. Highway 2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marias Pass</span> Mountain pass in Montana

Marias Pass is a mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains in the western US state of Montana. Lying on the southern border of Glacier National Park, it is traversed by US Highway 2 and by the BNSF Hi-Line Subdivision. The pass is the lowest crossing of the Continental Divide between Canada and central New Mexico , and is the northernmost pass in the US open to automobile traffic year-round.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whitefish station</span> Railway station in Whitefish, Montana, US

Whitefish station is a stop on Amtrak's Empire Builder in Whitefish, Montana. In addition to the Empire Builder, a once-daily Greyhound Lines bus service also links the station to Kalispell and Missoula. A car rental agency operates a window within the station. The station and parking lot are owned by the Stumptown Historical Society. BNSF Railway leases office space on the upper floors of the station and owns the platform and track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Transcon</span> Rail corridor owned by BNSF Railway

The Southern Transcon is a main line of BNSF Railway comprising 11 subdivisions between Southern California and Chicago, Illinois. Completed in its current alignment in 1908 by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, when it opened the Belen Cutoff in New Mexico and bypassed the steep grades of Raton Pass, it now serves as a mostly double-tracked intermodal corridor.

The Columbia River Subdivision or Columbia River Sub is a railway line running about 167 miles (269 km) from Wenatchee to Spokane, Washington. It is operated by BNSF Railway as part of their Northern Transcon. The original line was built as part of James J. Hill's Great Northern Railway transcontinental railway line.

The Scenic Subdivision or Scenic Sub is a railroad line running about 155 miles (249 km) from Seattle, Washington to Wenatchee, Washington. It is operated by BNSF Railway as part of their Northern Transcon. This route includes the Cascade Tunnel, as well as the 1893 site of the "last spike" near Scenic, Washington, which marked the completion for the Great Northern Railway transcontinental railway line built by James J. Hill.

The Spokane Subdivision or Spokane Sub is a railway line running between Sandpoint, Idaho and Spokane, Washington. It forms a part of the Northern Transcon. The line has shared track rights with Union Pacific Railway. The Amtrak Empire Builder uses the line and stops in Sandpoint and Spokane.

The Lakeside Subdivision is a railway line in eastern Washington running about 149.4 miles (240.4 km) from Sunset Junction, west of Spokane to Pasco. It is operated by BNSF Railway and is considered part of the Northern Transcon.

The Cameron connector is a section of track built in 1995–1996 which connects the former Burlington Northern Railroad and the former Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway tracks, both which are now part of the BNSF Railway, to each other near Cameron, Illinois.

Haskell Pass, elevation 4300 feet, is a historically significant but now little-used mountain pass in northwestern Montana, between the Flathead and Kootenai River drainages. From 1892 to 1904 it was traversed by the original main line of the Great Northern Railway from Kalispell to Libby. This route was abandoned in favor of a longer but flatter route via the Stillwater, Tobacco, and Kootenai Rivers.

The Mission Mountain Railroad is a shortline railroad in northwestern Montana, operating a segment of the former Great Northern Railway since December 2004. MMT is a subsidiary of Watco, operator of several other shortline railroads.

<i>California Zephyr</i> Amtrak service between Chicago and the San Francisco Bay Area

The California Zephyr is a long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak between Chicago and the San Francisco Bay Area, via Omaha, Denver, Salt Lake City, and Reno. At 2,438 miles (3,924 km), it is Amtrak's longest daily route, and second-longest overall after the Texas Eagle's triweekly continuation from San Antonio to Los Angeles, with travel time between the termini taking approximately 511⁄2 hours. Amtrak claims the route as one of its most scenic, with views of the upper Colorado River valley in the Rocky Mountains, and the Sierra Nevada. The modern train is the second iteration of a train named California Zephyr; the original train was privately operated and ran on a different route through Nevada and California.

The Fallbridge Subdivision is a railway line in southern Washington running about 229.7 miles (369.7 km) along the Columbia River from Pasco to Vancouver, then south to Portland, OR. It is operated by BNSF Railway and is considered part of the Northern Transcon.

References

  1. ↑ Luczak, Marybeth (21 January 2021). "BNSF announces $US 2.99bn 2021 capital plan". International Railway Journal. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  2. ↑ The Flathead Tunnel: A Geologic, Operations, and Ground Support Study, Burlington Northern Railroad, Salish Mountains, Montana (PDF). University of North Texas Library (Report). Spokeanne Mining Research Center. U.S. Bureau of Mines. 1974. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  3. ↑ "Haskell Pass, Montana". Viking. May 2002. Archived from the original on 25 April 2012.[ original research? ]
  4. ↑ "Burlington Northern Transcon". Don Winter.[ original research? ]
  5. ↑ BNSF Network Map (PDF) (Map). BNSF. June 2021.
  6. ↑ Burlington Northern Inc. Seattle Region Timetable 11
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 BNSF Northwest Division Timetable No. 2
  8. ↑ "Northwest Division Timetable No. 4" (PDF). Friends of the Burlington Northern Railroad. BNSF Railway. 17 June 2009. pp. 13–15. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  9. 1 2 "Empire Builder Timetable" (PDF). Amtrak. 16 March 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  10. 1 2 "BNSF Northwest Division Timeable No. 3" (PDF). BNSF Railway. 26 April 2006. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Empire Builder Timetable" (PDF). Amtrak. 16 March 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  12. 1 2 3 "Our Train Schedules". Amtrak Cascades. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  13. 1 2 3 4 "Sounder Train Schedule and Information" (PDF). Sound Transit. 8 April 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  14. ↑ "Coast Starlight Timetable" (PDF). Amtrak. 2 March 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  15. ↑ "BNSF Northwest Division Timeables" (PDF). BNSF Railway. 26 April 2006. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Our Train Schedules". Amtrak Cascades. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Coast Starlight Timetable" (PDF). Amtrak. 2 March 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  18. 1 2 "Empire Builder Timetable" (PDF). Amtrak. 16 March 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Sounder Train Schedule and Information" (PDF). Sound Transit. 8 April 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  20. 1 2 Dunster, Chris; Mattson, Larry (15 July 2010). "Point Defiance Bypass Project" (PDF). WSDOT. Technical Advisory Team. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  21. 1 2 Dunster, Chris; Mattson, Larry (15 July 2010). "Point Defiance Bypass Project" (PDF). WSDOT. Technical Advisory Team. p. 10. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  22. ↑ BNSF Northwest Division Timetables No.3, p. 69-71, 26 April 2006
  23. ↑ "BNSF Northwest Division Timeables" (PDF). BNSF Railway. 26 April 2006. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  24. ↑ "BNSF - Green River Trestle". Bridgehunter.com. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
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