I passed through here going east on #8, but sound asleep in my bedroom! After a filling dinner, out of Seattle, I hit the sack and was out before we were even near the tunnel. This was about 10 years ago in November. It was misty leaving Seattle, and was dark and raining as we left Edmonds. If it had been this nice, I would have stayed up until full dark. Thanks for a beautiful video showing what I missed!
I took a ride on Amtrak from Cleveland Ohio to Edmunds Washington for one reason and one reason only. To go into Cascade Tunnel. Took 15 minutes and about 20 to 30 seconds to go through it.
I will say, it's amazing how they built a railroad through the Cascade Mountains. The person in charge of building the railroad was James J Hill known as the Empire Builder. It took 3 attempts to make it to Seattle Washington. 1st attempts were switchback tracks. The 2nd attempt was a tunnel: of course this tunnel is no longer in use. This tunnel should have not been built. In February 1910, 2 trains were stranded just west of the tunnel in Wellington, WA. For six days, a blizzard pounded the mountain. Shortly after midnight on March 1st, an avalanche took out the trains. 96 people died in the Wellington disaster. It is still the most lethal avalanche in the history of the USA. So the third and final option was the longest tunnel AKA the Cascade Tunnel. In 1926, 16 years after the Wellington disaster, the Great Northern railway was building the tunnel that was 8 miles long. It took 1,700 workers and nearly 5 million pounds of TNT to blast away through the mountain. It took 3 years to build. The tunnel is 20 feet; 10 inches high and 16 feet wide. There is only one single track, so east and west bound trains take turns going through it. What's cool about this tunnel, they have giant fans that blow out the toxic fumes from the trains. The fans blow cool air and sending oxygen to the trains. Each fan blows clean air at 35 mph.
Actually, it was John Frank Stevens, who found the route that bears his name. It was the Northern Pacific that blundered, having sought a pass through the Cascades, ignored native input favoring Snoqualmie Pass, the lowest pass of the Cascades. Nearly 50 years later, the Milwaukee Road took that pass.
@@deadfreightwest5956 Yet for some reason the Snoqualmie pass was closed and this one maintained. I don't fully understand many of the decisions that get made.
Fascinating to watch as the tunnel is entered at 18:45 mark, and then try to see the dwindling dot of light that was the entrance shrink and shrink, until it final blinks out at 22:52 mark. Great video. We have traveled the route.
This video makes me homesick for the Cascades, my old stomping grounds back in the '80's. 'Bout the only thing I miss about Seattle. Well, that and Boeing Surplus. :(
very cool - thanks for sharing. You can walk right out to the top of the western entrance of the tunnel walking down the old Stevens Pass automobile road grade which makes for some nice views and train watching. The whole area is gorgeous...
Great video. I would like a video from Leavenworth to Snohomish if possible.Video's over this pass and the Oregon cascade mountains are hard to do because of the travel on Amtrak is in the dark.
Wow the scenary is stunning, there are something scandinavian similarities with the woods and the mountain. I have too say i like this train trip, it feels like im on a train here i Norway:)
I wish you had filmed just a minute longer. You stopped just as the Empire Builder was coming into Alpine. I wanted to hear if the Trails and Rails docent mentioned Alpine. And wondered if the Alpine sign was visible.
Boy, the pilots of those airplanes were pretty sharp to land those things, one after another on those skinny railcars like that...and do so WITHOUT WINGS!!! I can't even park my pickup without denting both cars next to my space!
It isn't as bad as you think. They get the train onto a straight stretch of track and speed it up so that there is adequate air speed. Then the planes simply levitate down onto the rail cars. It is like an extreme form of aircraft carrier. Originally the plan was to fly the planes through the tunnel. Eventually someone realized that the wings wouldn't fit. So they use this method now until the tunnel is widened to some 50 m or so to accommodate the wingspan.
Ive heard from former BN employees who are members of a Facebook group about this route, many of them HATED this route due to the Cascade Tunnel. They would choke on exhaust fumes, despite the ventilation system, even worse for helper crews. They referred to it as an 8 mile hell hole
On the video the tunnel lasts only 8.1 minutes. At 7.8 miles in length that would indicate the train averaged 57 mph. There must have been some editing because the speed limit is 30 mph for passenger trains. The freights will go about 15 mph eastbound up the 1.5% grade in the tunnel which will take over a half hour. I'm curious how they isolate the voluminous diesel smoke from passenger cars. I know there are huge fans in the tunnel, but I know by experience that's not enough. I'm still alive, but I'd never do it again in an open freight car. The black sooty smoke was nearly opaque.
@alan mcintyre. I’ll say! You’re traveling through total darkness! As you watch the video you can see the light get smaller and smaller until all you see is pitch black! So awesome!
@ 27:35 - Lee and his traveling partner John from the "Trails & Rails" program bogarting the PA to drone on and on in a monotone haze with a lecture of the history of the RR and surrounding area. I've noticed these guys on several other videos on Amtrak and while I appreciate the knowledge and history I could see where this could be very annoying and intrusive if you aren't interested in taking a history class. I've seen other riders complain that they take over the observation car and put on this 'class' whether there are any interested parties participating or not. Sounds like a pain in the ass if you just want to relax without the added voiceover. Maybe these guys aren't that bad but still interesting to see what any actual riders experienced.
![[62][4k] Railroad Bottleneck Cascade Tunnel, BNSF Northern Transcon, WA 06/14+15/2018 ©mbmars01](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/o0mU-H5vw1k/mqdefault.jpg)
I passed through here going east on #8, but sound asleep in my bedroom! After a filling dinner, out of Seattle, I hit the sack and was out before we were even near the tunnel. This was about 10 years ago in November. It was misty leaving Seattle, and was dark and raining as we left Edmonds. If it had been this nice, I would have stayed up until full dark. Thanks for a beautiful video showing what I missed!
great ride along video through this longest tunnel while abroad this long distance train
I took a ride on Amtrak from Cleveland Ohio to Edmunds Washington for one reason and one reason only. To go into Cascade Tunnel. Took 15 minutes and about 20 to 30 seconds to go through it.
I wish I had spent more time looking at the back of the sleeper! Great video.
Very nice. Thanks. toronto canada.
My FAVORITE weather in my FAVORITE State!🌲🌧🌲
Great video. I've been over the pass twice, once on the Leavenworth Snow train and then on the Westbound Empire Builder in 2015.
What a civilised way to travel
2:45 - Proof that all Boeing 737s fly UNDER the Cascades prior to getting their wings.
I will say, it's amazing how they built a railroad through the Cascade Mountains. The person in charge of building the railroad was James J Hill known as the Empire Builder. It took 3 attempts to make it to Seattle Washington. 1st attempts were switchback tracks. The 2nd attempt was a tunnel: of course this tunnel is no longer in use. This tunnel should have not been built. In February 1910, 2 trains were stranded just west of the tunnel in Wellington, WA. For six days, a blizzard pounded the mountain. Shortly after midnight on March 1st, an avalanche took out the trains. 96 people died in the Wellington disaster. It is still the most lethal avalanche in the history of the USA. So the third and final option was the longest tunnel AKA the Cascade Tunnel. In 1926, 16 years after the Wellington disaster, the Great Northern railway was building the tunnel that was 8 miles long. It took 1,700 workers and nearly 5 million pounds of TNT to blast away through the mountain. It took 3 years to build. The tunnel is 20 feet; 10 inches high and 16 feet wide. There is only one single track, so east and west bound trains take turns going through it. What's cool about this tunnel, they have giant fans that blow out the toxic fumes from the trains. The fans blow cool air and sending oxygen to the trains. Each fan blows clean air at 35 mph.
Actually, it was John Frank Stevens, who found the route that bears his name. It was the Northern Pacific that blundered, having sought a pass through the Cascades, ignored native input favoring Snoqualmie Pass, the lowest pass of the Cascades. Nearly 50 years later, the Milwaukee Road took that pass.
@@deadfreightwest5956 Yet for some reason the Snoqualmie pass was closed and this one maintained. I don't fully understand many of the decisions that get made.
Fascinating to watch as the tunnel is entered at 18:45 mark, and then try to see the dwindling dot of light that was the entrance shrink and shrink, until it final blinks out at 22:52 mark. Great video. We have traveled the route.
This video makes me homesick for the Cascades, my old stomping grounds back in the '80's. 'Bout the only thing I miss about Seattle. Well, that and Boeing Surplus. :(
Do Boeing surplus sell old Boeings lol?
That's one hell of a relaxing video
This is great. I drive along this route 5 days a week for work.
Well, from the west side :)
Wish you had taped a just a bit longer for the Foss River trestle.
very cool - thanks for sharing. You can walk right out to the top of the western entrance of the tunnel walking down the old Stevens Pass automobile road grade which makes for some nice views and train watching. The whole area is gorgeous...
Great video. I would like a video from Leavenworth to Snohomish if possible.Video's over this pass and the Oregon cascade mountains are hard to do because of the travel on Amtrak is in the dark.
Wow the scenary is stunning, there are something scandinavian similarities with the woods and the mountain. I have too say i like this train trip, it feels like im on a train here i Norway:)
Good video clip, Thx
I wish you had filmed just a minute longer. You stopped just as the Empire Builder was coming into Alpine. I wanted to hear if the Trails and Rails docent mentioned Alpine. And wondered if the Alpine sign was visible.
I have been through the 7.8 mile Cascade Tunnel. Very dark in that Tunnel.
02:50 not something you'll see everyday...
Q:
"How straight do you want your tunnel?"
A:
"Yes"
E,lindo, mas se chover bastante,pode vir a inundar a linha?
Boy, the pilots of those airplanes were pretty sharp to land those things, one after another on those skinny railcars like that...and do so WITHOUT WINGS!!! I can't even park my pickup without denting both cars next to my space!
It isn't as bad as you think. They get the train onto a straight stretch of track and speed it up so that there is adequate air speed. Then the planes simply levitate down onto the rail cars. It is like an extreme form of aircraft carrier. Originally the plan was to fly the planes through the tunnel. Eventually someone realized that the wings wouldn't fit. So they use this method now until the tunnel is widened to some 50 m or so to accommodate the wingspan.
🙃
I have been this route twice
Senzačné , super , fantasticke 😃😃😃😃😃.
Pochvala a palec hore 😉😉😉😉😉.
Veľmi prekrasne natočené video 😉😉😉😉😉😉.
Brilliant shot :)
Thanks for this vid.
Very nice! What are the turquoise Flash-Gordon things on the left of the train at just before 3:00?
Boeing 737 fuselages with a protective film.
@@JonathanBush Thanks!
Is this shot from a westbound EB?
I always join this train at Spokane, alas. Thanks.
i think those train crews should pay the railroad for a job working in such a beautifuil environment
Ive heard from former BN employees who are members of a Facebook group about this route, many of them HATED this route due to the Cascade Tunnel. They would choke on exhaust fumes, despite the ventilation system, even worse for helper crews. They referred to it as an 8 mile hell hole
You should play it in reverse!
I just published the reversed version here: ruclips.net/video/Mr1Nv0ZPkaM/видео.html
Reminiscent of the single little point of light that Bowman first sees in the EVA Pod, that turns into the Stargate.
Planes heading to Seattle's Boeing King County Airport. Suprised that Amtrak has the right away and not the frieght train.
No full American breakfast? 19:00
When she says it’s her first time
How many miles long is this tunnel??
It is 7.8 miles long. It actually says that on the sign above the west portal at 24:53, but you can't read it in the video.
On the video the tunnel lasts only 8.1 minutes. At 7.8 miles in length that would indicate the train averaged 57 mph. There must have been some editing because the speed limit is 30 mph for passenger trains. The freights will go about 15 mph eastbound up the 1.5% grade in the tunnel which will take over a half hour. I'm curious how they isolate the voluminous diesel smoke from passenger cars. I know there are huge fans in the tunnel, but I know by experience that's not enough. I'm still alive, but I'd never do it again in an open freight car. The black sooty smoke was nearly opaque.
7.78 miles.
@@stipcrane the tourguide at 30:05 refers to 15min of darkness, so we have embedded confirmation of an edit :-)
@@stipcrane- Everything is closed, all doors, windows, what-have-you.
2:48 Boeing! Boeing! Boeing! Boeing!
Wow!
@alan mcintyre. I’ll say! You’re traveling through total darkness! As you watch the video you can see the light get smaller and smaller until all you see is pitch black! So awesome!
@ 27:35 - Lee and his traveling partner John from the "Trails & Rails" program bogarting the PA to drone on and on in a monotone haze with a lecture of the history of the RR and surrounding area. I've noticed these guys on several other videos on Amtrak and while I appreciate the knowledge and history I could see where this could be very annoying and intrusive if you aren't interested in taking a history class. I've seen other riders complain that they take over the observation car and put on this 'class' whether there are any interested parties participating or not. Sounds like a pain in the ass if you just want to relax without the added voiceover. Maybe these guys aren't that bad but still interesting to see what any actual riders experienced.
I was thinking some people would go to their compartment & turn the volume all the way down
красиво
9:37 - Gaynor.
2:47 aviation delivery
I bet you rarely see a plane making a train delivery.
Is this eastbound or westbound?
Westbound.
Ty
30:05 British accent :-)
Good grief! Dining cars...dining car....dining car!!