A compilation of several Amtrak clips featuring the Empire Builder, Coast Starlight, and Cascades trains, in Oregon and Washington State. The first upload was damaged, so I'm trying it again.
Amtrak's "Pere Marquette", #371, crashed into the rear end of a Norfolk Southern freight train in Chicago on November 30, 2007. 51 of the 187 people aboard were injured, 5 seriously, all of which were crew members. The cause of the accident is not yet known on December 1, 2007.
A BNSF grain train passes through my back yard on April 21, 2007. Well, not really my back yard, but less than a mile away. The location is the Auburn, WA "M" Street crossing. The empty grain train is going from TEMCO/Cargill in Tacoma back to the midwest to refill. Empty grain trains comprise most of the traffic on the BNSF Stampede Pass line.
BNSF power on both ends of Amtrak Cascades Talgo Train #501 at Olympia-Lacey, WA. BNSF GP38-2 in BN "Cascade Green", usually assigned to locals, was on the point. BNSF C44-9W "Pumpkin" was trailing. Sorry about the rain on the lens.
On November 8th, I was aboard Amtrak #14 as it detoured through the Tehachapi Mountains of California. Part 1 follows the train from Acton to Palmdale, and includes a meet with a Metrolink Antelope Valley Line train.
Note the presence of railfans perched atop overpasses, as the photograph this historic routing of our train.
McChord Air Force Base July 19th 2008 Air Expo. Includes highlights B2 fly over, F15, C17 Globemaster II, and a race between a rocket car and a Mig 26 jet.