The BNSF has a very large crew of men replacing hundreds and hundreds of ties here in NW Washington. They have piles of old ties that make the lines look like they've been abandoned from a distance. They are working on both the main (Everett-Vancover BC and the Burlington-Sumas branch. I've seen welded rail roll by here in Sedro-Woolley WA. Boy are they ever efficient. They replaced five miles of ties between Sedro-Woolley and Burlington in less than a day. They did Mount Vernon - Burlington in less than a day. A railroad official came and gave them a talk and the number of men was large. They were very bored although the railroad official seemed completely oblivious to the fact that no one was paying attention. The rumor mill is flying, garbage from BC to Klickitat WA. Coal trains making a circle Everett - Roberts Bank - Sumas - Everett. But the Sumas - Burlington has no signals and short sidings and a stiff grade up out of the Skagit Valley. I can't imagine a coal train on that line. There is also a nasty S curve on that line. The City of Bellingham I think is suing to get BNSF and Amtrak out of there town because of the environmental damage from coal dust. But the railroad is interstate commerce and not subject to that kind of lawsuit. The irony is that the City of Bellingham though it's a big town of 75,000 has only about four railroad crossings. The railroad operates under a bluff along the water. So I don't see this little effort changing the BNSF plans. Ties are also being replaced Burlington - Bellingham. The ties are all wood.
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