(The following article by Scott Pesznecker was posted on the Everett Herald website on April 19.)
EVERETT, Wash. — Commuter trains between Everett and Seattle are scheduled to be back on track for Thursday morning’s commute.
Sounder and Amtrak trains through Snohomish County will remain parked until then because of a mudslide on the railroad tracks south of Everett about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway spokesman Gus Melonas said.
The cause of the slide is under investigation.
“Barring any further incident, the Sounder rail service will resume for Thursday morning’s commute,” Sound Transit spokesman Lee Somerstein said.
For safety reasons, the railroad must close its rails to passenger trains for 48 hours after a slide. The tracks are still open to freight trains, Melonas said.
Sound Transit is running extra buses to carry passengers back and forth to Seattle until rail service resumes. Amtrak also has been shuttling passengers around the slide.
Mudslides have been a problem for Sounder service this year. Commuter service between Seattle and Everett was shut down for eight days because of five slides in January.