(The following story by Jeffrey Mize appeared on The Columbian website on December 5.)
VANCOUVER, Wash. — Rail freight service between Vancouver and Seattle was restored Wednesday morning after crews worked around the clock to remove debris and repair damage from this week’s ferocious weather.
Gus Melonas, spokesman for the BNSF Railway, said high water covering two miles of tracks in Centralia caused rail service to be shut down at about 4 p.m. Monday.
“Fortunately, we were able to reroute on alternative routes, including the Columbia River Gorge,” he said.
The water was so high that it actually washed away the rail bed in some areas, requiring crews to bring in rock and align and level the tracks, Melonas said.
The main rail line in Centralia was reopened at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, and the second line was restored by evening, he said.
Amtrak service between Vancouver and Seattle will resume Thursday, providing a welcomed alternative for travelers stymied by the closure of Interstate 5 through 20 miles of Lewis County.
“Amtrak seats will be filled,” Melonas predicted.
Centralia was the bigger of two trouble spots rail workers had to contend with following heavy rains and winds on Sunday and Monday.
A large mudslide, 80 feet long and up to 6 feet deep, shut down rail traffic at 2:30 a.m. Monday in the Felida area. Crews were able to remove the debris from one track by late morning Monday and have both tracks open by Monday evening.
Crews also has to contend with smaller mudslides, fallen trees and other debris throughout Western Washington.
“We will continue to inspect trackage around the clock,” Melonas said. “We expect normal flows to resume within 48 hours.”