Northern Transcon

{{Short description|Railroad route in the United States}} {{Refimprove|date=December 2009}} {{Infobox rail line | box_width = 300px | name = Northern Transcon | other_name = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | color = FF7F00 | logo = | logo_width = | logo_alt = | image = Empire Builder @Two Medicine Trestle ( 2 Views ).jpg | image_width = 300px | image_alt = | caption = The ''[[Empire Builder]]'' crosses the Two Medicine Trestle at [[East Glacier Park, Montana]] on the [[Hi Line Subdivision]] in 2011. | type = {{ubl|[[Freight rail]]|[[Inter-city rail]]|[[Commuter rail]]}} | system = | status =  | locale = [[Northwestern United States|Northwestern]] and [[Midwestern United States]] | start = [[Chicago Union Station|Chicago]] | end = [[Vancouver station (Washington)|Vancouver]] / [[Portland Union Station|Portland]] | connectinglines = {{ubl|[[Chicago Subdivision]]|[[Aurora Subdivision]]|[[St. Croix Subdivision]]||[[Midway Subdivision]]|[[St. Paul Subdivision]]|[[Staples Subdivision]]|KO Subdivision|Glasgow Subdivision|Milk River Subdivision|[[Hi-Line Subdivision]]|Kootenai River Subdivision|[[Spokane Subdivision]]|[[Columbia River Subdivision]]|[[Scenic Subdivision]]|[[Lakeside Subdivision]]|[[Fallbridge Subdivision]]|Yakima Valley Subdivision|[[Stampede Subdivision]]|Seattle Subdivision}} | continuesfrom = | continuesas = | stations = | routes = | daily_ridership = | ridership2 = | planopen =  | open =  | yearcommenced =  | yearcompleted =  | close =  | event1label = | event1 = | event2label = | event2 = | event3label = | event3 = | owner = [[BNSF Railway]] | operator = {{ubl|BNSF Railway|[[Metra]]|[[Amtrak]]|[[Sound Transit]]}} | character = | depot = | stock = | linelength_km = | linelength_mi = | linelength = | tracklength_km = | tracklength_mi = | tracklength = | tracks = 1–4 | gauge = {{Track gauge|sg|allk=on}} | old_gauge = | load_gauge = | minradius = | racksystem = | routenumber = | linenumber = | electrification = | speed_km/h = | speed_mph = | speed = | signalling = | trainprotection = [[Positive train control|PTC]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bnsf.com/in-the-community/safety-and-security/positive-train-control/pdf/bnsf-ptc-flyer.pdf|title=Leading the way in PTC|website=[[BNSF Railway]]|date=March 2018|access-date=April 11, 2026}}</ref> | elevation_m = | elevation_ft = | elevation = | website = | map = | map_name = | map_state = collapsed | embedded = }}

The '''Northern Transcon,''' a route operated by the [[BNSF Railway]], traverses the most northerly route of any [[railroad]] in the western [[United States]]. This route was originally part of the [[Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad]], [[Northern Pacific Railway]], [[Great Northern Railway (U.S.)|Great Northern Railway]] and [[Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway]] systems, merged into the [[Burlington Northern Railroad]] system in 1970.

==Route== The route starts at [[Chicago]]<ref>{{Cite news |last=Luczak |first=Marybeth |date=21 January 2021 |title=BNSF announces $US 2.99bn 2021 capital plan |agency=International Railway Journal |url=https://www.railjournal.com/financial/bnsf-announces-us-2-99bn-2021-capital-plan/ |access-date=25 July 2021}}</ref> and runs west across northern [[Illinois]] to the [[Mississippi River]]. It follows the eastern shore of the river through [[La Crosse, Wisconsin|La Crosse]] and [[Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin|Prairie du Chien]], [[Wisconsin]] before turning west again in [[Minneapolis, Minnesota|Minneapolis]] and [[Saint Paul, Minnesota|St. Paul, Minnesota]] to [[Casselton, North Dakota]]. From Casselton the route runs northwest to [[Minot, North Dakota|Minot]], [[North Dakota]], then west through [[Montana]] and [[Idaho]] to [[Spokane, Washington]].

In Montana, the line passes the East Gate of [[Glacier National Park (U.S.)|Glacier National Park]] and crosses the [[Two Medicine River]] on a high trestle. From [[East Glacier Park, Montana]], the route continues ascending until it crests the [[Continental Divide]] at the summit of [[Marias Pass]]. The line descends down the west side of the pass for {{convert|20|mi}} to [[Essex, Montana]], running mostly double track on a narrow shelf, and crossing several high trestles over the [[Flathead River]]. Essex is home to the [[Izaak Walton Inn]], which was constructed when the line was built to shelter railroad employees during the winter months. It also contains a small railyard used to store helper engines, which are used to supply additional power to freight trains crossing Marias Pass. Prior to the invention of the powerful diesel locomotives used today, longer trains often had to be split in order to make it up the pass.

From Essex, the line follows the Flathead River valley to [[Whitefish, Montana]]. Located in Whitefish is a restored passenger depot/museum (also serving [[Amtrak]]). The line continues northwest to Stryker, Montana, then turns south and passes through the {{convert|7|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} [[Flathead Tunnel]] as it runs west toward [[Sandpoint]], [[Idaho]]. The line leaves the Rocky Mountains after [[Athol, Idaho]] and reaches [[Spokane, Washington]].

At Spokane the route splits into two, with one line going to [[Seattle, Washington]] and the other to [[Portland, Oregon]].

The two longest railroad tunnels in the country are along the Northern Transcon: the [[Flathead Tunnel]] through the [[Rocky Mountains]] in [[Montana]] and the new [[Cascade Tunnel]] through the [[Cascade Range|Cascade Mountains]] in [[Washington (U.S. state)|Washington]].

From St. Paul to the West Coast, this is basically the route of [[Amtrak]]'s ''[[Empire Builder]].'' But the ''Builder'' turns north in Fargo onto a BNSF secondary line to reach [[Grand Forks, North Dakota]], while the Northern Transcon heads directly toward Minot. The ''Builder'' rejoins the Transcon main route at Minot and continues on to Seattle, though a section branches off to serve [[Portland, Oregon]]. BNSF also owns trackage with running rights in [[Winnipeg]], Manitoba, Canada, where it has a yard operated by a switch unit and full crew. The track is maintained by a small track crew.

===Historical alignments in Montana=== The portion of the Northern Transcon line from [[Columbia Falls, Montana|Columbia Falls]] to [[Libby, Montana]] has been significantly rerouted twice since its initial construction in 1892.

====Kootenai River valley==== Prior to the opening of the [[Flathead Tunnel]], trains left the modern route at [[Stryker, Montana]] and traveled northwest to [[Eureka, Montana]], then traveled southwest along the [[Kootenai River]] and rejoined the present-day line at Jennings, located just below the Libby Dam.

In 1970, the construction of the [[Libby Dam]] formed [[Lake Koocanusa]], flooding the towns of [[Rexford, Montana]] and [[Waldo, British Columbia]] and the railroad line.<ref>{{cite report |title=The Flathead Tunnel: A Geologic, Operations, and Ground Support Study, Burlington Northern Railroad, Salish Mountains, Montana |url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc170843/m2/1/high_res_d/metadc67154.pdf |access-date=2 August 2021 |publisher=Spokane Mining Research Center |date=1974 |website=[[University of North Texas]] Library}}</ref> This required the relocation of more than {{convert|60|mi}} of track between Stryker and Jennings and the building of Flathead Tunnel which, like the dam, was constructed by the [[US Army Corps of Engineers]]. Part of the original main line from Stryker to Eureka is still in use as the [[Mission Mountain Railroad]]. Before the construction of the tunnel, the ''[[Empire Builder]]'' also had a station stop in Eureka.

The only visible remnants of the original route are a stub track at Jennings, where the unused original track still remains close to the current main line, and Northwest of Eureka the original mainline is now a trail that meanders over towards Lake Koocanusa, with the old right of way eventually diving into the reservoir.

====Haskell Pass==== The alignment that travelled from Whitefish to Libby via Eureka was created in 1902 to replace a predecessor alignment over [[Haskell Pass]], farther to the south.

The pass was named for its founder, Charles Haskell, who in the winter of 1891 had set out to locate a reasonable alignment for the Great Northern railroad to take between [[Kalispell, Montana]] and the Kootenai River. Ranging as far north as the Canada–US border, Haskell's party eventually returned to Kalispell in early spring, having crossed a low notch in the [[Salish Mountains]] on the return trip. A year after the scouting trip, construction was begun on what was to be the first of three Great Northern lines through the Salish.

Completed in 1892, the Haskell Pass line left the modern alignment of the route at [[Columbia Falls, Montana]], a few miles east of Whitefish. The line travelled almost due south to Kalispell, where a branch split off the route that ran to [[Somers, Montana]] on the shore of [[Flathead Lake]]. The line travelled west from Kalispell to Marion, then alongside Little Bitteroot Lake, looping up on a high trestle over Herrig Creek, and passing through a {{convert|1,425|ft|m|adj=mid|-long}} tunnel at the summit of Haskell Pass, emerging high on the mountains above Pleasant Valley. The line descended to the valley floor, then turned north along Island Creek, and west down [[Wolf Creek (Lewis and Clark County, Montana)|Wolf Creek]], to the [[Fisher River (Montana)|Fisher River]]. The line followed the Fisher River north to the [[Kootenai River Valley]], where it returned to the 1902–1970 alignment at Jennings.

The Haskell Pass line was used only for ten years before the Kootenai River alignment opened. Shifting to the Kootenai River alignment was controversial because the new alignment was {{convert|20|mi}} longer than the old route, although the new route had less steep grades.{{cn|date=October 2016}}

Much of the Haskell Pass route was abandoned in 1902. The leg from Columbia Falls to Marion remained in use as a branch line until 1948, when it was truncated to Kalispell. When Flathead Tunnel was constructed in 1970, part of the Haskell Pass alignment along the Fisher River was recycled, namely the leg from Jennings to Tamarack siding (originally Sterling).<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 2002 |title=Haskell Pass, Montana |url=http://www.viking.org/rail/haskell/may02.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425135025/http://www.viking.org/rail/haskell/may02.htm |archive-date=25 April 2012 |publisher=Viking}}{{Original research inline|date=August 2021}}</ref> On Haskell Pass, much of the right-of-way has been grown over, but small remnants of infrastructure and the original tunnel through the pass itself are still intact.

==Winter operations== Keeping the Northern Transcon open during the winter is a significant challenge, whether from snow in the Midwest and mountains, or rain in the Pacific Northwest. Heavy rains have the potential to cause mudslides along [[Puget Sound]] between Seattle and Everett and in the [[Nisqually, Washington]] area between [[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]] and [[Olympia, Washington|Olympia]]. For example, in early January 2006, there were four slides between Seattle and Everett. In late January 2006 and again in early February 2006, mudslides occurred both between Seattle and Everett and around Nisqually. Heavy snow in the Rockies around Marias Pass have the potential to cause avalanches that can block the tracks. Following the clearing of a slide or an avalanche, no passenger train can run on the track for 48 hours to ensure that the slide area has stabilized, per BNSF policy.{{Citation needed|date=April 2008}}

==Passenger trains==

[[File:Great Northern Railway Empire Builder.JPG|thumb|left|The ''Empire Builder'' traveling through [[Glacier National Park (U.S.)|Glacier National Park]], [[Montana]]. (1947)]]

[[File:Empire Builder dome car 1958.JPG|thumb|left|The ''Empire Builder'' train at [[Bluff Siding, Wisconsin|Winona Junction, Wisconsin]], in 1958]]

[[Amtrak]] operates its ''[[Empire Builder]]'' on the corridor between [[Twin Cities]] and points west, though the train utilizes a more northerly route between Fargo and Minot. Until the formation of Amtrak in May 1971, both [[Burlington Northern Railroad|Burlington Northern]] and its predecessor, the [[Great Northern Railway (U.S.)|Great Northern]], ran the ''Builder'' on the section between Chicago and Twin Cities via Savanna, part of today's BNSF Northern Transcon route. When Amtrak took over service, it rerouted the train to run between Chicago and [[Minneapolis]]-[[St. Paul, Minnesota|St. Paul]] through [[Milwaukee]] via the [[Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad|Milwaukee Road]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gnrhs.org/75th_anniversary.htm|title=Empire Builder Timeline|publisher=Great Northern Railway Historical Society|work=Great Northern Timeline|access-date=March 7, 2016|archive-date=March 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303194156/http://www.gnrhs.org/75th_anniversary.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Both Burlington Northern and Great Northern at the time also used to operate west from the Twin Cities before turning northwest in [[Willmar, Minnesota]], to reach Fargo.

Between 1971 and 1979, on the parallel route of the former [[Northern Pacific Railroad|Northern Pacific]] between Twin Cities and [[Spokane, Washington|Spokane]] via [[Staples, Minnesota|Staples]], Fargo, [[Bismarck, North Dakota|Bismarck]], [[Missoula, Montana|Missoula]] and [[Helena, Montana|Helena]] run the ''[[North Coast Hiawatha]]'', which also served stops such as [[St. Cloud, Minnesota|St. Cloud]], Staples and [[Detroit Lakes, Minnesota|Detroit Lakes]].<ref name="sanders">{{Sanders-Heartland}}</ref>{{rp|158}} <ref name=Edmonson>{{cite book |last1=Edmonson |first1=Harold A. |title=Journey to Amtrak |date=1972 |publisher=Kalmbach Publishing |isbn=978-0890240236 |pages=102–104}} as mentioned in {{cite magazine |magazine=[[Trains magazine|Trains]]|title=Passenger trains operating on the eve of Amtrak |url=https://ctr.trains.com/~/media/import/files/pdf/f/7/7/passenger_trains_operating_on_the_eve_of_amtrak.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224220507/https://ctr.trains.com/~/media/import/files/pdf/f/7/7/passenger_trains_operating_on_the_eve_of_amtrak.pdf |archive-date=2021-02-24 }}</ref> Between Chicago and Minneapolis, and between Spokane and Seattle, the ''North Coast Hiawatha'' run combined with the ''Builder'' three days a week.<ref>{{cite magazine | last=Shuldiner | first=Herbert | title=Take the train to your next campsite? | magazine=[[Popular Science]] |date=June 1974 | volume=204 | issue=6 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iFzpLpXjYdkC |page=111}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=North Coast Hiawatha: Passenger Rail Study | author=Amtrak | date=October 16, 2009 | access-date=December 18, 2009 | url=http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/BlobServer?blobcol=urldata&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobkey=id&blobwhere=1249200498076&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobheadername1=Content-disposition&blobheadervalue1=attachment;filename=Amtrak_NorthCoastHiawathaServiceStudy.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151019062312/http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/BlobServer?blobcol=urldata&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobkey=id&blobwhere=1249200498076&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobheadername1=Content-disposition&blobheadervalue1=attachment;filename=Amtrak_NorthCoastHiawathaServiceStudy.pdf | archive-date=October 19, 2015 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="theday19711111">{{cite news | title=New Trains to Carry Names of Yesteryear | newspaper=[[The Day (New London)|The Day]] | date=November 11, 1971 | access-date=December 18, 2009 | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1_cgAAAAIBAJ&pg=2144,2610753}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Amtrak Nationwide Schedules of Intercity Passenger Service, Effective November 14, 1971 |url=http://www.timetables.org/full.php?group=19711114&item=0067 |website=The Museum of Railway Timetables |page=66}}</ref>

When Amtrak suspended the ''North Coast Hiawatha'', it rerouted the ''Builder'' over the former NP mainline between Minneapolis-St. Paul and Fargo to continue to serve St. Cloud, Staples and Detroit Lakes, which otherwise would have lost service when the ''North Coast Hiawatha'' was suspended.<ref name="sanders">{{Sanders-Heartland}}</ref>{{rp|158}} The realignment of the ''Builder'' from the former GN mainline to the NP mainline however resulted in the loss of the stops at Willmar, [[Breckenridge station|Breckenridge]] and [[Morris station (Minnesota)|Morris]].

Between 2009 and 2013, when BNSF suspended freight traffic between Fargo and Minot via Grand Forks because of overflows of [[Devils Lake (North Dakota)|Devils Lake]], threatened to allow the rising waters to cover the line unless Amtrak could provide $100 million to raise the tracks. BNSF also offered Amtrak, during that time, to accommodate the ''Builder'' on the segment of the Transcon between Fargo and Minot, but that would have meant the loss of the [[Grand Forks, North Dakota|Grand Forks]], [[Devils Lake, North Dakota|Devils Lake]] and [[Rugby, North Dakota|Rugby]] station stops. To compensate for the loss of station stops at Grand Forks, Devils Lake, and Rugby that would have been caused by the shift, BNSF suggested that Amtrak add a station stop at [[New Rockford, North Dakota]]. However, Amtrak said that they would continue using the line by the lake. In 2010, analysts estimated that Amtrak would soon either have to rebuild the bridge that crosses the lake at Churchs Ferry, or reroute its passenger trains.<ref>Fred W. Frailey, "Minus its backbone, Amtrak makes a tempting target," ''[[Trains (magazine)|Trains]]'', August 2010, p. 18</ref> In June 2011 agreement was reached that Amtrak and BNSF would each cover 1/3 of the cost with the rest to come from the federal and state governments.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wdaz.com/event/article/id/9100/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120917163742/http://www.wdaz.com/event/article/id/9100/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 17, 2012 |title=Amtrak Service To Continue |publisher=WDAZ |date=June 15, 2011 |access-date=May 22, 2012 }}</ref>

In December 2011, North Dakota was awarded a $10 million [[Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery|TIGER]] grant from the [[US Department of Transportation]] to assist with the state portion of the cost.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.conrad.senate.gov/pressroom/record.cfm?id=336030& |title=ND Leaders Review Strategy to Raise DL Rail Line |date=February 15, 2012 |access-date=May 22, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120915185141/http://www.conrad.senate.gov/pressroom/record.cfm?id=336030 |archive-date=September 15, 2012 }}</ref> Work began in June 2012, and the track is being raised in two stages: {{convert|5|ft}} in 2012, and another 5 feet in 2013. Two bridges and their abutments are also being raised. When the track raise is complete, the top-of-rail elevation will be {{convert|1466|ft|m|abbr=on|sigfig=5}}.<ref name=gfher0612>{{cite web|last=Bonham |first=Kevin |title=Railroad raising underway in Devils Lake area |url=http://www.bakkentoday.com/event/article/id/239112/group/News/publisher_ID/40/ |work=Grand Forks Herald |publisher=Bakken Today |access-date=January 14, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151019062313/http://www.bakkentoday.com/event/article/id/239112/group/News/publisher_ID/40/ |archive-date=October 19, 2015 }}</ref> This is 10 feet above the level at which the lake will naturally overflow and will thus be a permanent solution to the Devils Lake flooding.

The [[Metra]] [[BNSF Railway (Metra)|BNSF Line]] operates in the whole [[Chicago Subdivision]], providing [[commuter rail]] service. These are the only passenger trains directly operated by BNSF via a "purchase of service agreement" with Metra. This stretch of track also hosts the [[California Zephyr|Amtrak ''California Zephyr'']], the [[Southwest Chief|Amtrak ''Southwest Chief'']], and the Chicago-Quincy sections of the [[Illinois Service|Amtrak ''Illinois Service'']] on their way to [[Galesburg, Illinois|Galesburg]] and points west.

Between October 2009 and January 2026, the [[Northstar Line]] operated north of Minneapolis on the Midway and Staples Subdivisions. Also, the Seattle Subdivision hosts [[Amtrak Cascades|Amtrak ''Cascades'']] as well as [[Sounder commuter rail]] trains.

==Subdivisions== {{Aurora Subdivision|collapsed=y}} {{St. Croix Subdivision|collapsed=y}} {{Midway Subdivision|collapsed=y}} {{St. Paul Subdivision|collapsed=y}} {{Staples Subdivision|collapsed=y}} {{Hi-Line Subdivision|collapsed=y}} {{Kootenai River Subdivision|collapsed=y}} {{Spokane Subdivision|collapsed=y}} The Northern Transcon is divided into many subdivisions. From east to west, these include:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Burlington Northern Transcon |url=http://www.donwinter.com/Railroad%20Infrastructure%20and%20Traffic%20Data/Trunk%20Routes/GN%20Transcon/Index.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130121145721/http://www.donwinter.com/Railroad%20Infrastructure%20and%20Traffic%20Data/Trunk%20Routes/GN%20Transcon/Index.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=January 21, 2013 |publisher=Don Winter}}{{Original research inline|date=August 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite map |url=http://www.bnsf.com/bnsf-resources/pdf/ship-with-bnsf/maps-and-shipping-locations/bnsf-network-map.pdf |title=BNSF Network Map |date=June 2021 |publisher=[[BNSF]]}}</ref>

*[[Chicago Subdivision]] (Chicago, IL to Aurora, IL) *[[Aurora Subdivision]] (Aurora, IL to La Crosse, WI) *[[St. Croix Subdivision]] (La Crosse, WI to St. Croix Jct.) *Joint [[Canadian Pacific]]-BNSF lines (St. Croix Jct. to St. Paul, MN) *[[Midway Subdivision|Midway]]/[[St. Paul Subdivision]]s (St. Paul, MN to Minneapolis, MN) *[[Staples Subdivision]] (Minneapolis, MN to Dilworth, MN) *KO Subdivision (Dilworth, MN to Minot, ND) *Glasgow Subdivision (Minot, ND to Glasgow, MT) *Milk River Subdivision (Glasgow, MT to Havre, MT) *[[Hi-Line Subdivision]] (Havre, MT to Whitefish, MT) *Kootenai River Subdivision (Whitefish, MT to Sandpoint, ID) *[[Spokane Subdivision]] (Sandpoint, ID to Spokane, WA)

To the west of Spokane, WA (at Latah Jct, as of June 1973<ref>Burlington Northern Inc. Seattle Region Timetable 11</ref> to the present day<ref name="Timetable2">BNSF Northwest Division Timetable No. 2</ref>), the line splits into two main routes,<ref name="Timetable2" /> one using mostly the old [[Great Northern Railway (U.S.)|Great Northern Railway]] route directly to [[Seattle, Washington|Seattle, WA]], and the other using mainly the former [[Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway]] route, but also a large section of the former [[Northern Pacific Railway]] route, to [[Portland, Oregon|Portland, OR]] via Pasco and Vancouver, WA; then it travels north to Seattle.

Expedited Transcon traffic is generally routed via the direct Seattle route, and slow bulk-freight traffic is generally routed via the Spokane–Portland–Seattle route (through Vancouver, WA). The Spokane–Portland–Seattle route is mostly water level with a 1.15% maximum grade near [[Marshall, Washington]]. (Note that there is a parallel BNSF-owned route that bypasses the 1.15% grade with a maximum grade of 0.8%; they operate it directionally.) There is a 0.95% maximum grade in the [[Napavine, Washington]] area.<ref name="Timetable2" /> The direct Seattle route traverses the [[Cascade Range]] at the [[Cascade Tunnel]] (Scenic and Berne, Washington); it has 2.2% [[ruling grade]]s in the vicinity of the tunnel.<ref name="Timetable2" />

Direct Seattle route:<ref name="Timetable2" /> {{Columbia River Subdivision|collapsed=y}} {{Scenic Subdivision|collapsed=y}} *[[Columbia River Subdivision]] (Spokane, WA to Wenatchee, WA) *[[Scenic Subdivision]] (Wenatchee, WA to Seattle, WA)

Portland-Seattle route:<ref name="Timetable2" /> {{Seattle Subdivision|collapsed=y}} *[[Lakeside Subdivision]] (Spokane, WA to Pasco, WA) *[[Fallbridge Subdivision]] (Pasco, WA to Portland, OR) *Seattle Subdivision (Seattle, WA to Vancouver, WA)

The former [[Northern Pacific Railway]] route via [[Stampede Pass]] through Pasco and Auburn, WA to Tacoma, WA has had a checkered history. Since 1996 it has been a third route to the coast. As of 2010 it was seldom used but still in service.

Stampede Pass line:<ref name="Timetable2" /> {{Yakima Valley Subdivision|collapsed=y}} {{Stampede Subdivision|collapsed=y}} *Yakima Valley Subdivision (Pasco, WA to Ellensburg, WA) *[[Stampede Subdivision]] (Ellensburg, WA to Auburn, WA)

==See also== *[[Southern Transcon]]

==References== {{reflist}}

[[Category:BNSF Railway lines]] [[Category:Burlington Northern Railroad]] [[Category:Rail infrastructure in Washington (state)]] [[Category:Rail lines in Illinois]] [[Category:Railway lines opened in 1883]] [[Category:Rail infrastructure in Idaho]]