Winter Paralyzes the Great Northern
Deep snowdrifts and landslides leave eight locomotives stalled and cut off communication lines across the region.
Eight engines are stuck in the snow on the main line of the Great Northern on this side of the Cascades. Superintendent Farrell’s attempts to clear the line were hampered by the severity of the weather, with even his own rail car caught in the blockade. Meanwhile, between Seattle and Edmonds, landslides are constantly covering the tracks. Gangs are using giant powder to blast away banks of earth and debris that crash down with huge stumps and trees. Passenger and freight trains have seen hours of delay, forcing a precarious new schedule where trains travel in pairs to safely navigate the slides.
“Huge banks of earth, 100 feet long and five to twenty feet deep, bearing large trees and stumps, come down with a rush and without a moment's warning.”
Seattle’s geography—defined by hills and coastlines—has always been prone to landslides during wet, snowy winters. This account of 'bucking the snow' highlights the constant, centuries-long battle to keep the city's critical rail infrastructure stable against the landscape.
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