Trains on the BNSF Sumas Subdivision

Over the last couple years, I've been able to chase BNSF's Everett to Sumas train on its evening run up the Sumas train. I decided to throw all those clips together into one video.

This train operates 5 days a week (Sunday through Thursday) as a turn job. What was once a two crew operation, has recently been changed to a one crew operation. So instead of M-EVESUM north and 644 south, it's just L-NWE644.

This particular operation is best seen in the summer months, since the trip north typically departs Delta Yard in Everett around 5 PM, and then returns to Everett in the middle of the night. Seeing a southbound in daylight on this line is extremely rare, and I've only managed to see one.

The BNSF Sumas Sub is the old NP north-south mainline between Sedro-Woolley and Sumas, with the portion to Burlington being the old GN branchline to Concrete, WA. The diamond crossing between both lines can still be seen in downtown Sedro-Woolley. Heading north, there's a 1.5% grade between Sedro-Woolley and Thornwood, which gives larger trains a run for their money. In Wickersham, the Lake Whatcom Railway connects to the Sumas Sub. The LWR owns a small portion of what was the NP branchline to Bellingham, WA, but hasn't run a train in some years now.

Enjoy!

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