PNWR, I get your drift, but do understand that my use of the phrase "serious relief" was not intended to mean "complete relief." And nobody should consider the work being done right to be a "first step." That phase took place back around 1986-87 when BN upgraded signals and sidings on that line to make it bi-directional so WBs could be pulled off the nearby SP&S. Heck, there were still semaphores in operation toward the lower end of the 1st Sub (today's Lakeside) leading up to that period. The second step of improvement came a decade later, 1996-97, when BNSF slapped down a few more miles of siding or second main, most noteably the 2MT that went in over Providence Hill. So think of this year's multiple areas of additional track to be the third step, or whatever. Simply having those MofW forces get out of the way in a few months will bring measureable relief, as it did last Saturday. Having those extra 17 to 20 miles of new track in service, even more so. Baby steps. No, not even that. These have been major steps forward, in increments that can only be managed by the money made available. Do note that while this year's $235-million investment in WA is more than what's allocated for some other northern corridor states, it's considerably less than what BNSF has allocated for ND.