An alternate version of the Buying & Re - opening Stampede Pass story is that BNSF was afraid THE YELLOW BORG was going to buy the line from the Temple family ( Washington Central ) for an alternate way into Puget Sound, as opposed to being treated as the poor step - child on the BNSF trackage rights from Portland. This purchase would have also cut some miles off the run from Hinkle. Soooo... as the story goes, BNSF bought the line back from the Temples and re - opened it themselves, with a bit of taxpayer money from Port of Tacoma in exchange for increased clearances and double - stacks. Still waiting for that last deal to play out.