Dilbert Wrote:
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> Is the Tacoma Bypass route still out of service?
> If so, is there a new date for start-up?
> Thanks in advance to those who reply.


Doesn't look like anyone answered your question. The answer is yes and no. The line between TR Junction (Tacoma) and the Lakewood station is open and being used by the Sounders.

The bridge at the derailment site is out of service pending repairs (steel work I was told). The thus, access from the south end is not possible beyond the bridge. Tacoma Rail needs to reach customers in South Tacoma and recently brought a couple of cars in from the north (an exception to the ban on freight trains between C street and M Street.





up833 Wrote:
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> The advance 30 mph board is up about 2 miles from
> the curve. How much more notice does the engineer
> need? When the train derailed it took out a
> signal. What was the signal aspect and what was
> it telling the engineer?
> RB


It most likely was clear (green), as they were certainly lined through Nisqually. That may have contributed to the derailment, as I know that not all of the test runs had the trains lined out to Nisqually. Thus with so few runs available to each engineer, it's possible any given engineer may have only seen a clear signal there once or twice.