Mudslides between Seattle and Everett? Why would this be a problem? Bitter sarcasm aside, I'm really surprised BNSF has sold out for these few pieces of silver. I would have thought they had learned from the Washington Central and MRL.

The other part of this which I find so irritating (as a King. Co. taxpayer & railroader) is that the mechanism which would MOST allow this corridor to be broken up and sold off for development is if the rails are removed. The parts of the abandonment process, especially the OFA, are supposedly biased towards preservation of rail service. The value of the line, as I understand it, is NOT allowed to be determined by redevelopment or speculation. So, the line is much easier preserved as a working railroad, but once abandoned, then there are almost no legal or other mechanisms to preserve the corridor.