Curtis R. Milburn Wrote:
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> The 663/664 runs Vancouver-Albany, sometimes via
> Labish (Salem UP). Going via the Willsburg line to
> Tigard requires the entire train to be wyed at
> Cook, or run around at Tigard or Beburg. This
> costs time, interrupts other operations
> (especially commuter trains), and is a pain in the
> rear to do as a crewman. Going over Cornelius
> presents the same problem, and on slow track.

Basically, this is trackage rights inherited from the BNSF. P&W figures why not use the rights, it's less track maintenance on their own rails.

Honestly I don't know why they don't run just Vancouver-Tigard, and then a separate Tigard-Albany train. Albany is a much larger and established yard; Tigard's yard was just constructed a couple years ago. The problem with running via Tigard on P&W rails isn't commuter rail (freight trains already run during WES opreations), and it has absolutely nothing to do with Cook. The train would have to enter the Tigard yard, and the power runaround from north to south, so the train can then reverse onto the Willsburg District, through Cook (without wying) to Oswego, Milwaukie and Willsburg. Trains that run over Cornelius Pass already do this at Banks as there's no wye there.

The Tigard Yard is not a hinderance to WES operations, as WES trains have a dedicated mainline on the west side of the yard. Freight trains working in the yard don't foul the main.

Another problem with Cornelius Pass is that parts of the track are FRA Excepted Class, meaning no hazmat loads. Since there are a few propane distributors on the P&W system, any train with propane cars would have to be detoured. Since it's a much longer route, with the Banks runaround, and slower - there's no advantage to running over Cornelius Pass. The trains that do use the Pass are log trains that run from the CORP to the Astoria District where the logs are transloaded onto or off barges or ships. The P&W no longer runs rock trains over the Pass but used to.