Storm damages tracks and causes railroad, Amtrak delays

SEATTLE — Heavy downpours from a weekend storm in the Pacific Northwest caused landslides that impacted train traffic.

BNSF railroad spokesman Gus Melonas says engineers halted Amtrak passenger trains through the Nisqually area for a 48-hour period beginning at 9:20 a.m. Saturday.

Crews discovered a slide that impacted the main line between Tacoma and Nisqually. Melonas says a large tree came down an 80-foot cliff on to the tracks.

A second slide on Saturday afternoon ensured that main line would remain closed to passenger traffic until Monday. Melonas says the new slide was 40 feet wide and 15 feet deep.

Freight traffic was also halted but was expected to resume later on Saturday.

Heavy downpours in the last 16 hours also caused BNSF to slow trains on the Stevens Pass route. Melonas says that was due to flooding from the Skykomish River on the right of way. The train traffic resumed after rail cars brought in large rocks to stabilize the tracks.