Railroaded

Blakeslee Junction, WA

UP 5182 coming off the PSAP leading a manifest freight. June 21, 2011.	UP locos sit on the spur to Fords Prairie. June 21, 2011.
Blakeslee Junction is located on the northwest end of Centralia, Washington, and serves Tacoma Rail (TMRW), Union Pacific (UP) and Puget Sound and Pacific (PSAP). Trains bound for Grays Harbor on the PSAP pass through here on their way to the ethanol plant and new automobile port in Aberdeen. Tacoma Rail uses the former Milwaukee Road while PSAP is on former Northern Pacific rails. The junction features two diamonds and is tucked away underneath an overpass carrying Interstate 5. It is reached by taking Exit 82, which is heavily advertised for the outlet malls and fast food restaurants.

Tacoma Rail 1523 at Tacoma

Tacoma Rail TMRW 1523 working the Tideflats industrial area in Tacoma, Washington on Oct. 21, 2007.

TMRW 1523 is an EMD MP15AC built in 1982 (#818040-25) and was acquired by Tacoma Rail in 2003. It is the former FNM 9825 and NDM 9825.

Locomotive data: Western Shortline Rosters.

BNSF to abandon Prairie Line in Tacoma

October 1, 2009  BNSF has filed to abandon the remaining 1.56 miles of the former Northern Pacific Prairie line in downtown Tacoma, Washington.  The abandonment extends from MP 0.59 at the BNSF Seattle Sub. main line to MP 2.15.  The southern segment of this line is intact and is operated by Tacoma Rail (TMRW).

Source: Surface Transportation Board

(Reposted from original blog)