While surfing the RR’s using Google Earth, I found this turntable, in the middle of a 21st Century factory complex:
Along with a couple of good size ( I can’t ID diesels by their fan layout) engines, and It seems that they have a Caboose Also (just off screen bottom right).
Where’s it at? Well have a little fun looking it up, the Coordinates are listed on the pic.
EDIT OOPS: Even I couldn’t read those little numbers, here is a blow up of the numbers.
https://www.google.com/maps/@47.9269208,-122.2823271,192m/data=!3m1!1e3
Boeing plant,Everett Washington
I wonder if they still use the turntable? There are no tracks off of it and the 2 diesels are facing the opposite way. Is it a left over from the days of steam and was there a roundhouse at one time? What are those things a round the table?
Interesting.
The Google Maps image in Paul’s link is at a different time with lots of detail. I can’t tell what they use the table for, but there are two engines and the caboose on the turntable lead in Paul’s link. The items spread around the table appear to be some kind of jig. Perhaps for transporting large parts by rail. The large boxes on the yard tracks leading to the building might be too big to go over the road, even as High and Wide. They dwarf the flatcars they are sitting on. Very interesting!
Am I seeing things, or are there oversize “Containers” on the same string as regulars? They measure out to be about 16ft wide. Anyone ever seen these things in use? Or are they custom for Boeing only?
If you follow the tracks off of the plant, and down to the water, just north is a dock with an overhead crane, and duo tracks to the end of the pier. I wonder if these oversize containers come in on barges and are just hauled back and forth to the plant?
The turntable maybe for turning inbound rail shipped aircraft parts for directional unloading as they are inserted into the main assembly plant? Definitely looks well used. Measures out to be about 71 feet long.
Interesting. If you use your imagination, there could have been a Wye going towards the top of the picture. Notice th curve of the green bushes on the left and the curve of the road on the right.
Boeing used to ship planes in pieces by rail.
Denver Post:
“Denver commuters were treated to an unusual sight Friday when a trainload of Boeing 737 fuselages passed through the city. The fuselages, manufactured in Wichita by Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems, were bound for the airplane maker’s assembly plant in Renton, Wash.”
I think with the change to Carbon fiber for the latest build, this plant assembles more than fabricates.
Those containers might be to keep everything dry…
Interesting…
John
A little more investigation. I was wondering why the two road engines? Well if Google earths elevations are reasonably correct, the dock area is at about 20ft elev. The plant and turntable is listed at 525 ft elev. The line from the yard area to the plant is just short of 2 miles (about 10,100ft). Thats about a 5% grade if I figured it right!! Someone please check my math on that. WOW real live 5% grade!!!
Nope, your math is correct. Craig has talked about the shove up to Boeing before.
If you go to google street view where the spur leaves the mainline (Mukilteo Lane) it is quite a grade for sure.
Street view where Boeing track leaves BNSF mainline. That is quite a grade.
Okay Guys, I will answer all of your questions about the Boeing job, and why the turntable is up at the plant…
Boeing ships to both the Everett Plant and the Renton Plant via rail, and I’ve worked both jobs. The Renton plant is much simpler and simply gets 737 bodies from the plant in KC. The 737’s normally travel up to the MRL, then over Steven’s, into Seattle, where a local works the Renton plant. BNSF has on time delivery schedules for both plants and will order special J trains just for Boeing cars if its need. BNSF will also order extra locals/switcher to spot both plants if needed (and be willing to make a good pay day for the crews)…
Now, with that background I can tell you about how the Everett plant works. First of the Everett plant gets widebody containers (22’ wide & 16’ wide both about 16-18’ tall) off ships, some 747 parts via train (16’ wide loads), and assorted other junk. The grade up to the plant is 5.7% from water. To work the job, you change the brake pipe pressure from 90 psi to 110 psi, and use two specially equipped locomotives with extended dynamic brakes. The engines always stay on the downhill side of the train. Up until a few years ago, the Boeing job would start at Everett Yard, and work their way to the Port, to pick up the 22’ wide containers, and any thing else at the “Mile Post”. Then through a fancy number of crossovers between main 1 and 2, you reach the Boeing Spur. When Boeing started talking about building the Dreamliner, they convinced the State of WA to build them a direct access slip at the base of the Boeing Spur with the intention that 787 parts would come via boat & train. That’s what you see in the Google Earth view. After you gather all the cars up and make an air test, you shove up the Boeing Hill. About 1/2 way up is a split point derail that allows you to run through it uphill (stop on the downhill). Once you reach the plant, you have the 8 or 9 tracks to work. The turntable doesn’t get used too much, but if something needs to be spun for spotting purposes that’s where the magic happens. Before you cut away from the locomotives, each car gets a tight handbrake, a wheel chock, and a full set of air. All though the spot tracks are somewhat ‘flat’ they still have a slight downhill grade.
I’ll see if I can find some pics online and link them.
Above is one of the 16’ wide containers…
Boeing Job working the base of the Spur. When working here, no trains can pass because not enough clearance. This high wides come in with the 737 parts from KC.
Here’s an old video of the process, but it’s still the same.
Just found these online of the ‘new’ slip. I’m not 100% sure, but I think the widebody cans come off a regular ship at the Port of Everett, transloaded on to a barge, which is then brought over to the new slip.
Thanks Craig,
Is there anyway to know when they are going to make a run? I’d drive up there to watch those moves.
Paul Burch said:
Thanks Craig,
Is there anyway to know when they are going to make a run? I’d drive up there to watch those moves.
It’s a five day of the week job, M-F but they have other duties as assigned. They used to go out to Snohomish to work the Mill, but that’s been shut down. They still interchange with Eastside Freight at Snohomish as well, so it’s hard to say exactly when they make a run to Boeing. Sometimes it’s in the mornings, sometimes it’s later, sometimes not at all.
I forgot toadd, one of the purposes of the turntable is to turn the cars with the containers. The containers have to have their doors facing towards the building. They should be off loaded the barge with the doors in the proper position, but sometimes they don’t. The 3 packs can’t go around the turntable, but the single flats can.
Mystery solved! thanks for all the info. I enjoyed looking it up on google earth.