A Route Still in Use

Late at night on January 6, 1893, the last spike connecting the tracks from the west and east was driven about one mile downstream to the west. The tracks visible across the valley follow the same route used when this railroad was built in the 1890's. Before the opening of the 8-mile Cascade Tunnel in 1929, Great Northern trains used these tracks along the line that ran where the Iron Goat Trail is today. Trains descending the mountainside made a great looping turn at Scenic to head west toward Skykomish, Everett, and Seattle. Today these tracks are part of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railway system. Originally there was only one track here, and in 1966 a passing track was constructed, but otherwise this route has changed little since 1929.

Washington · United States