Thinning the forest

Earlier this year, the Museum's Train Shed Exhibit Hall was struck by a falling tree.  A sudden wind storm had caught the crown of the more than 120-foot tall tree and laid it across the Train Shed roof.  Repair costs topped more than $140,000, and would have been very disruptive had it not been for the pandemic.  This was the second tree strike in 10 years so the Museum's leadership ordered a tree health study.

A certified arborist studied all the trees within 150 feet  of the campus structures, and the results were concerning: more than a dozen hemlock trees had developed root rot.  Unfortunately, the western hemlock is susceptible to several species of fungus that attack the roots.  Naturally, that weakens a tree's resistance to wind.  The resulting root rot has been implicated in the tree fall earlier this year.

A local tree service was engaged to remove the diseased trees, along with several over-mature cottonwood trees.  With the closeness of the buildings and railroad, most of the trees were brought down two feet at a time.  A logger climbed to the top of each such tree and beginning with the crown cut off two feet at a time and worked his way down.

The logging operation was an unfortunate necessity in protecting the Museum's collections.  However, there is a silver lining: the felled trees are being cut up to use as fuel in the 924, or at least after the wood seasons in six months or so.

Trains are operating!

Beware of logging trucks!  The Snoqualmie Valley continues to host a variety of silviculture businesses, including active logging operations.  It is quite common to see fully loaded trucks rambling through town and across the tracks, generally with a high degree of safety.  

Unfortunately, on Friday, December 4 one such trailer failed to negotiate the turn from Railroad Avenue on the Snoqualmie Parkway. The resulting carnage seriously injured a motorist, destroyed a car, and took out the center median crossing signals for the Snoqualmie Parkway.

The crossing signal mast and signal will be down for the count.  Siemens Rail Automation will be shipping a replacement assembly in a few weeks, and until then a railroad flagman will be in position whenever trains cross the Snoqualmie Parkway.  So the Yuletide Express will operate as scheduled for the next few weeks, and there will be one more person on hand to waive at Santa as he rolls on by!