Weathering another storm

Main track at the Snoqualmie Depot

during peak rainfall. 

November in Western Washington is synonymous with severe winter storms.  High winds, heavy precipitation, and power outages occur nearly every November and this year was no exception.  Fortunately, no significant damage occurred, but it was a nail-bitter because this was the first major storm event since completion of the PSE power plant reconstruction, and combined with the 2005-era Army Corps of Engineers section 205 river widening project.

Snoqualmie River at Snoqualmie

approaching peak flow.  Sandy Cove

Park is completely flooded.

The first indications of a threat usually arrive in the form of a flood warning.  A stage three flood is fairly common in Snoqualmie with several occurrences per year, while the more severe stage four floods occur every few years.  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ("NOAA") predicts peak water flow using computer models based on data from prior storms.  There is some margin for error, but the model updates as the storm progresses. 

South Fork of the Snoqualmie River

at peak flow.  Under normal flow,

there is approximately 20 feet of

headway under Bridge 35.

Flooding is one of the greatest threats to both the City of Snoqualmie and the Northwest Railway Museum.  Since 1948 there have been more than two dozen Presidential disaster declarations, and track and/or bridge damage has occurred in every event.  Tracking historical river peaks, there has generally been track damage at or above 43,000 cubic feet per minute as measured at Snoqualmie.  November 17, 2015's flood was projected at more than 48,000 cubic feet per second.  Actual peak flow was almost 49,000 cubic feet per second, yet there was no track or bridge damage.

The Museum is fortunate the flood reduction measures have worked in favor of preserving track and bridges, yet concerns remain about the ever-increasing frequency and severity of high rainfall events.  And, as with all high water events, all the affected bridges were inspected for damage and were found safe and suitable for service. Though no damage occurred, significant resources were utilized monitoring conditions and preparing for potential impacts.  Hopefully, snow levels will drop and the threat of further high rainfall events will diminish!                          (In the interest of full disclosure, the flood reduction measures have been controversial below Snoqualmie Falls and many think that flood impacts have now in creased in Fall City, Carnation, Duvall, and all points in between.)

Flood waters, but no damage

Bridge 32 in downtown Snoqualmie is

quickly engulfed in water.  Normally,

Kimball Creek is 18 inches deep and
about ten feet wide.

The Northwest Railway Museum is located in the urban flood plain.  That really isn't something the Museum has any choice about because it is built on and around a 19th Century railroad, and most mountain railroads are either along the river or on a hillside.  Last Monday, January 5, 2015, heavy rain combined with melting snow to create a rapidly rising river that crested at one of the highest flow rates ever recorded. Fortunately, the Museum avoided any significant damage.
 

The Salish Lodge and Spa keeps watch

over an angry river as it plunges over

the top of Snoqualmie Falls.

The Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railway arrived in Snoqualmie in 1889 (the Museum commemorated the 125th anniversary of passenger service to Snoqualmie Falls with a special train on July 4th, 2014) and the civil engineer  - Charles Baker - that designed the line chose the best possible grade and location.  Interestingly, the Snoqualmie Depot in downtown Snoqualmie is the highest point in downtown (it is unlikely that was by accident) as was much of the line but encroaching development has brought structures and significant changes in surface water management. So now some of the railroad grade is susceptible to flood damage because adjacent development constricts water flow and generates scouring velocities that have in the past removed vast quantities of railroad ballast from under the track. 

Bridge 35 is just a few feet above the

water in this image taken four hours

before cresting.,

Several projects in the last ten years have reduced flooding impacts.  First, a flood reduction project by the Army Corp of Engineers widened the river at Snoqualmie Falls to increase capacity of the river.  Second, Puget Sound Energy's rehabilitation of the Snoqualmie Falls hydro electric development removed the permanent weir (dam) across the river, but also other obstructions that were close to the river's edge including the remains of Bridge 5.46.


The flood waters get dangerously

close to the deck of the bridge.

Last Monday's flood was the first major event since completion of all the construction projects.  Naturally, when water flow rates approached those of prior major events including 2011 and 1996, many thought the Museum would sustain damage.  Fortunately, they were wrong.

The floor reduction projects appear to have made a difference.  Despite more than 51,000 cubic feet per second (normally it is about 2,000) of water flow over Snoqualmie Falls, there was no water over the track.  There was some minor scouring around bridge 35 in North Bend, but no damage that requires repair at this time. 

The flood reduction work that has spared the Museum damage during this recent event is not without controversy.  Spike cannot attest to the downstream impact in Fall City, Carnation and Duvall, which is a matter of considerable debate and has generated at least one lawsuit.  However, conditions for Snoqualmie and the Museum have improved dramatically, and bode well for the overall improved sustainability of the community. 



Signal repairs

North Bend's Bendigo Street railroad crossing is fully repaired following efforts led by signal maintainer Jon B. and assisted by Steve P., Issac F., and Dan C. A beautiful April 24 saw temperatures soar to 66 degrees and the crew of four made quick work of the assignment. Completing this work will allow trains to operate through this crossing without restriction beginning Saturday, 25 April 2009. (Click here for current schedules.)

Technically, a new Safetran model S-40 gate mechanism was installed in the west quadrant. Heavy rains that precipitated the January 7 & 8 flooding infiltrated and damaged this crossing gate mechanism on Bendigo Street. Temporary repairs allowed the crossing signals to function normally up until now, but complete replacement for "permanent" repair was required because it was not practical to fully repair this 30 year-old model S gate. The old gate mechanism was disconnected and lifted off with the Museum's Pettibone Speedswing; then a new one was hoisted into place. The entire procedure took 5 hours and replacement parts cost over $6,000; this in another in a series of flood-related repairs that when completed will total $116,000.

Flood recovery continues

It has been an interesting winter for the Northwest Railway Museum. Our first January flood (historically, most flooding occurs in November) has created a variety of challenges but also a few opportunities.

To recover quickly, a rail contractor is performing the track repairs. For the Museum, this means that the track being repaired will get new ballast and a surface, line and dress. While we all would have preferred to avoid flood damages, it is comforting to know that the track will be at least as good as it was prior to the flood event.

It is an interesting period of contrasts too. Consider these two photos taken just two months apart at Fir Street in downtown Snoqualmie. One shows track being rendered unusable and the other shows it being rendered useful.

Here at the Northwest Railway Museum we are grateful for the broad-based community support that is allowing timely repairs. Without public support, the museum would not have been able to begin the flood repairs. An event such as this reminds some of us that many arts and heritage organizations can be just one major disaster away from permanent closure.

Flood repairs begin

Damage surveys are complete, reports have been written, and funding applications have been filed. Resources to fully fund the repairs will take months to secure – or at least attempt to secure – but now it’s time to begin the repairs so they will be completed in time for April trains. RailWorks of Chehalis-Centralia was the low and successful bidder, and they began work this week. There were three bids with base prices that ranged between $59,000 and $140,000. Bids were based on unit costs and the actual cost will reflect the final quantity of materials and footage of track.

A large contractor such as RailWorks has a lot of resources to draw on in undertaking the flood repairs. Arriving on site this week was a veritable parade of specialized equipment, most of it new and all of it fully operational. And with it came a well-qualified and dedicated crew including the foreman Jim W., a Mt Si High graduate and former resident of Fall City. Some of the equipment is specialized for railroad work but other pieces are more common machines with hyrails, special railroad wheels that can been lowered or raised to operate on or off the track. Examples of the latter include a small excavator and a dump truck.

Repair work included in the scope of this project includes replacing about 700 tons of washed out ballast, surfacing over 2,000 feet of track, and adding rip rap to the inlet and outlet of a large culvert. Also as part of the project, nearly 100 cross ties are being replaced. Work is expected to take about 2 weeks. This contract will not address damage to electric gates, journal boxes, the Rainier gang car, or general debris clearance.

Getting the word out

Bad news doesn’t always travel as fast as we wish it would. The effects of the recent catastrophic flood event in the Snoqualmie Valley are still being felt by many businesses and residents. The Northwest Railway Museum is one of the many. Debris is still being picked up, sanitizing of equipment remains to be finished, and then the real work begins. The Museum’s right of way holds over two miles of washed out track that needs to be restored before train operations begin in mid March. Some of the wash outs are five feet deep. Ballast will need to be brought in, spread and tamped in dozens of locations. The common thought is that federal funds will pay for a disaster like that, but guess what? No such funds are available this year. The Museum is currently seeking help with this project. So, how to get the word out? Our story has been picked up by bloggers around the area and word is traveling. See Good Life Northwest and Heritage Advisor and Snoqualmie Valley Star and Snoqualmie Valley Star Editorial for added perspective on this story.

Neighbors helping neighbors

As recovery from the recent flood event proceeds, I am thrilled by the sight of people helping each other by volunteering their time and energy. Over 100 volunteers have turned out in Snoqualmie. They go door-to-door, helping residents pull out carpeting and haul furniture and water-soaked belongings to the curb for pick up. Trucks circulate through town, picking up refuse and hauling it to the corner of King Street and Railroad Ave, where heavy equipment is used to load it into dumpsters. The phone calls offering volunteer assistance and donations of household items are still pouring in. The volunteers come from church and civic groups, from the nearby communities of North Bend, Issaquah and Sammamish, from Snoqualmie itself, and even further afield from Redmond and Seattle. Not only have they already been working side by side with City of Snoqualmie staff and local residents, but even more volunteers are already signed up to help this weekend.

Volunteers and City of Snoqualmie staff have been helping pick up debris along the Museum’s right-of-way. Last Sunday, for instance, 10 community volunteers collected debris from along the track that filled more than 12 steel 55 gallon drums. In the days ahead, the Museum will continue clean up of the track, the CRC, and perform track and signal repairs. We are all so grateful for the help and support, but remain mindful of the tremendous effort and continuing need that will go on for weeks and months.

This was a flood of historic proportions. The tremendous positive response by our neighbors should also be noted. It will almost certainly allow us to recover in time for our regular trains in April.

Damage assessment begins

Wow. Two 100 year floods in just two years. That's our reality. The Northwest Railway Museum completed the last of the flood damage repairs from the November 2006 flood in April 2008. Now new track washouts dot the Museum's railway line between a point just east of the new Conservation and Restoration Center and a point just west of the Snoqualmie Parkway. This is about 2 miles in all. (The attached image shows bridge 33 over Kimball Creek, but still partially submerged. When the flood crested, there was about 2 feet of water over the bridge deck. If you click on the image it will display a larger version. Click here to see additional photos on the web site.)

There is some really good news: there is no damage to either the Snoqualmie Depot or the Conservation and Restoration Center. The Depot did not get any water and the Conservation and Restoration Center got just a trace (less than 1/2 inch) that weeped in the cutouts for the rail. So some floor areas have to be sprayed with a bleach solution to disinfect but today the building is back in use for collection care work.

Now the bad news: there is work scheduled on the locomotives and coaches that needs to be performed inside the Conservation and Restoration Center where there is protection from wind and rain. But they are sitting in front of the depot so the track will have to be repaired before any work can take place.

Recovery will probably be slower than we all wished but we are planning to have full service restored in time for the regular season of train excursions in April. However, we can always use help so give a call or drop a note to the director Richard A. or the volunteer manager Jessie C. or the collection care manager Bill H. Please click here for their contact information.

Major flooding hits Snoqualmie and the Museum

A major flood is occuring in Snoqualmie. Today is 7 Jan 09 and there are near-record water flows on the Snoqualmie River that have put nearly 2 miles of track and two timber trestles under water. Unfortunately, Google's Blogspot - a free service that hosts this site - is having technical problems today and it is not possible to post photos. However we have posted some more information and several photos on the main web site here.

We will try to post updates on the web site to the extent practicable but power is now out in Snoqualmie and this is being posted using an emergency generator.

The Museum including the Snoqualmie Depot and the Conservation and Restoration Center will be closed until at least Friday afternoon.

Threats to the Museum's collection

Last week was trying. Near-record rains again raised awareness about how vulnerable any museum collection is to the natural environment. Earthquakes, ash from volcanic eruptions, and flooding are the top threats facing the Northwest Railway Museum collection. And this week forecasters were calling for the "perfect storm" as a duo of tropical storms appeared to sequentially target the Snoqualmie Valley. As late as noon on Wednesday, November 12 everyone was expecting more than 10 inches of rain in a 24-hour period and USGS flow forecasts were calling for a river crest of 63,000 cubic feet per second (CFS). Never before had such flows been forecast and Museum staff began to wonder if water would actually get into the buildings for the first time ever. (The Snoqualmie Depot was built in 1890 and there is no record of water ever getting into the structure.) Thankfully, the storms ended up tracking differently and river flow peaked at about 45,000 CFS, but still over ten times the normal November flow.

For the Museum, the result was no damage. However when the threat was first forecast, Museum management made an immediate decision to close the museum and focus on mitigation: ensure nothing was sitting directly on the floor in either the Snoqualmie Depot or the Conservation and Restoration Center, and that anything vulnerable such as books and papers were at least six inches above the floor. Everyone is happy that record flooding never materialized but it is apparent that area storms are increasing in severity above storms of the last century. Planning for the future will require an assumption that storm related impacts will be greater, but by how much? The same question is on the minds of many museum managers across the region.

Included images: Snoqualmie Falls at 45,000 cfs with Museum's railway visible on the far river bank; South Fork at 6,000 cfs flowing below Museum's bridge 35.