Time-lapse: BNSF installs movable-point diamond in Vancouver, Wash.

BNSF employees recently installed a rare track component to address a bottleneck on the network in Vancouver, Wash. When one set of railroad tracks crosses over another, the point at which they intersect is known as a crossover or a “diamond,” in reference to the diamond-shaped center. Track speeds are often reduced through a crossover or diamond to ensure safety. BNSF trains operating through a crossover at the Columbia River Bridge between the Fallbridge and Seattle subdivisions used to be limited to no more than 10 mph. However, the recent installation of a rare “movable-point diamond” has allowed for higher efficiency through this stretch of track near the Amtrak Station in Vancouver. “We can now get trains in and out of Vancouver faster, which makes the terminal more efficient,” said Seattle Signal Manager William Cruttenden. The custom-built track component is the first of its kind at BNSF, and only a few are in use elsewhere in the United States. This time-lapse video captured the installation of the movable diamond over a 36-hour period.