Exploring BNSF's Balmer Yard (Seattle)

BNSF's Balmer Yard is a railfan's dream, with easy access, multiple viewing points and lots of things to see! In this video I'll show you the entire yard, with a little help from google maps to provide context.

Getting there / parking:
Just a few blocks off 15th Ave W, one of the main north-south routes through north Seattle. Parking tends to be easy to find on 20th Ave W / Gilman Ave W (may be harder during nice weather).

Safety:
Obviously use your street smarts, but the area didn't feel too sketchy the last time I was there. The most dangerous part is probably the bikers on the Elliott Bay Trail who'd rather ram you than have to slow down. The trail is pretty isolated, between the yard and port of Seattle land, so I'd only do it during the day.

Yard Highlights:

West Dravus Street Bridge: Goes right over the yard, with sidewalks on both sides. From the south side, you can see the yard; from the north side, you can see the car shop, roundhouse and engine servicing area.

Roundhouse: Originally built by Great Northern. It can be seen from the bridge and from 20th Ave W/Gilman Ave W (unless something tall is parked in the yard).

Car Shop: That sweet crane-truck has been parked outside every time I've been there. There's often some interesting rolling stock, and lots of wheels & car parts to the north of the shop.

Yard Office: A good spot to get a close-up look at idling locomotives, and keep an eye out for rare units or consists parked there. Check out these Streetview finds: https://www.google.com/maps/@47.64455...

https://www.google.com/maps/@47.64420...

https://www.google.com/maps/@47.64191...

Elliott Bay Trail: You're shooting through fences a lot of the time, but there's some interesting older rolling stock parked along the way.

Clip listing:
0:00 - Intro
0:09 - Yard location via google maps
0:34 - View from the W. Dravus St Bridge
1:00 - A look at the roundhouse, car shop and engine servicing areas
1:49 - Closer look at the car shop, including the big crane truck
2:38 - North end of the yard, from the W. Emerson Pl bridge
3:15 - Photos of the deadline, taken in 2018
4:22 - Engines outside the yard office
4:49 - Walking the Elliott Bay Trail through the yard
5:17 - BNSF garbage train pulling out of the yard
6:47 - A lone ES44DC gives us a very close pass
7:18 - Balmer Yard, as seen from a plane approaching Seattle.

Thanks for watching, and please let me know what you think!
Filmed Jan 30th, Feb 2nd and Feb 5th, 2021.