
Commencement Bay Grain Terminal - Tacoma, WA, USA
Posted by:
Hikenutty
N 47° 15.673 W 122° 26.407
10T E 542357 N 5234344
Quick Description: This spot on the pedestrian portion of the bridge near Thea's Park overlooks the grain terminal on Commencement Bay. This is where BNSF trains from the midwest unload their grain and it is loaded onto ships headed to Asia.
Location: Washington, United States
Date Posted: 3/8/2008 7:24:38 PM
Waymark Code: WM3B9R
Views: 12
Long Description:This is a great spot to see agricultural commerce in action. The
BNSF trains arrive in Tacoma loaded with grain from the Midwest and
unload into the huge grain elevators. Ships are then loaded full of
grain and then head off for Asia. The area is very active, however
the best time to see the trains and ships is in the morning, we've
found. We are usually in this part of town on Saturdays and there
are always trains here, it seems.
Park at Thea's Park - N47 15.704 W122 26.401
Walk back to the park entrance and then follow the sidewalk up
to the middle of the bridge span. It is very safe if you stay on
the sidewalk on the grain elevator side. The south side of the
bridge doesn't have a sidewalk and this bridge gets a lot of use so
just don't do it!
The views are best from up on the bridge, but you can also see
things from a lower perspective at the end of the park, which has
benches and a little pebble beach that overlooks the grain
terminal.