Nostoppingtherailroadasrumbleof

THE number is around 60, give or take, with a rumble that is part of the soundtrack to an already unique US Open.

About half the time, it comes from the north behind the 15th green and near the 16th tee where the one tree at Chambers Bay stands guard. The other half, from the south near the 18th tee. And in between, it’s unavoidable for those playing either the 16th or 17th holes.

Of all the variables that go into conducting a US Open, this is one the US Golf Association could not control. Along the shores of Puget Sound between the edge of the Chambers Bay property and the blue water, stands a rail corridor vital to moving freight and passengers north and south through the Pacific Northwest.

That rumble of clacking rails was just as much the sound during Thursday’s first round as the roars of the crowds for made putts, or the moans of a shot lost in the wispy long fescue rough.

The operators of the train lines, BNSF, and the USGA had discussions on whether schedules should be altered for the four days of the tournament. The final decision: Nope, continue with the scheduled service.

“The discussions were that your railroad is an important element of the Northwest and they didn’t have an issue,” BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas said.

On a golf course already unique for its design, development, and golf features, the trains are one more quirky element.

The tracks are owned by BNSF, and run from Vancouver, British Columbia, all the way to Eugene, Oregon. All told, roughly 60 trains pass the course daily, with half going by between 8am and 8pm, and