Hi again Kelly:
(I'm also going to try to do this as my first post to tweeters, in case
anyone else might find this of interest.)

The railroad tracks cross the canal before they get to the most
industrialized part of Ballard. As you noted, the RR bridge crosses the
canal near the locks (i.e. to the west of the locks).

In the 1994 Seattle Urban Wildlife and Habitat Management Plan, Gregg Miller
wrote on page 44: "The vegetated corridor along the Burlington Northern
Railroad right-of-way provides an important habitat connection between
Snohomish County, Richmond Beach Park, Boeing Creek and Richmond Highlands
Park, Carkeek Park, Golden Gardens Park, Commodore Park, and Kiwanis Memorial
Preserve Park. The habitats of Kiwanis Ravine come within a few hundred feet
of the habitats of Discovery Park, and provide a movement corridor for more
mobile species such as birds and medium-to-large mammals. The mountain lion
found in Discovery Park in 1981 probably used this habitat corridor to move
from habitats in Snohomish County to Seattle. The habitats of Kiwanis Ravine
and Discovery Park are separated by a city-owned parcel that contains little
vegetation."

Kiwanis Ravine is home to a great blue heron rookery, and is adjacent to the
railroad tracks. The best viewing area to the rookery is from the pedestrian
bridge over the tracks.

The "city-owned" parcel referred to is a former City Light substation, that
will now be permanently preserved to help foster the wildlife corridor.