User:SounderBruce/Sandbox/Rail


 * To-do
 * Sounder North Line
 * Sounder South Line
 * King Street Station
 * List of Sounder stations?
 * South Line stations


 * Former Amtrak stations (list)
 * Blaine station (1981), built 1908?
 * Used for customs stops since 9/11
 * Explored for revival since 2012; or demolition since 2008 because of BNSF needs
 * East Auburn (1978–1981), replaced Auburn station (now Sounder)
 * East Olympia (1990s?)
 * Ellensburg station (1981) – historic NP depot (NRHP), built 1910 and under restoration
 * Revival proposal in 2014: Groups hope for return of passenger rail
 * 2022: HopeSource relocates to office (10,000 sq ft)
 * PD images from Washington Rural Heritage (Ellensburg Library)
 * Everett station (1910) (2003)
 * Mount Vernon–Burlington station (725 College Way), used from 1968 to 2004
 * Yakima station (1981) – historic NP depot, built 1909
 * Contributing property to Old North Yakima Historic District


 * NRHP depots
 * Great Northern Passenger Station (Bellingham, Washington) – former Amtrak (built in 1927)
 * Northern Pacific Depot (Chehalis, Washington) – Lewis County Historical Museum (preserved since 1970s)
 * Anacortes station (Great Northern Depot (Anacortes, Washington)) (1911), converted into arts center


 * Other stations
 * Pullman: NP/Pufferbelly depot built in 1917, purchased for museum in 2018 (DN; alt)
 * UP depot on Davis is now a bank?
 * Bingen–White Salmon: dual name to settle feud in 1906
 * Commons category listing: Issaquah, Ritzville, Tenino, Dayton, Black Diamond


 * Former Idaho/Oregon stations (Pioneer, 1997)
 * Hood River, built by OWR&N in 1911, now used for excursion trains
 * Oregon–Washington Railroad and Navigation Company Passenger Station (NRHP)
 * The Dalles, built by UP and later moved in 1991 (Greyhound)
 * Hinkle-Hermiston
 * Pendleton (Umatilla County Historical Society/Museum Park)
 * La Grande
 * Baker City
 * Ontario, built by UP
 * Nampa
 * Boise Union Pacific Depot
 * Mountain Home
 * Shoshone
 * Pocatello


 * Former mainline stations
 * Great Northern (forum post)
 * Various pictures
 * Railroad Station Historical Society
 * Washington State Railroad Depots Photo Archive (ISBN 9781583882450)


 * Short railroads
 * Skagit River Railway (1974, Sedro Wolley to Concrete): included construction of new station in Conrete


 * Other links
 * WSDOT East–West Study (2001)

=Sounder commuter rail=
 * Examples: Jæren Commuter Rail, Oslo Commuter Rail

Sounder is a commuter rail system that serves the Seattle metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Washington. It is managed by Sound Transit and operated by BNSF Railway on 83 mi of tracks primarily owned by BNSF. Sounder is split into two lines that intersect at King Street Station in Seattle: the N Line to Everett and the S Line to Tacoma and Lakewood.

Sounder trains typically operate during peak periods, with trains to Seattle in the morning and to outlying areas in the afternoon. Limited midday service is offered on the S Line and special weekend trips are run on both lines for sporting events and other occasions. In 2019, Sounder carried over 4.6 million passengers, averaging under 18,000 on weekdays, making it the 12th busiest commuter rail system in the United States.

The commuter rail system was preceded by mainline passenger railroad service that began in the late 19th century, including two interurban railways to Everett and Tacoma that operated until the 1920s. After a decade of planning, Sounder commuter rail service was approved by voters in a 1996 ballot measure and construction on its stations began in 1998. The South Line (now the S Line) entered service on September 18, 2000, and was followed by the North Line (now the N Line) on December 26, 2003. The South Line was extended from Tacoma to Lakewood in October 2012 and is planned to be extended further to DuPont by 2045.

Lines
The Sounder commuter rail system runs on 83 mi and is split into two lines that serve twelve total stations. King Street Station in Downtown Seattle serves as the system's central hub and marks the terminus of both lines. The N Line serves three stations and terminates in Everett; the S Line serves eight stations and terminates in Lakewood, with some trips ending in Tacoma.

Train service is primarily operated during weekday rush hours, with trips inbound to Seattle during the morning and outbound to the suburbs in the afternoon. Other services, including reverse commute and mid-day trips are offered on the S Line, while both lines have occasional weekend service for special events. Most of the Sounder system uses tracks owned by BNSF Railway, which is also contracted to operate the trains. Amtrak provides fleet maintenance and storage of trains at their Seattle facility. The Lakewood–Tacoma segment of the S Line uses tracks that are owned by Sound Transit.

N Line
The N Line begins in Downtown Seattle and travels north on the BNSF Scenic Subdivision towards Snohomish County, terminating in Everett. Trains leave King Street Station and travel through Downtown Seattle in the Great Northern Tunnel to the Interbay area. After crossing over the Lake Washington Ship Canal on the Salmon Bay Bridge, a movable bascule bridge, the line continues non-stop along the Puget Sound coastline until reaching its first outbound station in Edmonds near the city's ferry terminal.


 * Former mudslide issues (mitigation project in 2015)
 * Travel times from Seattle: Edmonds 27, Mukilteo 42, Everett 53

S Line
The 48 mi S Line follows the BNSF Seattle Subdivision from Seattle to Tacoma and the Lakewood Subdivision (owned by Sound Transit) from Tacoma to Lakewood. Trains on the South Line begin at King Street Station and make eight stops in southern King County and Pierce County before terminating at Lakewood station. Most of the line follows the Green River Valley and the State Route 167 corridor, stopping in Tukwila, Kent, Auburn, Sumner, and Puyallup before reaching Tacoma Dome Station, the main transit hub for Pierce County. Some trips on the South Line continue southwest to serve two additional stops at South Tacoma station and Lakewood station.

The S Line is the busiest Sounder corridor, with 16,416 weekday boardings in 2018, and has 13 weekday round trips. It generally has longer trainsets than the N Line.


 * 2018 SIP for route profiles?
 * ST3: Double tracking
 * Longer trainsets, additional weekday service
 * Current status: 13 weekday round trips, every 20 minutes during peak; event services; 16,416 weekday boardings in 2018 (up from 12,694 in 2014)
 * Travel times?

Stations

 * Length: Seven cars
 * Basic features: Bus station, platform with rider information, shelters, TVMs, ORCA readers, public art
 * Other features: Parking garages, restrooms, pedestrian overpass
 * Parking: HOV permits
 * Accessible features: High platform ramp, station agents
 * Public art at every station; all stations feature "Welcome Mat" for queuing

History
The first railroads to serve the Puget Sound region were planned in the early 1870s, putting rival towns in competition for the terminal of national railroads.


 * Background
 * Railroad development in 1880s, including Shore Line (Seattle to Tacoma)
 * GN to Everett built in 1891
 * Interurbans until 1929
 * 1950s proposal
 * 1987 Metro study
 * 1993 Regional plan, formation of RTA


 * Planning
 * 1995: "Try Rail" campaign using leased GO Transit bi-level trains from January to March, serving Everett, Edmonds, Seattle, Kent and Tacoma
 * 1995: RTA proposes commuter rail service from Everett to Lakewood, scheduled to launch in 1997 or 1998, pending a vote (that would later fail) on March 14, 1995
 * Provisional stations on Sounder North: Richmond Beach, Ballard, and Interbay
 * Additional stations in Seattle: Interbay, Pike Place Market, Georgetown, and Boeing Access Road
 * Bond Street Station (Everett) served alongside new Everett Station
 * 1996-05-31: Sound Move adopted by ST Board, including commuter rail from Everett to Lakewood via Seattle
 * Provisional stations at Richmond Beach, Ballard, and Georgetown; Boeing Access Road as a rail transfer hub (to light rail); Bond Street Station kept
 * 1997-08-15: RTA board adopts "Sounder" as name for commuter rail service
 * 1998 station plans
 * 1999-02-11: ST Board approves work on Everett Multi-modal Facility for Sounder commuter rail and ST Express bus service, using $14.385 million designated by 1996 Sound Move initiative
 * 1999-11-02: Initiative 695 causes car-tab tax cuts that postpone Sounder commuter service to Everett and Edmonds
 * 1999 Sounder North FEISA published
 * 2001-06-14: Bond Street Station (Everett) removed from Sounder North plans
 * "Difﬁculties associated with the Bond Street site included parking constraints,marginal transit access, and traffic impacts to local streets. Patrons who would have used the Bond Street site will be well served by the Everett Station site. The City of Everett has chosen to focus its attention on the Everett Station facility, in an effort to provide one centralized multi-modal facility. Savings from this project could potentially be used for other commuter rail projects in Everett."
 * 2002-02-04: Everett Station opens, without rail service
 * 2002-09-25: Everett City Council approves $726,000 to construct Sounder platform and rail spur at Everett Station, with reimbursement from Sound Transit via Amtrak
 * 2003-05-28: 97-year lease signed by ST and BNSF, enabling Sounder commuter service on the North Line for $224 million; 1 train at debut, stopping at Edmonds, with 4 daily trains planned after track improvements


 * Service history
 * 2000-02-29: "Leap Year" train runs from Seattle to Tacoma as part of media preview
 * 2000-09-18: South Line begins service, from Tacoma, Sumner, and Auburn to Seattle
 * Delayed nine months due to funding issues (including state's I-695) and BNSF negotations; third round-trip scrapped due to temporary Lakewood station
 * 2001-02-05: Kent and Puyallup stations open
 * 2001-03-10: Sumner Station opens
 * 2001-03-12: Tukwila Station opens
 * 2001-05-05: Puyallup Station opens
 * 2003-12-26: North Line begins service, from Everett and Edmonds to Seattle
 * 2008-05-30: Mukilteo Station opens on North Line
 * 2012-10-08: South Line extended to South Tacoma and Lakewood via the Point Defiance Bypass
 * 2011: Permanent stations for Edmonds and Tukwila
 * 2009 to 2011: New King Street Coach Yard and maintenance facility (shared with Amtrak at Holgate Street)
 * Parking shortages
 * 2017: New maintenance base in Lakewood
 * October 2018: Full PTC installation completed
 * COVID-19 pandemic: Reduced service on both lines
 * North Line: 2 round trips suspended
 * South Line: 4 round trips suspended (including most reverse peak runs)
 * September 2021: Renamed to N and S Lines
 * September 2022: South Line reduced from 7 cars to 5 cars until March 2023 due to staffing shortages at Amtrak
 * Ridership fails to rebound following COVID recovery
 * April 2020 report: 6 million annual riders on S Line by 2042


 * Future
 * 2020s: New station garages on S Line
 * Proceeding despite cost increases and lower ridership after pandemic (30% of prior); cost of $359 million, about $200 million more than budget


 * Proposed extensions
 * Blaine/Everett (2001)
 * Bellingham feeder (2005)
 * McMillin/Orting (2005)
 * Eastside (2007)
 * DuPont (2016 ST3), pushed back from 2036 to 2045
 * Olympia?
 * 2006 study from Thurston County endorses DuPont station with further advocacy for Olympia
 * Infill stations: North Sumner, Shaw Road, Tacoma Mall (S 35th), Ballard, Point Wells (Woodway)

Service and operations

 * BNSF and Amtrak involvement
 * Amtrak maintenance contract
 * Holgate Yard shared with Amtrak (upgraded in 2009)
 * Secondary train yard (Century Yard) in Lakewood
 * Train trip numbering (500s)
 * On-time performance and reliability (from SIP)


 * Special events service
 * Most regular season weekend Seattle Seahawks home games
 * Select weekend Seattle Mariners home games
 * Select weekend Seattle Sounders home games
 * Seattle Dragons (2020 only)
 * Washington State Fair, two Saturdays in September; station TVMs sell fair tickets; shuttles between fairgrounds and station
 * Special 2015 U.S. Open service to University Place proposed with special platform at Chambers Bay, later canceled in November 2014
 * Alternative shuttle plan

Fares

 * Rail Plus program allows ORCA monthly pass holders to use some Cascades trips on north corridor
 * Introduced in 2004
 * Reduced fare approved in 2021, took effect March 1 for low-income (Lift) passengers

Ridership

 * Cost per rider subsidy (and criticism), especially on N Line

Rolling stock and equipment

 * Maintenance facility at South Holgate Street in SODO, shared with Amtrak
 * Stored overnight at terminals and additional yards (Lakewood)
 * Maintained by Amtrak, staffed by BNSF?
 * 14 locomotives
 * 67 passenger cars: all Bombardier Bi-Levels (40 coaches, 27 cabs)
 * 11 more ordered in 2020
 * To be built in Thudner Bay
 * Delivery began in 2022 under new owner Alstom; $46.5 million contract in conjunction with San Joaquin and NCTD (San Diego) to reduce unit price


 * Amenities
 * 148 seats (4 wheelchair tie-downs)
 * Restrooms
 * Wi-Fi
 * Tables
 * Power outlets
 * Overhead storage
 * Bicycle storage
 * Cup holders

History

 * Planning
 * 1995: "Try Rail" campaign using leased GO Transit bi-level trains from January to March, serving Everett, Edmonds, Seattle, Kent and Tacoma
 * 1995: RTA proposes commuter rail service from Everett to Lakewood, scheduled to launch in 1997 or 1998, pending a vote (that would later fail) on March 14, 1995
 * Provisional stations on Sounder North: Richmond Beach, Ballard, and Interbay
 * Additional stations in Seattle: Interbay, Pike Place Market, Georgetown, and Boeing Access Road
 * Bond Street Station (Everett) served alongside new Everett Station
 * 1996-05-31: Sound Move adopted by ST Board, including commuter rail from Everett to Lakewood via Seattle
 * Provisional stations at Richmond Beach, Ballard; Bond Street Station kept
 * 1997-08-15: RTA board adopts "Sounder" as name for commuter rail service
 * 1998: EPA concerns about intertidal zones forces delay?
 * 1999-02-11: ST Board approves work on Everett Multi-modal Facility for Sounder commuter rail and ST Express bus service, using $14.385 million designated by 1996 Sound Move initiative
 * 1999-11-02: Initiative 695 causes car-tab tax cuts that postpone Sounder commuter service to Everett and Edmonds
 * 1999 Sounder North FEISA published
 * 2001-06-14: Bond Street Station (Everett) removed from Sounder North plans
 * "Difﬁculties associated with the Bond Street site included parking constraints, marginal transit access, and traffic impacts to local streets. Patrons who would have used the Bond Street site will be well served by the Everett Station site. The City of Everett has chosen to focus its attention on the Everett Station facility, in an effort to provide one centralized multi-modal facility. Savings from this project could potentially be used for other commuter rail projects in Everett."
 * 2002-02-04: Everett Station opens, without rail service
 * 2003-05-28: 97-year lease signed by ST and BNSF, enabling Sounder commuter service on the North Line for $224 million; 1 train at debut, stopping at Edmonds, with 4 daily trains planned after track improvements


 * Service history
 * 2003-12-26: North Line begins service, from Everett and Edmonds to Seattle
 * 2008-05-30: Mukilteo Station opens on North Line


 * Proposed extension
 * 1999: Arlington, Marysville and Tulalip Tribes propose joining Sound Transit RTA district for Sounder North service on existing BNSF tracks

Operation

 * 2-car trains for some trips

Ridership

 * 2017: 1,737 daily
 * Criticisms in 2012

History
Old images, possibly PD


 * 1892: Work begins on downtown Everett tunnel
 * Completed in 1905; seven blocks from east to west parallel to Hewitt Avenue
 * March 3, 1900: Passenger service to Everett by Seattle & International Railway begins
 * 1910: Built for GN
 * 2 platforms at 2 tracks, different elevations (upper EB/Chicago; stairs and tunnel for lower NB/Vancouver)
 * Mission style
 * 1960s: Renovated to remove Mission-style features
 * 1981-10: Empire Builder service added
 * 1995: Try Rail
 * 1996: Sound Move
 * 2000: Removed from Sounder
 * 2002-11: Trains move to new station; converted to BNSF office

Description
The tunnel runs from northwest to southeast under Downtown Seattle from Pike Place Market to King Street Station.


 * Height and width

History

 * HistoryLink
 * At the time it was built, it was the tallest and widest tunnel in the United States at 28 feet (8.5 m) high and 30 feet (9.1 m) wide.
 * 1915 lawsuit with library over settlement of 3 feet


 * 1977: Amtrak service begins
 * 1988: Bus tunnel construction (crosses twice)
 * 2003: Sounder North service begins
 * 2019: Viaduct removal over north portal


 * Safety hazards
 * Sound Transit concerns in 1990s
 * City of Seattle proposes safety and ventilation systems

Design

 * Dimensions: 150 feet by 220 feet
 * Structural steel with concrete walls (early use)
 * 55-ft vaulted ceiling above "Great Hall" (60 feet wide, 160 feet long)
 * Terra cotta and brick over reinforced concrete
 * 3-story office wings (original)
 * Former platforms below, connected by ramps and stairs

History
The first major railroad terminal in Seattle was King Street Station, opened in 1906 for the Great Northern Railway and Northern Pacific Railway at the end of the Great Northern Tunnel. The railroads, owned by magnate James J. Hill, had been competing for control of the Pacific Northwest market with the Union Pacific Railroad and Oregon–Washington Railroad, both owned by Edward H. Harriman. Union Pacific had begun planning a Seattle terminal of their own at the same time, and the city government awarded them the right to build a terminal on March 6, 1908. The Union Pacific terminal would be built across 4th Avenue from King Street Station at the site of a coal gasification plant along Jackson Street, which had been regraded to produce level ground for the below-grade railyard.


 * Resources: books and EIS at SPL Central
 * NBBJ report on Transportation Center, for Metro (1973)
 * Books on American railroad stations: Edwin P. Alexander (1970), John Albert Droege (1916), H. Roger Grant (1993), Thomas E. Jessett (1972), Janet Greenstein Potter (1996), Jack W. Seto (1978)
 * First gas plant at site of Jackson & 4th (prior to regrade)
 * circa 1901: Popular swimming hole (filled by high tide)
 * 1906: Jackson regrade, King Street Station
 * 1907: Tour by UP magnate E. H. Harriman to scout a possible Seattle terminus
 * 1908-03-06: City of Seattle grants franchise and terminal rights to Oregon-Washington Railway and UP
 * Agreement includes widening of nearby streets (on pillars)
 * Planned to be completed before World's Fair (June 1909)
 * Tide areas were dredged and filled
 * 1910-01: Construction begins
 * Replaced Georgetown depot
 * 1911-05-01: Completed for occupancy
 * 1911-05-20: Dedication ceremony
 * "Handsomest on Harriman's lines"
 * 1911-05-28: Train service begins at Oregon and Washington Station
 * 1945: Service peak during WWII (troops returning), with 40 arrivals and departures per day
 * 1961-05-22: Milwaukee Road ceases operation of Olympian Hiawatha
 * 1971-04-30: Union Pacific ceases


 * Post-closure
 * Great Hall used for occasional events, while rest of station sat vacant
 * 1977: Used by Antique World (antiques store)
 * 1986: Mayor Royer proposes renovation into new city hall with new office complex, lost out to report recommending rebuilding city hall at current site (opened in 2003)
 * 1990: International District bus tunnel station opens
 * 1999: Renovation for Sound Transit completed
 * Renovation won a National Trust Award
 * 2000: Union Station complex
 * 2001: Nisqually earthquake leaves some damage that is repaired
 * 2017: Great Hall renamed for Joni Earl
 * March 2020 to June 27, 2024: Great Hall closed to public due to COVID and other issues; only open for public meetings and use
 * 2018: Light rail platforms for Ballard Extension (or 4th Avenue option)

Former service

 * Olympian (Milwaukee, 1911 to 1961) to Chicago
 * Columbian (Milwaukee, 1911 to 1930; 1947 to 1955?) to Chicago
 * Shasta Limited

Office complex

 * Tenants
 * Sound Transit
 * Expansion after ST3 into 705 Building
 * Getty
 * Amazon (formerly)

Popular culture

 * Man in the High Castle (2015, Amazon)

Design and architecture
King Street Station is located at the intersection of South Jackson Street and 3rd Avenue South, at the southeast corner of the Pioneer Square neighborhood in Downtown Seattle. The station is recessed below street level, with entrances at South Jackson Street and at South King Street. Commuter rail passengers use a separate set of entrances along South Weller Street and the north side of South Jackson Street.

The station building stands three stories tall, with a 242 ft clocktower, and is primarily of brick masonry and terra cotta construction with stone elements. It was designed by Reed and Stem in the "Railroad Italiane" style, in contrast to their later Classical work as co-architects of New York City's Grand Central Terminal, and the clocktower was based on the St Mark's Campanile bell tower in Venice.


 * Tower design based on St Mark's Campanile in Venice, furnished with clock
 * 254-feet tall, tallest structure in Seattle until completion of Smith Tower in 1914
 * Brick and terra cotta
 * Upper floors: formerly GN/NP offices, later art galleries and potential food hub
 * Former amenities: coffee shop, dining hall, oak benches, compass terrazzo floor


 * Public art
 * Weller Street Bridge: "Bridge Between Cultures" (Nanda D'Agostino and Valerie Otani)

History
Seattle was initially passed over as the terminus for the Northern Pacific Railway, who instead chose Tacoma 40 mi to the south in 1873. Local businessmen in Seattle organized their own railroad company, the Seattle and Walla Walla Railroad, which would only run to Newcastle. The railroad was acquired by the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company, who reorganized it as the Seattle and Walla Walla Railroad and built a modest, two-story depot at Railroad Avenue and Columbia Street in 1880 that served as the city's first train station.


 * Earlier railroad stations: 1880 at Columbia Street & Railroad Ave by SLS&E (later for GN), 1890 by NPRR, calls for a grander station to spur economic development (and win rivalry with Tacoma)
 * 1892 at Columbia?
 * GN Tunnel opens
 * 1904: Construction begins
 * 1906-05-09: Ticket offices for GN and NP moved
 * 1906-05-10: Station "opens" with unfinished interior
 * Dispute over name persisted until August 1906
 * 1910: Joined by Union Station across 4th
 * 1960s: Escalator added
 * 1967: Drop ceiling added
 * 1971-05-01: Amtrak consolidates service into King Street
 * 1973: NRHP listing as part of Pioneer Square Historic District (under Uhlman administration)

Commuter rail

 * 1973 NBBJ study
 * 1990s study proposing bus viaduct and other features
 * Interest from Greyhound and Gray Line for integrated hub; Metro proposes commuter rail from Auburn or Tacoma or Olympia
 * 1999-07: Weller Street bridge opens ahead of Sounder debut

Restoration and expansion

 * Prior condition described as "awful, an embarrassment" by Amtrak president Tom Downs (1995)
 * BN moved dispatch and offices out, leaving upper floors vacant

Designed by ZGF


 * 2006-11: Seattle agrees to purchase station from BNSF
 * Finalized in early 2008
 * 2008: Clock tower repaired and reactivated
 * Microwave radio antennas removed
 * July 2009: Phase I (restored roof and terra cotta) completed
 * July 2011: Jackson Plaza opened; streetcar infrastructure below
 * August 2011: Geothermal well for heating and other exterior work
 * April 2012: Amtrak baggage and ticketing
 * March 2012: Seismic retrofit and interior restoration begins
 * Completed on April 24, 2013, cost $56 million (funded partially by HSR grant and Bridging the Gap levy)
 * 2016–17: Platform expansion to the west
 * 2019: Third floor converted to arts space

Future

 * ST proposals for new entrance at Seattle Boulevard, improvements as part of South Downtown Hub (formerly Jackson Hub)
 * 2024 improvement proposal: More stairs and elevators, concourse above Sounder platform, longer platform

Services and layout

 * 2022 description: 7 tracks (3 thru, 2 BNSF mainline, 4 south-facing terminating tracks); three center platforms and one side platform
 * Tracks 3 and 4 for Sounder; tracks 5 through 8 for Amtrak; track 9 for special Sounder events

Amtrak

 * Terminating platforms
 * Uses tracks 5 to 9
 * Pioneer (until 1997)
 * 15th busiest on the Amtrak system (2016)

Commuter rail

 * Weller Bridge
 * New platform used for South Line during sports events (2018)

Other transit connections

 * Coastal Passage by Rocky Mountaineer
 * King Street taxi level: Thruway, Dungeness Line, Northwestern Trailways
 * No Greyhound because of dispute?
 * 4th & Jackson stops: Metro, ST, CT
 * International District/Chinatown station
 * Streetcar (5th)

Route
The railroad begins at the western terminus of the Scenic Subdivision, King Street Station in Downtown Seattle, south of the Great Northern Tunnel. It travels south through SoDo, passing under the retractable roof of Safeco Field and near the Amtrak maintenance facility at South Holgate Street.


 * 1916 guide

History

 * 1884: Puget Sound Shore Railroad (NP) from Seattle to Tacoma
 * 1901: Kalama to Vancouver not yet built; rail ferry used to connect with line from Goble, Oregon
 * 1908: Columbia River bridge completed by SP&S, along with railroad from Kalama to Vancouver ("North Bank road")
 * 1970: BN acquires NP and GN
 * 2016: Triple tracking in Tukwila and Kent-Auburn

Service

 * Freight: trains per day; capacity of 70 trains (55 average trains in 2008)
 * Passenger: Cascades, Coast Starlight, Sounder South, excursions

Description

 * Architects: Arai Jackson Ellison Murakami
 * Interior space: 6,600 square feet
 * Community meeting room
 * Chamber of Commerce offices
 * Until 2012

History
Mount Vernon was founded in 1877 and its first railroad was built in August 1891 as part of the Seattle and Northern Railroad, later acquired by the Great Northern Railway. The city's first railroad depot was located at the intersection of Kincaid Street and 3rd Street, west of the current station, and was used for over a half-century.


 * Older stations and service
 * 1891: GN's first depot?
 * November 27, 1891: GN excursion train with Seattle Chamber stops in Mount Vernon for celebration of line's opening
 * Regular service began on December 7
 * Sandborn map places it at Kincaid & 3rd, on west side of tracks near GN Hotel
 * 1909: Burlington depot opened
 * 1912: Mount Vernon depot expanded to double size; canopies added in 1913
 * Interurban terminal at Kincaid & 1st
 * 1967: New depot announced to replace dilapidated Mount Vernon and Burlington downtown depots; 1,500 sq ft waiting room, 90-by-30 foot structure, similar to Quincy depot, large parking lot; contract cost of $91,714
 * April 26, 1968: GN opens station at 725 College Way to replace Burlington and Mount Vernon depots
 * Old depot demolished on August 18, 1968?
 * Later used by Amtrak as Mt. Vernon–Burlington (Skagit Valley), now a BNSF office
 * 1972: Amtrak re-introduces Vancouver services
 * September 1981: Pacific International service is cancelled
 * May 1995: Vancouver service resumed


 * Current station
 * Near site of original GN depot
 * 1990s: Funding and site identified
 * January 2004: Skagit Transit service begins
 * August 24, 2004: Opening ceremony
 * Cost $7.7 million
 * September 13, 2004: First trains

Services

 * Buses: SKAT (90X to Everett), Island 411 to Stanwood, Whatcom 80X to Bellingham, Greyhound

Description

 * Short platform?
 * Bus area with six bays
 * Parking lot
 * Located adjacent to city hall (former high school) and county government campus
 * Interior spaces for coffee shop and magazine store

History

 * 1886: Pasco founded in 1886 and named by railroad employee
 * Oldest station was at Tacoma and Columbia; second at Fourth and B Street, but burned down; Tacoma and Clark depot built afterwards
 * Old station location: Clark & Tacoma Avenue (4 blocks south); opened in 1936
 * Two sections demolished, leaving one remaining
 * Demolished in 2009; original plans were to use it for railroad museum but determined to be unfeasible
 * Platform remnants still visible
 * Saw heavy use during Manhattan Project


 * May 1971: Amtrak takeover cancels 8 trains to Tri-Cities area
 * 1974: Pasco phone number redirected to Los Angeles, one of the last stations to be switched
 * December 1977: Floods wash out portion of Stampede Pass line, rerouted onto Milwaukee Road until determined to be unsafe
 * May 1978: BN announces plans to repair line
 * April 1978: Amtrak announces closure of Pasco, Yakima, and Ellensburg stations effective May 21
 * Interim bus service until May 21, later extended until service restored on Empire Builder
 * Ultimately replaced by Portland-Spokane leg of Empire Builder


 * Replacement
 * 1994: Pasco explores renovation or replacement of 60-year-old depot; ADA requirements and other aging
 * Committee recommends replacement at Lewis Street underpass, near North First & Margaret, or on Fourth
 * June 1997: Pioneer ends service from Pendleton
 * Fall 1996: Lease negotiations with BNSF begin
 * December 1997: Pasco begins construction bidding for new depot at First Avenue site; cost estimated at $16 million
 * March 1998: Construction begins
 * October or November 1998: Station opens
 * $1.7 million to construct, funded mostly by state/federal grants with only $100,000 each from Ben Franklin Transit and City of Pasco
 * Replaced 62-year-old depot on Tacoma Avenue

Services

 * Empire Builder (Portland)
 * Change point for Empire Builder engineers
 * Ben Franklin routes
 * Greyhound, Northwest Trailways, Travel Washington, other buses?

Description

 * Brick exterior
 * Raised bus ramp
 * Train viaduct through downtown
 * Island platform for trains with underground concourse
 * Nearby: Convention center, First Interstate Center for Arts, Riverfront Park (GN depot clocktower, rest of station razed in January/February 1973)
 * Layout map (1994)

History

 * Other stations: Milwaukee Road's Union Depot at Front Street; GN depot opened in May 1902 on Havermale Island, later Expo site
 * Rival Union Station for Union Pacific and others constructed in front of GN depot, opened in 1914
 * 1881: Spokane NP depot opens on 1st/2nd at Lincoln Street
 * 1883: First NP trains arrive in Spokane
 * 1886: Larger depot opened, destroyed by Great Fire on August 4, 1889
 * New eastern location proposed in April 1890
 * New depot at Lincoln Street proposed as part of Monroe Street Bridge debate, contingent on street vacation
 * Vetoed by mayor
 * New eastern location announced on June 4, 1890
 * March 4, 1891: Opened for public viewing
 * March 5, 1891: Train services begin
 * March 29, 1891: Increased number of transcontinental trains from Spokane


 * 1912 to 1915: Elevated railroad viaduct constructed to move trains away from downtown streets
 * 1951: Renovation to underground concourses begins
 * November 1952: Final depot renovation begins under NP, costing $128,000
 * New lunchroom and ticket office
 * September 1953: Renovation program complete, at cost of $250,000
 * Green ceramic tile used, resulting in blue color?
 * Later painted baby blue
 * Other train stations:
 * Great Northern (demolished in Febuary 1973, clocktower remains)
 * Union Station for Union Pacific and Milwaukee Road: Constructed in 1913, demolished in 1973 for World's Fair


 * Amtrak era
 * 1974 World's Fair special service


 * Renovation
 * 1991: Farmers market proposal
 * July 1991: Federal government rejects $4.2 million grant for renovation project
 * State funding signed hours earlier
 * February 1992: Federal appropriations bill includes funding, credited to House Speaker Tom Foley
 * Formally announced by USDOT in July 1992
 * Approved by FTA in April 1993
 * July 1993: Construction begins (contractor: Lydig Construction)
 * April 1994: New platform with elevator opens
 * December 12, 1994: New depot dedicated, cost $9 million to renovate (with federal funding)
 * Old Greyhound terminal at 1125 W Sprague closes
 * Service cuts to Empire Builder announced days later

Services

 * Empire Builder: train split/joined for Seattle (6 cars) and Portland (4) sections
 * Nearby STA routes

History

 * 1886: First railroad depot (at current site), replacing temporary station in box car parked at Yakima Avenue for new town
 * Railroad moves Yakima north from original townsite in 1884
 * 100 buildings moved to new townsite


 * 1898: New depot built with clocktower
 * Visited by Presidents Roosevelt (1903) and Taft (1909)
 * 1908: Depot building sold and moved to Cherry Avenue for apartments while new depot is built
 * 1971: Amtrak takes over
 * October 1981: Amtrak reroutes Empire Builder to Wenatchee


 * Preservation
 * Contributing property to Old North Yakima Historic District (NRHP)
 * Current use: coffee shop and pizzeria

History

 * 1872: NP arrives in area, "Centerville" is platted and later renamed Centralia
 * "Halfway" between Tacoma and Kalama
 * Two earlier wooden stations: 1880 and 1905
 * 1911: New depot requested by citizens, costs increase
 * Constructed from 1910 to 1912 for Great Northern and OWR Navigation Company
 * Built to accommodate population boom
 * Initially handled 44 passenger and 77 freight trains per day
 * Dedicated on June 1, 1912
 * Ready for service on June 24
 * Chehalis depot built with near-identical (but smaller) design


 * Influence
 * Centralia Railroaders baseball team in 1912


 * Amtrak
 * June 1971: Centralia added to Amtrak routes as flag stop
 * Promoted to regular stop on July 12, after three month delay
 * Included in initial plans
 * Deteriorated by 1980s
 * 1988: NRHP listing
 * 1996–2002: $4.4 million renovation under city ownership

Design and layout

 * Brick
 * Three buildings connected by breezeways (north and south wings, plus two-story terminal building)

Services

 * Cascades and Starlight
 * Pioneer until 1997
 * Twin Transit

History

 * March 2, 1902: Kalama to Vancouver line opened by Northern Pacific, with depot in different location
 * 1906: Bridge construction begins
 * November 17, 1908: Columbia River bridge completed as part of "North Bank" railroad
 * December 26, 1908: Depot opened for Northern Pacific
 * Dimensions: 30 x 115 feet, two stories; brick base and stucco decoration; costs $13,000
 * North Bank trains use old 8th & Hoyt depot in Portland, shares Vancouver depot with Northern Pacific
 * Remained the only train station serving Portland commuters until streetcar service on Interstate Bridge began in 1917
 * 1948: Temporary commuter train after Vanport Flood closes Interstate Bridge
 * 1988: Renovations
 * 1972: "fresh coat of [white] paint"
 * 1972: Commuter train proposals for I-5 reconstruction in Vancouver
 * September 1997: Temporary commuter train to Portland due to closure of Interstate Bridge for trunnion repair
 * Fare-free, three round trips (with two reverse), approximately 693 daily riders
 * 2008: Renovations and restoration
 * 2015: History exhibit

History

 * Original station
 * January 1989: Abandonment of station announced due to FAA clear zones violation with platform height


 * New station
 * Opened on August 14, 2000 at a cost of $3.3 million

History

 * Seattle P-I timeline (mostly 2000s)
 * Longer timeline (Aug 5, p. A1)
 * Alweg Archives (archived)
 * Alweg Timeline
 * HistoryLink feature
 * Times coverage of 1990s/2000s program
 * Landmark designation
 * Popular Mechanics (December 1963, p. 74)
 * KING-TV (March 1962, first preview ride): Seattle Monorail - World of Tomorrow

Renovations and preservation

 * 1980s: Trains renovated to use coiled springs and shocks, resulting in noisier and less comfortable ride
 * November 8, 1983: Election to use tax levy general obligation bonds for improving the monorail

Expansion proposals

 * 1997-11-04: Initiative 41 passed by Seattle voters, creating the Elevated Transportation Corporation (ETC) to develop and build a 54 mi system with two lines
 * Full plan
 * 2000-07-31: Seattle City Council passes Amendment 113304, relegating the ETC to an advisory committee
 * 2005: Monorail plan rejected by city government
 * 2008-01-17: Seattle Monorail Authority formally dissolves, after $124 million in taxpayer funding spent

Popular culture

 * Simpsons episode? (From "1964" World's Fair)
 * Later referenced at Monorail Plan hearings
 * Cease and desist sent by Fox