96-576: The Amtrak Cascades is a passenger train route in the Pacific Northwest , operated by Amtrak in partnership with the U.S. states of Washington and Oregon . It is named after the Cascade mountain range that the route parallels. The 467-mile (752 km) corridor runs from Vancouver , British Columbia , through Seattle , Washington, and Portland , Oregon, to Eugene , Oregon. As of December 2023, seven round trips operate along
192-431: A dining car or restaurant car to allow passengers to have a meal during the course of their journey. Trains travelling overnight may also have sleeping cars . Currently, much of travel on these distances of over 500 miles (800 km) is done by air in many countries but in others long-distance travel by rail is a popular or the only cheap way to travel long distances. One notable and growing long-distance train category
288-496: A cost of US$ 7 million; construction started in 2007 and has been completed. In December 2008, WSDOT published a mid-range plan detailing projects needed to achieve the midpoint level of service proposed in the long-range plan. In 2009, Oregon applied for a $ 2.1 billion Federal grant to redevelop the unused Oregon Electric Railway tracks, parallel to the Cascades' route between Eugene and Portland. But it did not receive
384-575: A driver's cab, a head-end power generator and other equipment). Trainsets are typically paired with a Siemens Charger locomotive painted in a matching paint scheme. Additionally, trainsets without a cab car are paired with a Non-Powered Control Unit (NPCU), an older locomotive with no engine, that is also painted in a matching paint scheme and is used as a cab car . The fleet consists of two Talgo Series 8 trainsets built in 2013. These trainsets operated alongside five older Talgo Series VI trainsets until their retirement in 2020. The service offered by
480-602: A higher passenger capacity. Many prestigious passenger train services have been bestowed a special name , some of which have become famous in literature and fiction. The first occasion on which a railway locomotive pulled a train carrying passengers was in the United Kingdom in 1804, at Penydarren Ironworks in Wales , when 70 employees of the ironworks were transported 9 miles by an engine designed by Richard Trevithick . The first passenger train in regular service
576-515: A major transit hub , which includes Link light rail at International District/Chinatown station and Seattle Streetcar service. It is located at the south end of Downtown Seattle in the Pioneer Square neighborhood, near the intersection of South Jackson Street and 4th Avenue South, and has four major entrances. It is the 15th-busiest station on the Amtrak system, serving as the hub for
672-434: A new platform and pedestrian bridge at South Weller Street. King Street Station was acquired by Seattle's city government in 2008 and renovated in 2013 at a cost of $ 55 million, restoring its original fixtures. The current station consists of ten tracks and four platforms, including one that is used by Sounder commuter trains and connected via a pedestrian bridge on South Weller Street. The remaining platforms, accessed from
768-648: A non-stop Seattle–Portland route in May 2012. Low gasoline prices and schedule changes due to track construction also contributed to the decline. Ridership rose again in 2016, and was expected to continue rising in 2017 and beyond, after the completion of the Point Defiance Bypass construction project. However, ridership declined again following the 2017 Washington train derailment , and the COVID-19 pandemic drastically reduced ridership numbers throughout
864-475: A number of passenger cars hauled by one or more locomotives, or may be made up of self-propelled railcars . Car design and the general safety of passenger trains have dramatically evolved over time, making travel by rail remarkably safe. Some passenger trains, both long-distance and short-distance, use bi-level (double-decker) cars to carry more passengers per train. Passenger trains hauled by locomotives are more expensive to operate than multiple units, but have
960-457: A pilot project to determine whether a train permanently operating on the route would be feasible. With the Canadian federal government requesting Amtrak to pay for border control costs for the second daily train, the train was scheduled to be discontinued on October 31, 2010. However, Washington State and Canadian officials held discussions in an attempt to continue the service, which resulted in
1056-532: A preliminary agreement between the City of Seattle and BNSF Railway to purchase the station for $ 1. The Seattle City Council formalized the agreement by passing legislation in December 2006. The deal, revised to $ 10, was signed March 5, 2008. The purchase by the city freed up US$ 19 million of state and federal funds that was used for further restoration of the station. The city earmarked a further US$ 10 million for
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#17327803682621152-486: A railroad line. These trains may consist of unpowered passenger railroad cars (also known as coaches or carriages) hauled by one or more locomotives, or may be self-propelled; self propelled passenger trains are known as multiple units or railcars . Passenger trains stop at stations or depots , where passengers may board and disembark. In most cases, passenger trains operate on a fixed schedule and have priority over freight trains . Passenger trains may be made up of
1248-530: A result of Cascades service being jointly funded by the Washington and Oregon departments of transportation, public transit agencies and local municipalities can offer a variety of discounts, including companion ticket coupons. The Cascades service also benefits from Sound Transit's track upgrades for Sounder service, notably the Point Defiance Bypass project. The Cascades corridor
1344-565: A scrapper on February 28, 2021. One Series VI Bistro car, No. 7304, was later acquired by the Northwest Railway Museum in 2023. Amtrak and Siemens Mobility announced a $ 7.3 billion national railcar order in July 2021, which includes funding for 48 new Siemens Venture coaches and 2 additional Charger locomotives for Cascades service. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2024, with service expected to begin in 2026 after funding
1440-545: A six-month trial run of modern Talgo equipment over the Seattle–Portland corridor. Amtrak named this service Northwest Talgo , and announced that it would institute a second, conventional train on the corridor (supplementing the Mount Rainier ) once the trial concluded. Regular service began on April 1, 1994. Looking toward the future, Amtrak did an exhibition trip from Vancouver through to Eugene. Amtrak replaced
1536-450: A summary of its preliminary service development plan, which offered five conceptual options for future rail service. Three of the options kept the top train speed at 79 mph (127 km/h), while the other two options increased the top speed to 90 mph (145 km/h). The most aggressive frequency option increased the number of round trips between Seattle and Portland to 16 and the number between Vancouver, BC and Seattle to 6. Four of
1632-1114: A train consisting of a single passenger car (carriage, coach) with a driver's cab at one or both ends. Some railways, e.g. the Great Western Railway , used the term " railmotor ". If the railcar is able to pull a full train, it is more likely to be called a " motor coach " or a "motor car". The term "railcar" is sometimes also used as an alternative name for the small types of multiple unit that consist of more than one coach. Rapid transit trains are trains that operate in urban areas on exclusive rights-of-way in that pedestrians and road vehicles may not access them. Light rails are electrically powered urban passenger trains that run along an exclusive rights-of-way at ground level, raised structures, tunnels, or in streets. Light rail systems generally use lighter equipment that operate at slower speeds to allow for more flexibility in integrating systems into urban environments. Trams (also known as streetcars in North America) are
1728-411: A type of passenger train that runs a tramway track on or alongside public urban streets, often including segments of right-of-way for passengers and vehicles. Heritage trains are often operated by volunteers, often railfans , as a tourist attraction or as a museum railway. Usually, the trains are formed from historic vehicles retired from national commercial operation that have retained or assumed
1824-688: Is also served by Amtrak Thruway buses that are partially funded by the Washington state government and contracted out to MTRWestern . Amtrak introduced its first battery electric bus on the Cascades service in August 2023. According to its long-range plan published in 2006, the WSDOT Rail Office plans eventual service of 13 daily round trips between Seattle and Portland and 4–6 round trips between Seattle and Bellingham, with four of those extending to Vancouver, BC. Amtrak Cascades travels along
1920-591: Is approved by Congress. These trainsets will be used to replace the Talgo VI trainsets retired in 2020, as well as to expand service. The new coaches will be used in six-coach trainsets with a capacity of 300 passengers, far more than the capacity of the Talgo trainsets, and will be able to modify trainset lengths based on expected passenger demand. The new coaches are expected to cost WSDOT $ 150 million, of which $ 75 million has been secured as of July 2021. Additional funding
2016-462: Is expected from the federal government, as well as potentially the governments of Oregon and British Columbia. The eight new trainsets will use a new livery that includes imagery of Mount Rainier and Mount Hood; it is primarily green with brown and white as accent colors. Funding for the route is provided separately by the states of Oregon and Washington , with Union Station in Portland serving as
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#17327803682622112-655: Is high-speed rail, which generally runs at speeds above 200 km/h (120 mph) and often operates on a dedicated track that is surveyed and prepared to accommodate high speeds. The first successful example of a high-speed passenger rail system was Japan's Shinkansen , colloquially known as the "bullet train", which commenced operation in October 1964. Other examples include Italy's LeFrecce , France's TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse, literally "high speed train"), Germany's ICE (Inter-City Express), and Spain's AVE (Alta Velocidad Española). In most cases, high-speed rail travel
2208-687: Is painted in a special paint scheme consisting of colors the agency calls Evergreen (dark green), Castilian Copper (brown), Nugget (tan) and Double Latte (cream). The trainsets are named after mountain peaks in the Pacific Northwest (many in the Cascade Range). The four original Series VI trainsets were named after Mount Baker , Mount Hood , Mount Olympus , and Mount Rainier . The Series VI trainset built to operate between Las Vegas and Los Angeles (painted in Surfliner colors)
2304-440: Is time- and cost-competitive with air travel when distances do not exceed 500 to 600 km (310 to 370 mi), as airport check-in and boarding procedures can add at least two hours to the overall transit time. Also, rail operating costs over these distances may be lower when the amount of jet fuel consumed by an airliner during takeoff and climbout is taken into consideration. Air travel becomes more cost-competitive as
2400-418: Is unique; it's covered with glass Ludowici tile that is backlit at night to showcase its transparency. The glass tiles were made with manganese , causing them to turn purple over time from UV exposure. During the 2013 restoration these tiles were replaced with salvaged glass tiles of the same age made by the same manufacturer. Inside the main entry, at the base of the clock tower, is the entry hall, known as
2496-490: The Cascades . The order was part of a larger joint purchase between Illinois, California, Michigan, and Missouri. These locomotives were delivered to WSDOT in Summer 2017 and went into service in late 2017. The additional locomotives were to have enabled two additional runs to be added as part of the Point Defiance Bypass project (the additional service was suspended and its recommencement has not been announced) and will replace
2592-555: The Federal Railroad Administration awarded WSDOT up to $ 37.5 million to purchase three new trainsets for the route, allowing the replacement of the older Talgo VI trainsets. The Talgo VI trainsets were withdrawn in June 2020. As a temporary replacement, Horizon cars are being used alongside the existing Talgo Series 8 sets, until new cars are introduced. The last two remaining Talgo VI trainsets were hauled to
2688-625: The Northwest Talgo with the Mount Adams on October 30. At the same time, the state of Oregon and Amtrak agreed to extend the Mount Rainier to Eugene through June 1995, with Oregon paying two-thirds of the $ 1.5 million subsidy. Service to Canada returned on May 26, 1995, when the Mount Baker International began running between Vancouver and Seattle. The state of Washington leased Talgo equipment similar to
2784-617: The Pacific Northwest region. Opened on May 10, 1906, it served as a union station for the Great Northern Railway and the Northern Pacific Railway , both owned by James J. Hill . The station was designed by Reed and Stem and incorporated elements from various architectural styles, including a prominent clocktower inspired by St. Mark's Campanile in Venice . A second city terminal, Union Station ,
2880-531: The Seattle Streetcar network stops nearby. After many years, the original upper entrance off of Jackson Street has been reopened. The station entrance located on the first floor off King Street now also has a passenger drop-off loop for vehicles, instead of a small parking lot. Plans to restore the entire building to its former prominence, including cosmetic renovations to both the station interior and exterior, began in 2003. As part of these renovations
2976-720: The United States began in the 1830s and became popular in the 1850s and '60s. The first electric passenger train was exhibited at the Berlin Industrial Exposition 1879 . The first successful commercial electric passenger train, the Gross-Lichterfelde Tramway , ran a year later in Lichterfelde . Long-distance trains travel between many cities or regions of a country, and sometimes cross several countries. They often have
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3072-501: The "coach class" coaches. By using the two additional coaches from this new trainset and placing the two coaches from the spare set into regular service, the agencies were able to create four 13-car trains and one 12-car train. In 2013, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) purchased the two Series 8 trainsets to enable further expansion of services. Each trainset was equipped with 13 cars. The Cascades equipment
3168-411: The Canadian government permanently waiving the fee. Two additional round trips between Seattle and Portland were added on December 18, 2017; an early morning departure from each city and a late evening return, enabling same-day business travel between the two cities. On the first day of service of the new timetable, a train derailed outside of DuPont, Washington, south of Tacoma . Service resumed using
3264-544: The Compass Room and restrooms were refurbished, and the exterior awnings were replaced. New mahogany entry doors and wood framed windows were installed in the waiting room and Compass Room. New brass door hardware and reproduction period light fixtures and plaster decorative work were included to reproduce the former character of the station's interior. In November 2006, the Office of Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels announced
3360-409: The Compass Room. The name references the navigational star compass rose design laid out in hand-cut marble tiles on the floor at its center. The Compass Room has marble wainscotting , and is lighted by a multi-globe chandelier suspended above the compass rose from an elaborate plaster rosette . Triple-globe wall sconces around the perimeter illuminate a band of inlaid green iridescent glass tile on
3456-727: The Leadership Council to vote on this in December 2015, then a Draft Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement was to be released in 2016 and hearings held on it, for the Leadership Council to finalize the Recommended Selected Alternative in 2017, then publish the Final Tier 1 EIS and receive the Record of Decision in 2018. Then if funds can be found, design and engineering must be done before any construction can begin. In October 2023, WSDOT made public
3552-567: The May 16, 1999, system timetable. In 2004, the Rail Plus program began, allowing cross-ticketing between Sound Transit 's Sounder commuter rail and Amtrak between Seattle and Everett on some Cascades trains. The corridor continued to grow, with another Portland–Seattle train arriving in 2006, and the long-awaited through service between Vancouver, BC and Portland, eliminating the need to transfer in Seattle, beginning on August 19, 2009 as
3648-555: The Seattle-Vancouver train used conventional equipment. In preparation for the Vancouver route receiving Talgo equipment as well, Amtrak introduced the temporary Pacific Northwest brand for all four trains, dropping individual names, effective with the spring 1998 timetable. Amtrak announced the new Amtrak Cascades brand in the fall 1998 timetable; the new equipment began operation in December. The full Cascades brand
3744-530: The Skytrain rapid transit system for about a half-hour to complete a trip to downtown Vancouver. On July 2, 2017, northbound train 506 derailed while approaching the Chambers Bay drawbridge southwest of Tacoma, Washington . The train was traveling above the speed limit of 40 miles per hour (64 km/h) after passing an "Approach" signal (indicating that it be prepared to stop short of the next signal) at
3840-508: The State of Oregon. The Pacific International and Willamette Valley struggled to attract riders and were discontinued in September 1981 and December 1981, respectively. This left three trains on the Seattle–Portland corridor: the regional Mount Rainier and the long-distance Pioneer and Coast Starlight. This level of service would remain unchanged for 13 years. In 1994, Amtrak began
3936-500: The United States, steps were taken to gradually modernize King Street Station. The ticket counters, once located directly to the east of the compass room, were expanded outward into the waiting room. In the late 1940s a set of " electric stairs " and a new side entrance to the second floor railroad offices were built over the open stairwell to Jackson Street, narrowing them by half. Over the next two decades, as train ridership and
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4032-497: The baggage area, originally used as a restaurant, were also undertaken during this time. During June 2010, work also began on demolition of a 1950s addition to the building that housed the escalators and part of the Jackson Street Plaza. Demolition work was completed by September 2010. A surprise development during this phase was the removal of the suspended ceilings in early July. Crews worked over several nights while
4128-466: The bridge. As the bridge was raised and open, a device known as a "de-rail" was engaged, used to prevent a train from proceeding and falling in to the water by derailing it beforehand. The incident root cause was human error due to the engineer losing situational awareness. Only minor injuries were sustained due to the low speed at time of event as the engineer did attempt to stop on seeing the bridge up. The train's consist, an Oregon DOT-owned Talgo VIII set,
4224-399: The character, appearance, and operating practices of railways in their time. Sometimes lines that operate in isolation also provide transport facilities for local people. Much of the equipment used on these trains' systems is original or at least aims to replicate both the look and the operating practices of historic/former railways companies. Passenger rail is one of the modes of travel with
4320-474: The closure of Union Station , which formerly served Union Pacific (the Milwaukee Road had moved out a decade earlier). To further cut costs the station's restaurant, lunch counter, and gift shop were immediately closed and vending machines installed. Eventually even the escalators stopped running and without the funds or passenger volume to justify repairing them, were permanently walled off. Today,
4416-810: The conventional rail infrastructure to support trains that can operate safely at higher speeds. Many cities and their surrounding areas are served by commuter trains (also known as suburban trains), which serve commuters who live outside of the city they work in, or vice versa. More specifically, in the United States commuter rail service is defined as, "short-haul rail passenger transportation in metropolitan and suburban areas usually having reduced fare, multiple ride, and commuter tickets and morning and evening peak period operations". Trains are very efficient for transporting large numbers of people at once, compared to road transport. While automobiles may be delayed by traffic congestion , trains operate on dedicated rights-of-way which allow them to bypass such congestion. With
4512-609: The corridor came on June 7, 1977, when Amtrak introduced the long-distance Pioneer between Seattle, Portland and Salt Lake City, Utah . To maintain the same level of service between Seattle and Portland, the Puget Sound was eliminated, and the schedule of the Mount Rainier was shifted. The corridor expanded south of Portland to Eugene on August 3, 1980, with the addition of the Willamette Valley , which operated with two daily round trips, financially subsidized by
4608-514: The corridor each day: one Vancouver–Seattle, one Vancouver–Seattle–Portland, three Seattle–Portland, and two Seattle–Portland–Eugene. No train travels the entire length of the corridor. For trains that do not travel directly to Vancouver or Eugene, connections are available on Amtrak Thruway bus services. Additionally, Amtrak Thruway services offer connections to other destinations in British Columbia, Idaho , Oregon, and Washington not on
4704-457: The demonstrator from 1994. The Mount Rainier was renamed the Cascadia in October 1995; the new name reflected the joint Oregon–Washington operations of the train. A third Seattle–Portland corridor train began in the spring of 1998 with leased Talgo equipment, replacing the discontinued long-distance Pioneer . The other Seattle–Portland/Eugene trains began using Talgo trainsets as well, while
4800-409: The different trainset types is similar, but there are some minor differences between the two models. The most notable difference is the older Series VI trainsets have 7-foot-tall (2.1 m) tail fins at both ends of the train that serve as an aesthetic transition from the low-profile trainsets and the larger locomotives. The Series 8 trainsets do not have the tail fins, but instead have a cab built into
4896-403: The dividing point between the two. As of 11 December 2023, Washington state has funded six daily round trips between Seattle and Portland. Washington also funds two daily round trips between Seattle and Vancouver, BC. Oregon funds two daily round trips between Eugene and Portland. The seven trainsets are organized into semi-regular operating cycles, but no particular train always has one route. As
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#17327803682624992-470: The entire Amtrak network in 2020. Service on the Cascades route is currently provided using equipment from Amtrak's national fleet, along with two articulated trainsets manufactured by Talgo . These cars are designed to passively tilt into curves, allowing the train to pass through them at higher speeds than a conventional train. The tilting technology reduces travel time between Seattle and Portland by 25 minutes. Current track and safety requirements limit
5088-450: The entirety of the proposed Pacific Northwest High Speed Rail Corridor; the incremental improvements are designed to result in eventual higher-speed service. According to WSDOT, the "hundreds of curves" in the current route and "the cost of acquiring land and constructing a brand new route" make upgrades so cost-prohibitive that, at most, speeds of 110 mph (177 km/h) can be achieved. The eventual high-speed rail service according to
5184-572: The existing bridge. In order to extend the second daily Seattle to Bellingham round trip to Vancouver, BNSF was required to make track improvements in Canada, to which the government of British Columbia was asked to contribute financially. On March 1, 2007, an agreement between the province, Amtrak, and BNSF was reached, allowing a second daily train to and from Vancouver. The project involved building an 11,000-foot (3.4 km) siding in Delta, BC at
5280-411: The furthest points of the journey. This practice allows less populous communities to be served in the most cost-effective way, at the expense of a longer journey time for those wishing to travel to the terminus station. Higher-speed rail services operate at top speeds that are higher than conventional inter-city trains but below high-speed rail services. These services are provided after improvements to
5376-659: The grant. Instead, analysis of alternative routes to enable more passenger trains and higher speeds proceeded. In 2015, the current route, with numerous upgrades, was chosen by the Project Team as the Recommended Preferred Alternative. The Preferred Alternative, if built, would decrease the trip time by 15 minutes from 2 hours and 35 minutes to 2 hours and 20 minutes and increase the number of daily trains from 2 to 6 from Eugene to Portland. In 2013, travel times between Seattle and Portland remained
5472-494: The interior and in the clock tower while the base shows influences of Beaux Arts . The entire first floor exterior is brick-clad with granite . The building is L-shaped with the clock tower marking the main entry on the west facade . The clock tower and main entry terminate the axis of King Street in Pioneer Square. The main building's roof features Ludowici clay tile with a green glaze. The clock tower's roof
5568-540: The long-range plan should result in the following travel times: In order to increase train speeds and frequency to meet these goals, a number of incremental track improvement projects must be completed. Gates and signals must be improved, some grade crossings must be separated, track must be replaced or upgraded, and station capacities must be increased. The existing Columbia River Railroad Bridge between Vancouver, Washington and Portland would have to be modified, and an additional railroad bridge would have to be built next to
5664-555: The lowest carbon dioxide emissions. Rail travel emits much less carbon dioxide per mile than air travel (2–27%) or car travel (2–24%). King Street Station Streetcar: First Hill Streetcar (transfer at 5th & Jackson) King Street Station is a train station in Seattle , Washington , United States. It is served by Amtrak 's Cascades , Coast Starlight , and Empire Builder , as well as Sounder commuter trains run by Sound Transit . The station also anchors
5760-467: The main waiting area were the terrazzo tile floor and the clock on the west wall above the restrooms. Despite the attempted modernization, the station continued to deteriorate. Following the creation of Amtrak in 1971 to take over the money-losing passenger service from the railroad companies, hundreds of routes were eliminated and service across the country was cut in half. Amtrak consolidated all of its Seattle service at King Street Station, resulting in
5856-405: The new ceiling, plaster reliefs , marble panels, glass tile mosaics and other original fixtures were sheared from the walls and replaced with sheet rock and Formica paneling. The dedicated women's waiting room at the southwest corner of the building was converted into employee offices; its own architectural details suffering the same damage. The only original remaining features left visible in
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#17327803682625952-620: The old timetable without the additional round trips. In March 2020, Amtrak Cascades service north of Seattle was suspended indefinitely after all non-essential travel across the Canada–United States border was restricted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic . Amtrak crews ran practice trips between Seattle and Vancouver, BC, in February 2022, and service between those two cities resumed on September 26, 2022. The round trip between Portland and Vancouver resumed on March 7, 2023, restoring
6048-433: The options included a rail/bus combination for some round trips between Vancouver, BC and Seattle; the section between Seattle and Bellingham would be served by rail, while the section between Bellingham and Vancouver, BC would be handled by bus. Various jurisdictions have made several attempts, so far unsuccessful, to add a stop within the approximately 60-mile (97 km) gap between Vancouver, BC and Bellingham. The intent
6144-606: The power car allowing push-pull operation without a separate control unit. There are also minor differences in the interior appointments. The Cascades service started in Fall 1998 with four Series VI trainsets, two were owned by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and two were owned by Amtrak. Each trainset was built with 12 cars and a six-car spare set, including a baggage car, service car, lounge car, café car and two "coach class" coaches,
6240-408: The private railroads on May 1, 1971. Initial service on the Seattle–Portland portion of the corridor consisted of three daily round trips–one long-distance train running all the way to San Diego , along with two corridor trains inherited from Burlington Northern. There was no corridor service south to Eugene, and no service to the Canadian border at all. The trains were unnamed until November 1971, when
6336-594: The rail corridor. In the fiscal year 2017, Cascades was Amtrak's eighth-busiest route with a total annual ridership of over 810,000. In fiscal year 2018, farebox recovery ratio for the train was 63%. On-time performance in FY2021 was 58.7%. Passenger train service between Seattle and Portland—the core of what became the Cascades corridor—was operated as a joint partnership by the Northern Pacific , Great Northern , and Union Pacific from 1925 to 1970, with
6432-416: The restoration as part of a passed local transportation levy. In 2008, the clocks in the clock tower were repaired, and the old radio microwave antennas were removed. Repair work to the exterior continued as of June 2010. Phase two of the project began in May 2010, when demolition work commenced on the second and third floors, previously used by Burlington Northern for division offices. Work on modernizing
6528-426: The restoration of the interior. The restoration project was completed and the station was officially rededicated on April 24, 2013. King Street Station is a red brick masonry and steel frame building with terra cotta and cast stone ornamentation , through relatively subdued in comparison to the clock tower. The architectural style is sometimes denoted as "Railroad Italianate" with definite Italian inspirations on
6624-401: The same as they had been in 1966, with the fastest trains making the journey in 3 hours 30 minutes. WSDOT received more than $ 800 million in high-speed rail stimulus funds for projects discussed in the mid-range plan, since the corridor is one of the approved high-speed corridors eligible for money from ARRA. The deadline for spending the stimulus funds is September 2017. The schedule was for
6720-522: The same trackage (though not simultaneously), as well as producing a more comfortable ride for passengers. "Inter-city" is a general term for any rail service that uses trains with limited stops to provide fast long-distance travel. Inter-city services can be divided into three major groups: The distinction between the three types of inter-city rail service may be unclear; trains can run as InterCity services between major cities, then revert to an express (or even regional) train service to reach communities at
6816-684: The second Seattle–Vancouver trip that existed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Seattle–Portland service expanded to six round trips on December 11, 2023, adding the two additional round trips between Seattle and Portland originally intended to start in 2017. Total ridership for 2008 was 774,421, the highest annual ridership since inception of the service in 1993. Ridership declined in 2009 to 740,154 but rose 13% in fiscal year 2010 to 836,499 riders, and to 847,709 riders in 2011. Ridership declined steadily between 2011 and 2015, attributed in part to competition from low-cost bus carrier BoltBus , which opened
6912-408: The second and third floors of the station. King Street Station was Seattle's primary train terminal until the construction of the adjacent Oregon & Washington Depot, later named Union Station , in 1911; the 1912 Baist's Real Estate Atlas of Seattle still refers to King Street Station as "Union Passenger Depot". After the end of World War II , as passenger rail travel began to decline across
7008-578: The six EMD F59PHI locomotives leased from Amtrak; these were sold to Metra in early 2018. One SC-44 locomotive was destroyed in the December 18, 2017, derailment on the Point Defiance Cutoff, but was soon replaced by a newly built Charger by Siemens (1408) in August 2020. In the wake of the accident, Amtrak proposed to lease or buy two Talgo trainsets which were originally bought for use in Wisconsin but never operated . In August 2019,
7104-714: The station has been fully restored and is part of a group of transportation facilities in the southern portion of Downtown Seattle. King Street Station is located a block away from the International District/Chinatown station of the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel serving the Link Light Rail 1 Line . Many King County Metro and Sound Transit Express bus routes serve the area, and the First Hill line of
7200-477: The station was mostly empty removing the over 1,600 acoustic tiles and their framing. The modern light fixtures and remaining suspended wires remained until enough funding became available to complete restoration. The final phase of the project focused on the rebuilding of the Jackson Plaza. Thirty-six geothermic wells reaching 300 ft (91 m) into the ground were drilled to eventually heat and cool
7296-479: The station was part of a larger project that moved the mainline away from the waterfront and into the planned Great Northern Tunnel under downtown. The depot's 242-foot (74 m) tower was modeled after the recently collapsed Campanile di San Marco in Venice , Italy , making it the tallest building in Seattle at the time of its construction. This tower contained four huge mechanical clock faces built by E. Howard & Co. of Boston , Massachusetts , offering
7392-423: The station's number of employees dwindled, the station was further remodeled to reduce maintenance and heating costs. In the late 1950s the station's original high-back benches, made of yellow oak , were replaced by modern chrome and plastic seats. The final blow to the station's character occurred in late 1967 when, under the direction of Northern Pacific architect A.C. Cayou, a new drop ceiling of plastic and metal
7488-487: The station's waiting room, are used for Amtrak services and special event trains. Built between 1904 and 1906 by the Great Northern Railway and Northern Pacific Railway , the station replaced an antiquated station on Railroad Avenue, today's Alaskan Way . Designed by the firm of Reed and Stem of St. Paul, Minnesota , who acted as associate architects for the design of Grand Central Terminal in New York City ,
7584-507: The station. A new concrete floor was poured including seismic wall supports and space for an elevator and new ticketing and baggage areas. In October 2010, the King Street Station project was awarded $ 18.2 million from $ 2.4 billion in high-speed intercity passenger rail service funding announced by the U.S. Transportation Department . This funding was needed by the project in order to complete seismic regrades and to finalize
7680-766: The three railroads cross-honoring tickets on their Seattle-Portland routes. When Great Northern and Northern Pacific were folded into the Burlington Northern in 1970, the reconfigured partnership continued to operate the Seattle-Portland service until the creation of Amtrak in 1971. Service between Vancouver, BC, and Seattle was provided via the Great Northern/Burlington Northern International , and between Portland and Eugene by Southern Pacific . Amtrak took over intercity passenger rail operations from
7776-741: The time to each of the four cardinal directions. At the time of installation it was said to be the second largest timepiece on the Pacific Coast , second only to the Ferry Building in San Francisco , California . Later, this tower also served as a microwave tower for the Burlington Northern Railroad , the successor of both the Great Northern and Northern Pacific railways, whose offices occupied
7872-474: The time. WSDOT announced that it would not resume service until the full implementation of PTC. Service was then scheduled to restart in early 2019. PTC was activated on the Point Defiance Bypass in March 2019, but Cascades service on the bypass did not resume until November 18, 2021, almost four years after the derailment. Passenger train A passenger train is a train used to transport people along
7968-529: The train's speed to 79 miles per hour (127 km/h), although the trainsets are designed for a maximum design speed of 124 miles per hour (200 km/h). A typical trainset consists of 13 cars: one baggage car ; two " business class " coaches ; one lounge car (also known as the Diner car); one cafe car (also known as the Bistro car); seven "coach class" coaches; and one combination cab/power car (which houses
8064-729: The travel distance increases because the fuel accounts for less of the overall operating cost of the airliner. Some high-speed rail systems employ tilting technology to improve stability in curves. Examples of tilting trains are the Advanced Passenger Train (APT), the Pendolino , the N700 Series Shinkansen , Amtrak 's Acela and the Spanish Talgo . Tilting is a dynamic form of superelevation , allowing both low- and high-speed traffic to use
8160-575: The two corridor trains were named the Mount Rainier and Puget Sound and the long-distance train became the Coast Starlight . Passenger rail service to Vancouver, BC, was restarted on July 17, 1972, with the inauguration of the Seattle–Vancouver Pacific International , which operated with a dome car (unusual for short runs). The train was Amtrak's first international service. The next major change to service in
8256-399: The use of bilevel cars , which are tall enough to have two levels of seating, commuter rail services can haul as many as 150 commuters per train car, and over 1,000 per train: much more than the capacity of automobiles and buses. In British and Australian usage, a "railcar" is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term is usually used in reference to
8352-535: The walls. Circular clerestory windows are trimmed in plaster relief decoration. This motif was originally repeated throughout most of the station's waiting room. While there is no known influence for the design of the interior, it resembles the ceiling of the famous Salone dei Cinquecento at the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Italy featuring a similar coffered grid with dentils and repeating circles, while
8448-675: Was a horse drawn train on the Swansea and Mumbles Railway which opened in 1807. In 1808, Trevithick ran a passenger-carrying exhibition train called Catch Me Who Can on a small loop of track in London. The exhibition, which ran for two weeks, charged passengers for rides. The first steam train carrying passengers on a public railway was hauled by Locomotion No. 1 on the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825 , traveling at speeds up to 15 miles per hour. Travel by passenger trains in
8544-455: Was also built. The trainsets can hold 304 passengers in 12 cars. In 1998, Amtrak also purchased an additional Series VI trainset as a demonstrator for potential service between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. This trainset was built with two additional "coach class" coaches, for a total of 14 cars. The demonstration route was not funded and WSDOT purchased the trainset in 2004 to expand service. The purchase also allowed Amtrak and WSDOT to redistribute
8640-486: Was built one block to the east and opened in 1911. As passenger train service declined in the mid-20th century, King Street Station fell into disrepair and was renovated several times to conceal interior elements in the name of modernization. It was selected as Amtrak's sole Seattle station in 1971 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places two years later. Commuter rail service began in 2000 from
8736-421: Was installed in the waiting room ten feet below the original, concealing the hand-carved coffered ceiling to just below the balcony and second level arcade . Hundreds of holes had to be punched through the plaster to attach the ceiling's support wires to the steel frame of the building. The new ceiling held new fluorescent lights and heat lamps , replacing the original brass chandeliers and sconces . Below
8832-570: Was renamed the Mount Adams when it was purchased by the state of Washington. This trainset was subsequently destroyed in the December 18, 2017, derailment on the Point Defiance Cutoff. The two Series 8 trainsets are named Mount Bachelor and Mount Jefferson . In early 2014, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), awarded a contract to Siemens USA to manufacture 8 new Siemens Charger locomotives for
8928-544: Was returned to the Talgo plant in Milwaukee, Wis. for repairs and returned to service in April 2018. On December 18, 2017, while making the inaugural run on the Point Defiance Bypass , southbound train 501 derailed near DuPont, Washington . Three passengers were killed, and 65 people in total were injured. The crash occurred on an overpass over I-5 , on a sharp curve with a speed limit of 30 mph (48 km/h); train 501
9024-426: Was rolled out on January 12, 1999, following a six-week delay due to an issue with the seat designs on the Talgo trainsets. Amtrak extended a second train to Eugene in late 2000. From the mid-1990s to the May 12, 2008, Amtrak system timetable, full service dining was available on trains going north out of Seattle's King Street Station to Vancouver. The southern trains to Portland briefly had full dining services until
9120-627: Was to better serve the growing population in the southern part of the Greater Vancouver region without requiring a backtrack to downtown Vancouver . Stations have been proposed at different times for the international border towns of Blaine, WA and White Rock, BC . There have also been studies about moving the northern terminus from Vancouver's Pacific Central Station southeast to Skytrain 's existing Scott Road station in Surrey, BC ; in this scenario, northbound passengers would then ride
9216-513: Was traveling at 80 mph (130 km/h). Positive train control , a system that would have prevented the train from speeding, was not yet enabled on the Point Defiance Bypass at the time of the crash. An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board also found that the train's engineer was not properly trained on either the tracks or the train's Siemens Charger locomotive, both of which were new at
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