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One of last great Washington train rides coming to an end
This is the long way around, now bypassed by the new line.
One of last great Washington train rides coming to an end
BY CRAIG SAILOR
News Tribune
DECEMBER 09, 2017 08:01 AM
UPDATED DECEMBER 11, 2017 09:19 AM
TACOMA, WASH.
For more than a century, train passengers have traveled along Tacoma's waterfront and through the Tacoma Narrows. ... Those roughly 20 miles of track are the only expansive waterfront section of Amtrak's Pacific Coast route between Seattle and Pismo Beach, California.
On Dec. 18, that all will come to an end. The next day a new route parallel to Interstate 5 will open, along with a new Tacoma Amtrak station. ... The looming deadline is causing a rush of passengers who want to see the South Sound from the train one last time.
....
The Point Defiance route opened in 1914. It was used by Northern Pacific and Union Pacific railroads and in 1943 by Great Northern Railway. ... Today, it's used by BNSF Railway to move freight trains, by Amtrak to run its Coast Starlight from Seattle to Los Angeles and by the state to operate its Cascades trains from Seattle to Eugene.
On Dec. 18, the route will become freight only. ... Its replacement, the $181 million Point Defiance Bypass project, has been underway since 2010.
BY CRAIG SAILOR
News Tribune
DECEMBER 09, 2017 08:01 AM
UPDATED DECEMBER 11, 2017 09:19 AM
TACOMA, WASH.
For more than a century, train passengers have traveled along Tacoma's waterfront and through the Tacoma Narrows. ... Those roughly 20 miles of track are the only expansive waterfront section of Amtrak's Pacific Coast route between Seattle and Pismo Beach, California.
On Dec. 18, that all will come to an end. The next day a new route parallel to Interstate 5 will open, along with a new Tacoma Amtrak station. ... The looming deadline is causing a rush of passengers who want to see the South Sound from the train one last time.
....
The Point Defiance route opened in 1914. It was used by Northern Pacific and Union Pacific railroads and in 1943 by Great Northern Railway. ... Today, it's used by BNSF Railway to move freight trains, by Amtrak to run its Coast Starlight from Seattle to Los Angeles and by the state to operate its Cascades trains from Seattle to Eugene.
On Dec. 18, the route will become freight only. ... Its replacement, the $181 million Point Defiance Bypass project, has been underway since 2010.
5 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
It will still be used by freights, but after December 18, not by passenger traffic anymore.
It went through the Tacoma Narrows and a tunnel to get into downtown Tacoma.
Point Defiance Bypass
The old line is in black. The new line is in red.
