Passenger Trains > Tukwila Station, WA (Amtrak, Sounder) nearing completio

Tukwila Station is nearing completion after a little more than one year of construction. Tukwila station is the closest Amtrak station to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, approximately 5 miles away. Metro's RapidRide "F" line now connects Tukwila Station and SeaTac Airport. It's also conveniently located within walking distance of several hotels.

http://metro.kingcounty.gov/travel-options/bus/rapidride/f-line/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tukwila_(Amtrak_station)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/19/14 09:04 by kgrr.

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I'm glad to see that. When I stopped by in March, the station was a plywood palace and passengers detraining from one track had to cross another to get to the platform.

Tor in Eugene

Currently, the East platform is still being finished and is closed to travellers. The West platform still lacks roofs for the rain and some metal parts to finish the waiting areas. They were finishing installing the ORCA farecard vending machines yesterday. The ORCA cards can be used to buy for both bus and Sounder fare with cash or credit card. I did not see Amtrak dispensing machines yet. The parking lot and bus platform are complete. The new, bright red "F" line RapidRide buses have been servicing the station since June already. My guess is that the station is maybe a month away from its ribbon cutting ceremony.

-- Konrad, WA4OSH



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/19/14 09:02 by kgrr.

By the way ... If you will look at the second picture, part of the East platform is cast in concrete and part is asphalt so that it can be easily removed to build a third track in the future. On the North side of the station, it looks like the old wooden trestle is is being worked on. Could they be in process of replacing it with a new bridge with three tracks? The Boeing Renton spur is perhaps at most a mile to the North.

Further South of Tukwila station, the bridge over Strander Blvd / SW 27th St is built with three tracks in mind. But, the grade crossing at Strander Blvd and the Union Pacific track has not been replaced with a bridge yet.

Another mile further South, there's a siding that leads into a BNSF facility for loading/unloading cars to/from auto transport cars.

It looks like in grand scheme of things that triple-tracking is underway slowly between Argo yard Seattle and Auburn.

Convenient to all on the south side of Seattle. Parking at King Street tough and going to get worse with new hotel coming. But there is transit!!

As you mentioned, King Street Station serves Amtrak Cascades, Coast Starlight, Empirebuilder, and Sounder. It's right next to the International District light rail station, the bus tunnel and the first hill streetcar. But parking is difficult.

I admire the planners who accepted the temporary inexpensive "plywood palace" for several years as a utilitarian solution rather than insist on an ideal station before providing service. Very economical and logical to me.

I agree. The Tukwila Station planners did a great job doing this. Tukwila Station was opened in 2000 using a plywood platform and small parking lot on the east side -- the "plywood palace". It's now fifteen years later and finally a more permanent station is nearing completion. It's design is already planning for a third track to the east of the current two. This is definitely an example of good, cost saving planning.