MikeF90 Thank you for the details. I was not aware of the elevation rise south of the tracks; now the plan makes sense. Sounds like the rest of the new bridge will have to be complete for a CS platform extension. Since they will have many more trains, perhaps ST/Amtrak will build a south side platform and pedestrian bridge in the future (haven't checked ST plans yet).
Thank you for the details. I was not aware of the elevation rise south of the tracks; now the plan makes sense. Sounds like the rest of the new bridge will have to be complete for a CS platform extension. Since they will have many more trains, perhaps ST/Amtrak will build a south side platform and pedestrian bridge in the future (haven't checked ST plans yet).
any one with more info on what is called a major landslide ? any pictures ?
pwkruegerThere aren't really any other straight, level streches of track near downtown Tacoma that are long enough to accommodate the Coast Starlight. As it is, WSDOT had to have ST include a platform extension in their Tacoma Trestle project so the train wouldn't block D Street. There is about a 20-30 foot elevation change across the tracks from Freighthouse Square, so building there probably would not have been as cost effective as taking out a chunk of the freight house and building the station there.
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Well too bad the bypass is not complete. Mudslides along the present route causing the usual 48 hour service disruption.
https://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=AM_Alert_C&pagename=am/AM_Alert_C/Alerts_Popup&cid=1251649145097
MikeF90 [snip] The obsession with using the Tacoma 'freighthouse' for an Amtrak station is puzzling. Perhaps a local knows why some other nearby property along the tracks wasn't bought for this purpose. Not an area infested with new high rise construction in the way ....
[snip]
The obsession with using the Tacoma 'freighthouse' for an Amtrak station is puzzling. Perhaps a local knows why some other nearby property along the tracks wasn't bought for this purpose. Not an area infested with new high rise construction in the way ....
There aren't really any other straight, level streches of track near downtown Tacoma that are long enough to accommodate the Coast Starlight. As it is, WSDOT had to have ST include a platform extension in their Tacoma Trestle project so the train wouldn't block D Street.
There is about a 20-30 foot elevation change across the tracks from Freighthouse Square, so building there probably would not have been as cost effective as taking out a chunk of the freight house and building the station there.
This location also has the advantage of having convenient connections to al the buses that serve the Tacoma Dome transit station, the ST Tacoma Link streetcar, and the ST Sounder commuter rail trains.
Yeah, Sound Tansit is very good at spending too much monty for very little.
Thank you, @Northwest for confirming my suspicions. I knew that the NP line used to extend up through UofW, but I was unsure about the previous ownership of that line that curves south. Plug 47.2370791,-122.4372421 into ACME mapper and select the Topo view to see where the new trackage had to go.
PNWRMNMFrom the old MILW depot to the former NP, which was the original transcontinental main line from Kalama, the line will have to cross a valley and climb a grade of at least 2%.
It doesn't look that steep in the Google street views. Looks like the NP surveyor chose a natural watercourse and then followed the bluff down to the waterfront, kind of.
BTW the proposed Sounder extension to Dupont with just two new stations is projected to cost over $300M to support a whopping 1000 new riders. Looking at the project details they require a new layover yard (expected) and a 7.8 mile long second main track all the way from Lakewood (huh). Four AM and four PM trains plus the Cascades, hmmm.
PNWRMNMNo one has mentioned this so I will ask. From the old MILW depot to the former NP, which was the original transcontinental main line from Kalama, the line will have to cross a valley and climb a grade of at least 2%. This will be all new construction and the bridge will be the most spectacular part of the project. I have not been to Tacoma to see it for years, but did spend one afternoon eyeballing the project. Does anyone have photos? Northwest?? Mac
I don't have photos, but Google's imagery shows it pretty well:
Overhead view: https://www.google.com/maps/@47.2372294,-122.4367104,496m/data=!3m1!1e3
Track at right curving dowward is the former MILW, the old NP ROW continued top left parallel to Hood Street.
https://www.google.com/maps/@47.2380066,-122.4381554,3a,71.6y,211.47h,67.17t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s3LApYqTZ2WFE0HgzU7HYEg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
On Hood Street with former NP tracks in place, facing where the new line splits off.
https://www.google.com/maps/@47.237904,-122.4366106,3a,82.4y,181.9h,76.15t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sxLs8vt-IosbxRLMDcHYZog!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
New crossing at C Street. Note new retaining wall construction. If one pans to the left, a huge sidewalk crossing and the new bridge over Pacific Avenue is visible.
https://www.google.com/maps/@47.2386526,-122.4352542,3a,75y,170.56h,79.7t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sDB0O6Y9I74kf5IPwYVBS9w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
New bridge at Pacific Avenue.
https://www.google.com/maps/@47.2391042,-122.4306761,3a,50.5y,276.6h,79.54t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sPVUT2L_l_HnbXGtagZxUzA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
Different (!) C Street crossing showing the tie-in point where the ex-MILW splits off at left and new construction continues straight.
Test trains are currently running on the route using Cascades equipment.
No one has mentioned this so I will ask. From the old MILW depot to the former NP, which was the original transcontinental main line from Kalama, the line will have to cross a valley and climb a grade of at least 2%. This will be all new construction and the bridge will be the most spectacular part of the project.
I have not been to Tacoma to see it for years, but did spend one afternoon eyeballing the project. Does anyone have photos? Northwest??
Mac
MikeF90 This project seems to have started (at least two years ago?) when the line was upgraded for commuter service south to Lakewood. If Amtrak had any non-NEC $$ they would have done this long ago. Interestingly, many of the grade crossings south of Lakewood are single track but two track panels are in - good planning ahead. The obsession with using the Tacoma 'freighthouse' for an Amtrak station is puzzling. Perhaps a local knows why some other nearby property along the tracks wasn't bought for this purpose. Not an area infested with new high rise construction in the way ....
This project seems to have started (at least two years ago?) when the line was upgraded for commuter service south to Lakewood. If Amtrak had any non-NEC $$ they would have done this long ago.
Interestingly, many of the grade crossings south of Lakewood are single track but two track panels are in - good planning ahead.
I was at the Tacoma NRHS Convention in the summer of 2011, and I believe preliminary work on the Lakewood extension was already started.
Freighthouse Square was already the commuter station. It appears that part of the former freighthouse was demolished for the new Amtrak station.
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/Rail/pnwrc_PtDefiance/constructioncam/default.htm
Here's a very cool time lapse video of the G Street old bridge removal:
https://vimeo.com/205651225
Plenty of heavy equipment action for us construction geeks!
The former Milwaukee Road 'S curve' trestle was replaced by a modern structure this past weekend. This is the last local freight over the old trestle: http://www.railpictures.net/photo/606997/
The new bridge is now in service: http://www.railpictures.net/photo/607487 Demolition of the old trestle will begin shortly and then the second half of the double track bridge will be constructed.
Test trains are running during non-commute hours to validate the new grade crossing signals between Lakewood and Dupont. Road driver 'conditioning' is a critical part; the 79MPH Amtrak Cascades will transfer to this line after the new Tacoma station is completed later this year.
No recent aerial photos are known yet, but it appears that there are several short sections of 2MT being built to allow meets.
WA DOT, Sound transit, & Amtrak have finally started construction for Point Defiance bypass. Work will start in Tacoma and proceed south even though the Freight house station building construction is still tied up in litigation over eminent domain issues.. When construction completed it is estimated that Cascades trains will cut 10 minutes off schedule time SEAttle - Portland.
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/rail/pnwrc_ptdefiance/
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