AC4400
Lead Service Attendant
Today I saw two Soundtransit officers were enforcing Amtrak only parking spots in Tukwila station. I was told that starting 7/1, Amtrak parking will be strictly enforced in Tukwila, so no more commuter parkers any more!
Amtrak starts enforcing parking in Tukwila
- Thread starter AC4400
- Start date
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So how can they tell if your a Amtrak passenger or a local transit passenger? Is there a permit? Is there a note from the ticket agent? Do you leave a copy of a Amtrak timetable on your window?
AC4400
Lead Service Attendant
I always leave a copy of Amtrak confirmation letter in my dash.
Now, what they do is asking which train are you taking and what is the reservation number. The enforcement won't last after 8:49am when the last Sounder commuter train leave the station.
fairviewroad
Engineer
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2011
- Messages
- 3,386
That's right, there's very little crossover between when the bulk of Sounder passengers would arrive at the station and when Amtrak trains call there. The only Amtrak train to stop at Tukwila during morning rush hour is 501 southbound to PDX, which I suspect draws few passengers at Tukwila on any given day.
The only problem with this enforcement strategy is that it's very personnel-intensive. This isn't a case of sending someone around once a day to check slips on a dashboard. You have to essentially catch someone in the act. Not sure that's sustainable in the long run, but I suppose if you used this enforcement once a week or so, it would send a message to the regulars there. [Of course, the message might be: Feel free to park in the Amtrak spots if you don't see any parking enforcement officers]
The only problem with this enforcement strategy is that it's very personnel-intensive. This isn't a case of sending someone around once a day to check slips on a dashboard. You have to essentially catch someone in the act. Not sure that's sustainable in the long run, but I suppose if you used this enforcement once a week or so, it would send a message to the regulars there. [Of course, the message might be: Feel free to park in the Amtrak spots if you don't see any parking enforcement officers]
AC4400
Lead Service Attendant
Agreed. But at least I'm happy to see something happening in TUK.
I had lots of trouble in parking TUK for Amtrak 507 which arrives at 2:24pm. The Amtrak spots are ALWAYS occupied at that time. I parked my car in the nearby Embassy Suites twice with $30 parking fee. Because of that, I started getting up super early and arrive TUK before 6:30am on the travel day to ensure the Amtrak parking spot.
This becomes worse after the east platform is closed, as Amtrak spots are very close to the west platform. Sounder passengers prefer to park here even if there are rows of empty spots at the far end of the parking lot.
Today I arrived at 6:05am. Thanks to the enforcement, there was only ONE car at Amtrak parking! I'm the second!
Northwest Railfan
Train Attendant
- Joined
- May 5, 2016
- Messages
- 36
I think the old parking lot might reopen soon since the third mainline is complete and it appears to no longer have construction equipment and supplies stored there.
Northwest Railfan
Train Attendant
- Joined
- May 5, 2016
- Messages
- 36
I went to Tukwila to do some Railfanning today, and the rear parking lot has a permanent chainlink fence and gate across most of it so no one can park there. Hopefully they will make it public parking eventually since the lot is pretty much full during the week.
It's an old thread, but I'll give it a try.... I plan to take the Cascade to Vancouver Canada and return 5 days later. The train leaves from King St Station at 7:45AM, so I need to make my own connection via a 6:30ish Sounder to International District. Does anyone know if the Tukwila Parking enforcement is still an issue with the "AMTRAK" stalls? Or if there's ample AMTRAK spaces available at 6:30AM? I suppose I'm technically a Cascade customer, but I'll be departing from King Street!!
