Seattle King Street Station

[MrFSS]

I will be riding the EB later this year from Chicago to Seattle. I have a Delorme map CD and it shows the only access to the King Street Station in Seattle from the south. As I understand it, the EB approaches Seattle from Everett and the north. Is there access to the station, there, from the north, or does the train have to travel south of the downtown area and perhaps back into the station?

I'm trying to get ready for this trip and understand where I will be (wish I could afford a GPS) as we progress along and even print some maps of places I want to watch for on the trip.

Thanks!!!

 

[panamaclipper]

I seem to remember that while I was waiting to catch the eastbound EB that it passed the station, was gone for a bit and then came back northbound to get in position for boarding. I'd suspect the train comes in southbound and then turns around at a Y or some such and comes back.

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

As of a year and a half ago, The eastbound EB, running from Seattle to Chicago, the train is stored in a yard just a few blocks from the station, adjacent to the baseball field. For the westbound, coming from Chicago, the Train can pull straight into the station on the platform.

 

[EmpireBuilderFan]

Your map probably doesn't show the King Street Tunnel, which is approx. 1 mile long and comes from the waterfront right to King Street Station. The EB runs along the Puget Sound until it reaches the tunnel, then goes underground to the station. The EB doesn't have to back into the station, it just pulls along side.

 

[MrFSS]

Your map probably doesn't show the King Street Tunnel, which is approx. 1 mile long and comes from the waterfront right to King Street Station.  The EB runs along the Puget Sound until it reaches the tunnel, then goes underground to the station.  The EB doesn't have to back into the station, it just pulls along side.

Thanks - that probably explains it.

 

[steve_relei]

There is a tunnel underneath downtown Seattle that all trains to/from the north use. After Everett, the train snakes along the shores of Puget Sound, crosses the Ballard Bay bascule Bridge, through Interbay Yard, and then again along the Puget Sound (Elliott Bay), the Space Needle will be to the left (from the train going southward), then through the tunnel (at about Pike Place Market), shortly after exiting the tunnel, the train will arrive at King Street Station (of course, this is all done in the opposite directions going north\east). Incidentally, both the International Cascades to Vancouver (BC) and the afternoon Cascades train to Bellingham also use this route.

I have a new Web site entitled My Own Private Seattle. Click the section on "Railfanning in Seattle," and you can find out more information about trains (both freight and Amtrak) in and around Seattle. I also have a couple of shots of a southbound BNSF freighter coming out of the tunnel, which is just north of the King Street Station. The site is not quite finished yet; I'll be adding a lot more to it as time allows, but there is enough to give you information and ideas on watching (riding) trains while in Seattle. Take some time to look over my "My Own Private Seattle" site; this is about things to see and do, places to go while in Seattle--between train times. I also have a section about the Waterfront trolley, which I have not added to my railfanning page. Most railfans also like trolleys. I do. I also have a link from my sites to that of Steven J. Brown, who has taken many photos of Amtrak trains--Empire Builder, Coast Starlight, and the Talgo trains, many of which have been used in Amtrak advertisements. Check them out; they show what trains look like in and around Seattle( and what you will see while riding them) . My site also mentions using the observation deck of the famous 605-ft Space Needle from which to watch trains. You can watch trains coming and going for miles from up there. (PS. I will be added appropriate credits--including ones from amtraktrains.com--to the photos used in my site; please no one get into a frizzy about it. I'll get to it shortly. Not all photos are my own, many are. Just enough what you see and allow yourself to be more enlightened about trains in and around Seattle.)

 

[MrFSS]

There is a tunnel underneath downtown Seattle that all trains to/from the north use.
I have  a new Web site entitled My Own Private Seattle.

Thanks - I have bookmarked it.

 

[battalion51]

Steve, one little correction, most trains are hauled by P-42's, not P-32's.

 

[coachseats]

Nice site! I will be stopping in Seattle twice during my North America Rail Pass trip and while I won't have a lot of time to look around, your site gave me some good ideas of things to see and do.

 

[steve_relei]

You are correct. I have consulted a couple of sites to get the correct designations of the locomotives. I'll make the corrections in the site as soon as possible. Thanks.

 

[whc6]

I just got back last week from taking the Coast Starlight to Seattle and the Cascades from Seattle to Vancouver.

About 1/4 mile north of King St Station is the Great Northern Tunnel, built about 1905 or so. All trains leaving King St for the north will pass through the tunnel. You will pop out by Puget Sound after 2-3 minutes.

If you have a couple of hours, I would suggest walking 1 1/2 blocks to the Jackson St./Chinatown streetcar station. This is the termination point of the streetcar line. Fare is $1.25 (exact fare requried). The line runs to Pioneer Square, and then follows Puget Sound for about two miles. Good views and good fun. A round trip will take an hour or so.

King St. Station is a dump. It is currently under renovation - it appears an extremely slow renovation. It will be nice when it is finished, but currently is pretty uncomfortable. Don't plan on hanging out there - nothing to do or see.

If you like good beer and pub food, I would suggest the Kells Pub, at the end of Post Alley near Virginia (near 1st St.). They pour a good Guinness and Smithwicks and the food is quite good. I recommend the Sausage Roll.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[MrFSS]

I just got back last week from taking the Coast Starlight to Seattle and the Cascades from Seattle to Vancouver.  
About 1/4 mile north of King St Station is the Great Northern Tunnel, built about 1905 or so.  All trains leaving King St for the north will pass through the tunnel.  You will pop out by Puget Sound after 2-3 minutes.

If you have a couple of hours, I would suggest walking 1 1/2 blocks to the Jackson St./Chinatown streetcar station.  This is the termination point of the streetcar line.  Fare is $1.25 (exact fare requried).  The line runs to Pioneer Square, and then follows Puget Sound for about two miles.  Good views and good fun.  A round trip will take an hour or so.

King St. Station is a dump.  It is currently under renovation - it appears an extremely slow renovation.  It will be nice when it is finished, but currently is pretty uncomfortable.  Don't plan on hanging out there - nothing to do or see.

If you like good beer and pub food, I would suggest the Kells Pub, at the end of Post Alley near Virginia (near 1st St.).  They pour a good Guinness and Smithwicks and the food is quite good.  I recommend the Sausage Roll.

Enjoy your trip.

Thanks - this really helps. We should have about 4-5 hours between trains, if everything is near on time. Thought about walking down to Ivars for fish & chips, or maybe the Pike market.

 

[socalsteve]

My wife and I will be taking the Coast Starlight from Seattle to LA in June. Since it heads south from Seattle, I was wondering what train I could take (maybe just for one stop, then return) to go through the tunnel northbound, just to see what it's like. Is there a commuter train that goes through there?

Off (Seattle) topic but CS related--I noticed this morning the Scottish Thistle private car attached to the end of the Coast Starlight in the Los Angeles Amtrak yard, I assume the one that is heading north this morning. Any idea how often that happens?

 

[steve_relei]

Take a look at my Web site My Own Private Seattle and click "Railfanning in Seattle" for information about which trains go through the tunnel north of King Street Station (I even have a couple of photos of a freighter coming out of the tunnel with the city skyline in the background). In addition to Amtrak trains, the Puget Sounder commuter trains also go through the tunnel, but they operate only during commute times (early morning and late afternoon). I believe there are schedules at the station for those trains. Also check the Puget Sounder Web site for times. They might even be less expensive to ride than Amtrak.

About the locomotives listed in my Web site: Apparently, the P32s are the freight-looking locomotives, while the P42s are the ones with the European-style noses. The P42s are what Amtrak uses most often on the Coast Starlight and Empire Builder trains, but the P32s appear occasionally on the Starlight and on the Spokane-Portland segment of the Builder.

I do try to be as accurate as possible. I apologize for any errors. I hope that you are all enjoying the site anyway. Thanks for the positive responses (and for the corrections) gotten.

 

[steve_relei]

Two (four if you count return trips) of Amtrak's Cascades Talgo trains pass through the tunnel on their way to Vancouver (BC)--in the early morning--and to Bellingham (WA)--in the late-afternoon. The Empire Builder (late-afternoon eastbound; morning west) also passes through the tunnel. As I explained above, so do the Puget Sounder commuter trains. According to the Amtrak schedules, the next stop out of Seattle (King Street) is at Edmonds--about 15 miles. So, there are a few trains here for people to choose from so that they can ride through the tunnel. Also, in my Web site (above), I describe the trip (what you will see) on the route as far as Everett. Hopefully, that will help also.

I put this Web site together because I have spent A LOT of time in Seattle walking near the railroad lines and know where they are all located. I also know some of the best places and times to watch them--at least that have worked best for me (I don't have a car and have to bus or walk to get to places. That's an important issue when visiting a city). That it is a strong rail center is a large part of my fascination with Seattle. I also love the scenery and city through which the trains travel.