October 3, 2024

King Street rail yard to get $300M upgrade

Rendering courtesy of Amtrak [enlarge]

The upgraded King Street Coach Yard will support the new Amtrak Airo trains, set to enter service in 2026.

Amtrak is set to invest nearly $300 million in major upgrades to the King Street Station rail yard, in support of its new, state-of-the-art Airo trains.

Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) announced the funds yesterday. Amtrak also released details yesterday, saying that the new maintenance facility and rail yard improvements will support the existing fleet and prepare for the new Airo trains.

Amtrak says that PCL Construction Services Inc. will lead design and construction, managed by the facilities team within Amtrak's Capital Delivery department.

Amtrak's King Street Coach Yard is located about a mile south of King Street Station. The project calls for relocating existing facilities, upgrading utilities and adding space to store train maintenance materials. Work will be done within the rail yard's existing footprint, south of the Stadium District.

[enlarge]

The rail yard is about a mile south of King Street Station. Regular train service there will be maintained throughout the project. Photo by Brian Miller

Amtrak says that regular service will be maintained throughout the project. Completion is expected in 2027.

Set to begin service in 2026, Amtrak's new Airo trains will have redesigned interiors to improve comfort and accessibility. They will also produce 90% less particulate emissions than their predecessors.

Amtrak says the new trains will eliminate the need for engine changes at certain stations — meaning less downtime at those stops.

Seattle will be home to the first Airo trains in the country.

Image from Amtrak [enlarge]

Airo trains will have redesigned interiors to improve comfort and accessibility.

“These federal funds will enable Seattle to become the first place in America to host Amtrak's new Airo trains, which will offer Washingtonians a more environmentally friendly and modern ride along the I-5 corridor. Building more capacity at Seattle's King Street Yard will not only create full-time construction jobs, it means decades of jobs security for the dedicated train mechanics already working there,” Cantwell said, in a news release.

The upgraded rail yard will also allow for modern, more efficient maintenance practices.

At the King Street Coach Yard, Amtrak maintains, services and cleans the locomotives and passenger railcars that operate on Amtrak Cascades, with daily trips between British Columbia, Washington and Oregon; the Coast Starlight, with daily connections between Los Angeles and Seattle; and the Empire Builder, with daily connections between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest. Amtrak also maintains Sounder commuter trains at the rail yard.

The renovated yard will operate without the use of fossil fuels for heating, and instead use renewable energy.

Funds come from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provided $58 billion for passenger rail, including $22 billion for Amtrak. Cantwell's office says it's the largest bipartisan investment in passenger rail in history.

WSDOT Rail, Freight and Ports Division Director Jason Biggs had this to say: “This new Seattle maintenance facility is a key element in advancing train travel in the Pacific Northwest. With our new train equipment arriving in 2026, we look forward to offering passengers an enhanced travel experience along our scenic route. We are working together to provide more reliable, frequent and sustainable Amtrak Cascades service and this is one important part in making that a reality.”