Amtrak Cascades
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Cascades | |
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| EMD F59PHI #467 at Portland Union Station | |
| Info | |
| Type | Inter-city rail |
| System | Amtrak |
| Terminals | Vancouver, BC – Eugene, OR |
| Operation | |
| Opened | 1993 |
| Owner | Union Pacific, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) (track) |
| Operator(s) | Amtrak |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 467 miles (752 km) |
| Gauge | 4 ft 8½ in (1,435 mm) |
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The Amtrak Cascades (originally named Cascadia) is a passenger train route operated by Amtrak in partnership with the states of Washington and Oregon in the Pacific Northwest of the United States and the province of British Columbia in Canada. It is named after the Cascade mountain range that the route parallels.
The corridor runs 156 miles (251 km) from Vancouver, British Columbia south to Seattle, Washington, continuing 310 miles (499 km) south via Portland, Oregon to Eugene, Oregon. Track capacity in British Columbia does not yet allow for through travel between the two ends (a single daily train travels to and from Vancouver, with Seattle as its starting or ending point); supplemental Thruway Motorcoach service connects travellers from Vancouver, BC to trains heading south from Seattle, as well as providing additional service between Portland and Eugene, and connections to other Amtrak Thruway destinations in Washington and Oregon.
Total ridership for 2007 was 676,760, the highest annual ridership total since the inception service in 1993.[1]
Contents |
[edit] History
- 1993 - Cascades service begins with a single Seattle to Portland route.
- 1994 - Washington State partners with Amtrak to provide a second Seattle to Portland route.
- 1995 - Since the termination of Amtrak's Pacific International in 1981, service resumes between Seattle and Vancouver, BC, Canada. Also, Oregon partners with Amtrak to extend one of the Seattle-Portland routes south to Eugene, OR.
- 1998 - A third daily route between Seattle and Portland is introduced.
- 2000 - Oregon sponsors a second Portland-Eugene extension.
- 2004 - The Rail Plus program begins, allowing cross-ticketing between Sound Transit's Sounder commuter rail and Amtrak north from Seattle to Everett.
- 2006 - A fourth daily route between Seattle and Portland is added
[edit] Equipment
The Amtrak Cascades is a unique train that is painted in a special scheme. The train is normally operated in a push-pull configuration with an EMD F59PHI at one end, and a de-motored EMD F40PH locomotive called a Non-Powered Control Unit (NPCU) on the other end. The NPCU contains a cement weight to meet FRA weight requirements for collision safety.
The NPCUs in Cascades service are different from those Amtrak has converted in the past. Earlier versions, operating in several other Amtrak corridors, are sometimes called “cabbage cars” because they serve as both a cab control car and a baggage car. Since the engine of this F40 has been removed, the empty space is utilized as baggage space, with roll-up baggage doors in the carbody sides. The Cascades NPCUs have baggage room features, but since the TALGO sets include a baggage car, the NPCUs primarily in Cascades service were not fitted with roll-up doors and instead retained its engine-access doors in the case of needed space for baggage.
This stripped locomotive still contains controls in the cab so it can be used as a cab control car when the train is going northbound, and the powered F59PHI becomes a pusher from the rear. When going southbound the train is operated from the cab of the powered F59PHI. The NPCUs have five-digit numbers (i.e., #90253) rather than the powered F59PHI’s three-digit numbers (i.e., #469). Each NPCU's number directly corresponds to its number when it had its prime mover, in that the previous number had the prefix 90- added to it when the F40PH was de-motored.
The passenger cars themselves are produced by Talgo, the only cars by that company in operation in the United States. These cars are designed to passively tilt into curves, allowing the train to pass through them at higher speeds. Despite a maximum design speed of 124 mph (200 km/h), current track and safety requirements limit the train's speed to 79 mph (127 km/h).
The Talgo trainset is articulated – each passenger car in the Talgo set actually shares a single pair of wheels with the next, such that they cannot be decoupled without lifting one car onto a support. This design can also reduce jackknifing in a derailment.
A typical consist includes a baggage car; two business-class coaches; one lounge/dining car; one cafe car (also known as the Bistro car); six standard coaches; and one service car. The lounge/dining car offers breakfast and dinner service on the Seattle-Vancouver B.C. route.
Four of the five trainsets are named after a mountain in the Cascade Range: Mt. Rainier, Mt. Baker, Mt. Adams, and Mt. Hood. The last set is named after Mt Olympus, in the Olympic Range.
One of the five sets currently in service, the Mt. Adams set, was originally built as a demonstrator and for potential service between Los Angeles, California and Las Vegas, Nevada. This was built with two additional standard coaches, for a total of 14 cars. It operated on the Seattle-Vancouver, B.C. run for several years in its original configuration. It was also painted in a different color scheme, using blue, black and silver instead of the green, brown and cream found on the other sets.
A six-car spare set, including a baggage car, service car, lounge-dining car, cafe car and two standard coaches, was also built. The two additional coaches from the fifth trainset and the two coaches from the spare set were subsequently placed in service on four of the other sets, resulting in four 13-car trains and one 12-car train.
The fins on the baggage and service cars serve only as an aesthetic transition from the high top of the American-built locomotives to the roof of the low-slung European-designed passenger cars.
During the Thanksgiving (U.S.) holiday period in late November, extra Cascades trains are operated. These normally use conventional single-level coaches and cafe cars from the Amtrak fleet, but can also use bi-level Superliner cars if they are available. When a TALGO set is out of service for maintenance or repair, a train of conventional cars is substituted, usually on the Seattle-Vancouver, B.C. train, leaving the available TALGO sets for the services between Bellingham and Eugene.
In August 2007, a problem involving a crack in a suspension arm assembly between two cars of a TALGO trainset resulted in Amtrak and Washington DOT pulling all the sets from service. The agencies replaced them with standard single-level Amfleet- and Horizon-series coaches and food service cars.
Because the conventional rolling stock did not have the tilting features found on the TALGO sets, runs were lengthened by 30 minutes, resulting in four-hour schedules between Seattle and Portland. The first of the repaired TALGO sets returned to service in late September. Amtrak returned the remaining sets to service over the next several weeks, with the final set returning around October 21.[citation needed] Amtrak resumed its regular Cascades service pattern with its October 29, 2007 Fall schedule change.
[edit] Funding
Funding for the route is provided separately by the states of Oregon and Washington, with Union Station in Portland serving as the dividing point between the two. As of July 1, 2006, Washington state has funded four daily round trips between Seattle and Portland. Washington also funds two daily round trips between Seattle and Bellingham, with one of them extending north to Vancouver, BC. Oregon funds two daily round trips between Eugene and Portland. The five trainsets are organized into semi-regular operating cycles, but no particular train always has one route.
[edit] Local partnerships
As a result of Cascades service being jointly funded by the Washington and Oregon departments of transportation, public transit agencies and local municipalities can offer a variety of discounts, including companion ticket coupons.
- FlexPass and University of Washington UPass holders receive a 15% discount (code H610) on all regular Cascades travel. Employers participating in these programs may also receive a limited number of free companion ticket coupons for distribution to employees.
- The Sound Transit RailPlus program allows riders to use weekday Cascades trains between Everett and Seattle with the Sounder commuter rail fare structure.
- The Chinook Book coupon book offers a companion ticket coupon which does not require any particular origination/destination, and is valid until the end of 2006. The Chinook Book costs between $15 and $20.
The Cascades service also benefits from Sound Transit's track upgrades for Sounder service, notably the upcoming Point Defiance Bypass project.
[edit] Future plans
The WSDOT Rail Office plans for eventual service of 13 daily round trips between Seattle and Portland and 4-6 round trips between Seattle and Bellingham, with four of those extending to Vancouver, BC. Due to a vote by the Washington State Legislature in 2005, the fourth round trip between Seattle and Portland began operating on July 1, 2006.
These reductions in travel times are also planned:
- Seattle to Portland – 3:30 (2006); 2:30 (planned)
- Seattle to Vancouver BC – 3:55 (2006); 2:57 (planned)
- Vancouver BC to Portland – N/A (2006); 5:37 (planned)
In order to increase train speeds and frequency to meet these goals, a number of incremental track improvement projects must be completed. Gates and signals must be improved, some grade crossings must be separated, some track must be replaced or upgraded and station capacities must be increased. In order to extend the second daily Seattle to Bellingham round trip to Vancouver, BNSF must make track improvements north of the US-Canadian border, to which the government of British Columbia has been asked to contribute financially. On March 1, 2007, an agreement between the province, Amtrak, and BNSF was reached that will allow a second daily train to and from Vancouver.[2] The project will entail the construction of an 11,000-foot (3.35 km) siding in Delta, BC at a cost of US$7 million; construction is expected to start in mid-2007 with possible service in 2008.
[edit] Vancouver to Seattle projects
[edit] Swift Customs Facility
- Adds a siding to allow freight trains to move off the mainline for Customs inspections; increases reliability for Vancouver to Seattle trains.
- Construction begins in September 2007 with expected completion in Summer 2009.
[edit] Bellingham Waterfront Redevelopment Project
- Relocates 0.75 miles of BNSF track to avoid the current sharp curve.
- Would increase passenger train speeds (presumably above 30mph).
- Funding transferred from older, now irrelevant 'Bellingham Georgia Pacific upgrades' project.
- Construction begins in early 2009.
[edit] Mt. Vernon siding upgrade
- Adds a siding to allow southbound trains from Bellingham to pass northbound trains from Seattle; allows for earlier southbound departure.
- Construction began in March 2005; siding upgrade is completed but siding extension is delayed until 2008.
[edit] Stanwood siding upgrade/repair
- Lengthens and repairs siding to ensure freight trains are accommodated; increases reliability for Vancouver and Bellingham to Seattle trains.
- Construction begins in October 2007 with expected completion in summer 2009.
[edit] Everett PA Junction and Delta Yard Realignment
- Realigns sharp curves to increase passenger train speeds from 30mph to 50mph, resulting in a two minute time savings to Bellingham and Vancouver.
- Upgrades warning and crossing equipment to improve safety for pedestrians and vehicles at Pacific/Chestnut crossing and Railroad Avenue crossing.
- Construction was supposed to begin in September 2006, but issues with completion of the engineering and environmental reports have pushed the anticipated start date to October 2007, with completion in June 2009.
[edit] King Street Station track improvements
- Allows more trains to access the station at one time.
- Construction began in October 2006 with expected completion in Winter 2011.
[edit] Seattle to Portland projects
With these three projects, WSDOT projects to have an additional two round trips added daily between Portland and Seattle.[3]
[edit] Point Defiance Bypass
- Partnership with Sound Transit to bypass BNSF Railway Puget Sound shore track for an alignment between Tacoma at the north end and the Nisqually River at the south.
- Increases train speeds in this corridor with a straighter track alignment.
- Eliminates the need for Cascades trains to use the single-track Nelson Bennett Tunnel, although Coast Starlight trains will likely continue to use the coastal alignment due to the steep grade from Tacoma to Lakewood.
- First phase decreases travel time through the corridor by 6 minutes; second phase decreases travel time by at least another 5 minutes.
- Sound Transit construction was originally scheduled to be complete in late 2007 or early 2008, but was delayed in order to grade separate the crossing of South Tacoma Way. Funding for WSDOT's portion of the project has been moved forward by four years to 2007 so their construction may coincide with Sound Transit's. Currently, WSDOT construction is scheduled to begin in Spring 2008 with an anticipated completion date of Summer 2010.
[edit] Kelso-Martin's Bluff Rail Project
- Constructs a third mainline from Kelso to Martin's Bluff, allowing for more frequent passenger service.
- Upgrades warning and signal equipment at four crossings, improving safety for vehicles and pedestrians.
- Construction is scheduled to begin in 2009 with an anticipated completion date in 2013.
[edit] Vancouver Rail Project
- Constructs a double-tracked bypass alignment to decrease freight congestion and to increase passenger train reliability.
- Constructs a crossing over the tracks at W. 39th St, increasing vehicle and pedestrian safety.
- Construction is scheduled to begin in 2007 with an anticipated completion date in 2011.
[edit] High-speed crossovers
These projects allow trains to switch mainlines at higher speed, reducing time lost when passing another train.
- Titlow – completed in 2005
- Centennial – completed in 2007
- Tenino
- Chehalis – construction expected to begin in 2014 with completion in 2015
- Newaukum – construction expected to begin in 2014 with completion in 2015
- Winlock – completed in 2007
[edit] Grade separations
These projects remove a crossing by creating either a rail or road bridge, allowing for higher train speeds and the best possible crossing safety.
- S. Lander Street (Seattle)
- Royal Brougham SR 519 Phase 2 (Seattle)
- S. 212th Street (Kent)
- Willis Street (Kent)
[edit] References
- ^ Amtrak (2007-04-02). Cascades timetable (PDF). Retrieved on 2007-08-15.
- ^ WSDOT - Second Amtrak Cascades Train to Canada
- ^ WSDOT - Project - Rail - Tacoma - Bypass of Point Defiance
- Amtrak Cascades timetable (PDF) Retrieved September 9, 2006
- Amtrak Cascades Long Range Plan (Washington State) (PDF) Retrieved January 18, 2008
- Washington State Department of Transportation Rail Page Retrieved September 19, 2005
- 2005 Washington State Transportation Tax Package Retrieved September 19, 2005
- WSDOT Public Transportation and Rail Monthly Report - April 2005 Retrieved September 20, 2005
- WSDOT December 2005 Quarterly Project Report for PA Junction Curve Realignments and Delta Yard Storage Tracks Retrieved March 3, 2006
[edit] External links
- Amtrak - Amtrak Cascades (Amtrak official site)
- Amtrak Cascades (Amtrak Cascades official site)
- Amtrak Cascades Train Equipment (Washington State Department of Transportation)
