Woodinville Sub Sale to Close Soon

Mark December 15th on your calendars, because after that time the BNSF Woodinville Subdivision will be under new ownership! Price: $107 million.

Since we are in tough financial times, a group of buyers joined forces to save this right-of-way from abandonment. And here's the best part: the new owners will include Port of Seattle, King County, Sound Transit, and the City of Redmond. The northern part is still being used for freight, and will be operated by the Port. An email from their spokesperson a few months ago indicated that they were still looking for a short-line carrier to manage the line; sadly, the Temple family - owners of Washington Central and the Dinner Train - chose not to bid at that time. Redmond is interested in the stretch between Woodinville and Redmond for trail and rail access. I've long considered this portion to be a sleeper of sorts, because it runs from the busiest part of Woodinville to the busiest part of Redmond. Also imagine this: an interurban ride between the two cities through the valley and surrounded by some of the finest views in East King County. Sweet!

King County is still interested in building into their extensive trail system, and considers this corridor a vital link to many of those trails already in use. With 100 feet of right-of-way in many spots along the Woodinville Sub, operating both rails and trails can be a reality. Will Sound Transit's Link Light Rail run on part of this route? Only time and planning will tell.

Ever since late 2005, when BNSF announced that the line was for sale, I've been watching this activity as closely as possible. I even started a simple one-page website called Save The Railroad to get the word out that a priceless opportunity was ahead. That one page put me in touch with several of our elected leaders and a fair share of community organizations who were all interested in seeing the line used for the good of all. It was a great lesson in activism. Redmond's current vision for their part of of purchase mirrors almost exactly the idea I had for it back in early 2006. Amazing!

Frankly I'm thrilled to see this sale happen for several reasons. Keeping rail on this route is far too important for addressing future transportation needs. Creating more trail opportunities also makes me happy, because they not only create safer routes for peds and bicycles, but also a place for rail fans to potentially see trains up close from the safety of a dedicated walkway.

Kudos to all the groups involved!
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Article Link: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010221495_raildeal07m.html
More Subject Reading: http://www.warail.com/search?q=woodinville+subdivision

Video - Sound Transit Light Rail Testing

Oran Viriyincy posted this video of Light Rail testing in the Rainier Valley. It's 9 minutes of crossings, honks, bells, and traffic. Great stuff when you like trains, that's for sure!

If you can't see the embedded video below, click HERE to see it directly on YouTube.

Video - First Full Run of LINK Light Rail

KOMO TV Video of first full-line run of the light rail, from Westlake Center to Tukwila. Great stuff!

Video - Air Freight and Commuter Trains

Here's some mixed video I shot at Horton St in Seattle. A UPS Plane flying overhead during some of the footage - backed by beautiful blue sky - was a nice surprise!

Video - SDRX 904 Pushing Sounder

4/17/2009 - I just barely got out of my truck when this Sounder started blowing its way through the Spokane Street crossing. A quick power finger and a steady hand caught it on video heading north to King Street Station!

Last Sounder of The Day

Shot this picture at the intersection of 3rd Avenue S. and S. Horton Street in SODO. This was the last Sounder train heading back to Tacoma for the day on April 21st. The picture is "tweaked" a bit; I removed all the power lines from the shot. I also got some help with composition and lighting from another railfan - Thanks Robert! The shot is definitely grainy; it was cheap ISO200 film, but good practice for future shots.

SDRX 904 is an EMD F59PHI, a 3200hp locomotive designed for passenger trains. Top speed is listed as 110mph.

Car - Train Collision in South Seattle

View Area Map in Google

A car made an illegal turn in front of the LINK Light Rail train as it was running through South Seattle. No major injuries but the driver was hospitalized briefly.

Pay attention people!

East Link Bridge Funding Is Back

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/archives/165823.asp

We reported last week that Bridge Funding for Sound Transit's Eastside Light Rail Project was on hold. Through some adjustments the State was able to come up with funding to keep the project on time...for now. But there are a lot of discussions right now over what State projects will receive funding in this downturn world of money.

State Funds On Hold For Eastside Light Rail

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008952405_bridgerail31m.html

Given the financial situation in the Washington right now, the State has backed out of a $29 million commitment to fund work on the the I-90 bridges in support of the Eastside LINK Light Rail project. This could delay the line considerably if funding isn't found.

Eastside Light Rail Route Under Fire

It was only a matter of time before this happened.

The chosen route laid out HERE - down Bellevue Way and then to 112th Avenue - is coming under fire from people who don't want the LINK Light Rail to run near their homes. P-I reports this morning that the opponents are starting to come out of the woodwork in general, arguing against the preferred route which would take the trains down 106th Avenue through town. A real estate agent also claims that small businesses will be destroyed by the route, a claim that I don't support.

Once again the call for using the BNSF Right-Of-Way, which hasn't been purchased by the Port Of Seattle quite yet, in place of the route going down Bellevue Way. Both routes end up back at the same place at SE 8th Street, but the concern I have is that the right-of-way route bypasses any chance of having a rail station at the South Bellevue Park&Ride.

Discussions are ongoing. It's no wonder why our big projects around here take forever to complete. We'll have to see how this one plays out in the next few months, as the planning stages for the line become more advanced.

Light Rail on Bellevue Way or Along 405?

Not all on board with Bellevue Way light-rail proposal | Seattle Times Newspaper

Routing is the big question going forward, when bringing light rail into the Eastside's most populous city. Should it be done on the west side of the Slough or the east? Well, in short, there are more homeowners who have conflict with a route that would bring a larger South Bellevue Park & Ride into existence, and then run up Bellevue Way to 112th. The other route, using right-of-way from the BNSF line that is no longer used along I-405, would take riders east of the slough and create a station near SE8th and 118th Ave SE. While not as vocal as homeowners from Bellecrest and Surrey Downs neighborhoods, condo owners along the proposed BNSF route are also concerned about constant Light Rail behind their homes.

It's all summed up well by Bellevue Councilman Phil Noble: "It's not going to satisfy everyone."

View Proposed Routes on Map

Light Rail - Bellevue Shapes Future With Transit

This short Editorial piece discusses and describes accurately the feeling of excitement that many on the Eastside feel about getting Light Rail over Lake Washington.

Yesterday's article about what's called the Bel-Red Corridor puts the editorial into perspective; a large chunk of the region has been in decline for a decade, which is a good indicator that rezoning and new thinking are in order. The fact that Bellevue wants to build this up around Light Rail is a promising development. Mrs. WARail - who was born and grew up on the Eastside - laments the disappearance of the Bellevue she's known since she was young, but understands that change is imminent and in this case an addition to the quality of life for the region.

View Bel-Red Corridor on Map

View From The Cab

©2008 Ben Schiendelman

Ben took this shot last October from the cab of the new LINK Light Rail that was being tested in the Rainier Valley. I asked him then if I could use it here, and then lost track of his reply. Good goin' Kurt!

In any case, it's a neat shot that I wanted to share. Thanks Ben!

Sound Transit Wants Your Feedback on East Link

Sound Transit wants public comment on East Link light rail options. This impacts anyone between Downtown Seattle and Redmond Overlake. Hate 520 or commuting over I-90? This might be your chance to be part of the solution. Like trains? Well this is an opportunity to share your preferences for a route.

I'm not so big on the timeline - Overlake Station by 2021 - but it's not like I could build a route any quicker. I feel the Eastside needs it no matter what.

Light Rail U-Link Contract Bid Below Estimate

The first major bid from a contractor for building the Sound Transit U-Link from Downtown Seattle to the UW is a stunning 34% below estimates. Some analysts are attributing this to the economy's downturn, which makes for heavy competition from contractors looking for work. Of course the bid is being checked over, to make sure it's not a fantasy lowball number.

In the article linked above we also discover that the segment of Interstate 5 that runs through the area served by the proposed link operates at levels "over capacity" for up to 8 hours a day. It's not surprising to me; since the 1980s a person hasn't been able to even go southbound on a Saturday through this area, without hitting heavy congestion. And with population in that area predicted to grow, it's no wonder the U-Link project got high priority in DC when federal money was doled out.

This is exciting stuff for a railfan like me, because it's like the rebirth of The Interurban!

Sound Transit's UW Link Gets Fed Funding

In November Sound Transit got its $813 million funding boost from the federal government, for the UW Link for Light Rail. Check out their handy interactive map to see what that link will look like!

Sound Transit Link Light Rail Concept Videos

After a hard day of watching really bad videos on YouTube, why not sit down to some concept videos showing how Sound Transit's Link Light Rail stations will look in the future? It's pretty cool they can actually show people what they layout will be and how the movements look.

My favorite? Northgate Station, because that it shows Interstate 5 exactly as it is and has been since I was in high school during the Disco Pandemic, crowded and moving slowly. Now that's progress!

Sound Transit Prop 1 - Who Gets What?

Sound Transit's Proposition 1 beat it up at the poles. I was actually shocked that this package made it through, given the state of the economy right now. So how does it settle out, come January when the sales tax money starts coming?

Well, this Seattle Times Internet equivalent of a flannel graph will show you what the region pays and what we receive for the money. In short:

1. More Sounder Trains to Pierce County in 2011
2. Possible Passenger service on the old Woodinville Sub in East King County in 2012 (if other donors match Sound Transit's $50 million)
   
3. More Southend expansion in 2015
4. More Seattle Streetcars in 2016
5. Light Rail to Husky Stadium in 2016
   
6. Light Rail to Northgate by 2020
7. Light Rail to Redmond/Overlake by 2021
8. Light Rail to Lynnwood by 2023

Yes, the timeline is a long one. I look at it and realize that legal battles like likely add a few years to some of it. Proponents are calling this a gift to the future generations, something that a lot of us may not benefit from at least in the short term. I cringe at the idea that this may all be final when I'm in my 60s, but granted it needs to be done. We can't move the region without rail any longer. And it's going to cost money.

Time to shake your fist at the sky and yell Rhubarb at the forces who abandoned the Interurban back in the day!

Sound Transit - New Plan Coming to November Ballot

A trimmed-down version of the rejected 2007 Sound Transit plan will be back on the ballot this coming November. Thankfully it once again offers some transit relief to the Eastside.

But the controversy over this measure doesn't seem to end. Ron Sims, King County Executive, is the only member on the Sound Transit Board against the ballot measure, saying it's too early to put the proposal to voters. Greg Nickels, Seattle Mayor, dukes it out with Ron Sims in this Editorial.

From my point of view, we cleared this dinner table back in the 1930s when the Interurban Rail Line with abandoned - a point made more real down at the south end of Boeing Field when the new Light Rail crosses over the old Interurban right-0f-way. Now it's going to take a lot of effort and money to set the table again and get back to the point we were when the tracks were pulled in favor of busses and cars. Why wait? We'll have to pay no matter what...it may as well start now.

Bellevue Council Still Studying Light Rail

Despite the November 2007 defeat of the "Roads and Transit" proposition that was put before voters, Bellevue still feels that Light Rail is a viable option for the future in terms of transport between Seattle and the Eastside.

I agree with them.

The are continuing their research on the subject. I think if the fuel prices of today were in play last November that we wouldn't be scratching our heads, trying to figure out how to get more transit to East King County. A lot more people would have beeen behind the measure, had they been paying $4.00+ per gallon at the time.