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Overview
Type	Inter-city rail
System	Amtrak
Termini	Vancouver, BC – Eugene, OR
Train number(s)	501, 513, 507, 509, 513, 517 (odd) southbound 510, 500, 504, 506, 516, 518 (even) northbound
Operation
Opened	1993
Owner	Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) (track)
Operator(s)	Amtrak
Technical
Line length	467 miles (752 km)
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)

Amtrak Cascades route[1]

Legend Distance Station 0 Vancouver, BC Canada/U.S. border 62 mi (100 km) Bellingham 88 mi (142 km) Mount Vernon Stanwood 123 mi (198 km) Everett 139 mi (224 km) Edmonds 157 mi (253 km) Seattle 168 mi (270 km) Tukwila 196 mi (315 km) Tacoma 232 mi (373 km) Olympia-Lacey 251 mi (404 km) Centralia 294 mi (473 km) Kelso 334 mi (538 km) Vancouver, WA Washington/Oregon border (Columbia River) 344 mi (554 km) Portland Steel Bridge (Willamette River) 359 mi (578 km) Oregon City 396 mi (637 km) Salem 424 mi (682 km) Albany 467 mi (752 km) Eugene

The Amtrak Cascades 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. Two daily trains travel to and from Vancouver, with Seattle or Portland as its starting or ending point; supplemental Thruway Motorcoach service connects travelers 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. The second daily service between Seattle and Vancouver, BC started on August 19, 2009.^[2] Two daily trains run between Portland and Seattle, one daily train runs from Eugene to Portland, and one daily train runs from Eugene to Seattle.^[3] This scattered schedule makes the Cascades unusual. Amtrak is considering adding one daily train from Eugene to Vancouver, end-to-end.

Total ridership for 2008 was 774,421, the highest annual ridership since inception of the service in 1993.^[4]

History

The Amtrak Cascades route is an outgrowth of the original routes between Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, BC. Originally operated as a joint partnership by the Northern Pacific, Great Northern, and Union Pacific, this route has evolved to become one of Amtrak's most popular.

When Amtrak started in 1971, there were three trains running between Seattle and Portland; the connection to Vancouver was discontinued upon Amtrak's founding. These three trains were unnamed at first, but with the advent of Amtrak's first "official" timetable in November 1971, one became the Coast Starlight, while the other two became the Mount Ranier and Puget Sound.^[5]

1972 brought the return of the Vancouver service, with the inauguration of the Pacific International. It always was a small train, though for a time it had one of the most unusual consists in the Amtrak system, carrying one of the few observation cars that Amtrak operated.^[6]

The corridor grew in 1980 with Oregon sponsoring two daily round trips between Portland and Eugene. Named the Willamette Valley, these trains were ultimately unsuccessful and were discontinued in April 1982. This was on the heels of the Pacific International's discontinuance in September 1981.^[5]

By the 1990s, the Portland-Seattle corridor was on shaky ground, with only a single round trip supplementing the Coast Starlight. But, with a change in attitudes toward Amtrak, in 1993 Oregon and Washington began Cascades service begins with a single daily round trip between Seattle and Portland. A second train was added in 1994. And, in 1995 the Vancouver connection was brought back (originally called the Mount Baker International), along with Oregon helping out to extend one train to Eugene again. The corridor grew with a third Seattle-Portland train in 1998, and a second train to Eugene in 2000.

In 2004 the Rail Plus program begins, allowing cross-ticketing between Sound Transit's Sounder commuter rail and Amtrak north from Seattle to Everett.

The corridor has continued to grow in recent years, with another Portland-Seattle train arriving in 2006, and the long-awaited through service between Vancouver and Portland, eliminating the need to transfer in Seattle, beginning in August 2009.

Equipment

Amtrak Cascades consist in Portland, Oregon with NPCU at head of train

The Amtrak Cascades is a unique train painted in a special scheme. The train is normally operated in a push-pull configuration with an EMD F59PHI at one end, and an unpowered 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 NPCU units also serve to meet Federal Railroad Administration regulations for crash safety for the Talgo cars, which are not FRA crash-rated.

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. In "cabbage cars", the engine of the locomotive is removed and the empty space is utilized as baggage space, with roll-up baggage doors in the carbody sides. The Cascades NPCUs have some baggage room features, but since the TALGO sets include a baggage car, the NPCUs in Cascades service retain their original engine-access doors. Unusually, the TALGO baggage cars feature hooks for roll-on bicycle transport; most other Amtrak services require bicycles to be boxed.

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 traveling south 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. 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 F59PHI's assigned to Cascades service are numbers 465-470.

Tilting Cascades passenger cars made by Talgo

"Cabbage Car" #90340 at King St. Station in Seattle WA

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), although future plans for the Cascades route may allow them to operate at up to 110 mph (176 km/h).

The Talgo trainset is articulated – each passenger car in the Talgo set shares a single pair of wheels with the next, such that they cannot be uncoupled without lifting one car onto a support. This design can also reduce jackknife in a derailment.

Bistro dining car with route on ceiling

A typical train consists of 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.

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 originally 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 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 temporarily 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. Amtrak returned the remaining sets to service over several weeks starting in late September 2007, with the final set returning around October 21. Amtrak resumed its regular Cascades service pattern with its October 29, 2007 Fall schedule change.

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 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.

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 (discount code varies) 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 November 30, 2009. 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.

Future plans

According to its long-range plan, the WSDOT Rail Office plans 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.^[7] Amtrak Cascades travels along the entirety of the proposed Pacific Northwest High Speed Rail Corridor; the incremental improvements are designed to result in eventual high speed service.

The eventual high speed rail service is planned to result in the following travel times:

• Seattle to Portland – 3:30 (2006); 2:30 (planned)
• Seattle to Vancouver BC – 3:55 (2006); 2:45 (planned)
• Vancouver BC to Portland – 7:55 (2009); 5:25 (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 in Canada, 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.^[8] 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 started in mid-2007 and now has been completed.

In December 2008, WSDOT published a mid-range plan detailing projects needed to achieve the midpoint level of service proposed in the long-range plan.^[9] WSDOT is applying for $900 million in high speed rail stimulus funds for projects discussed in the mid-range plan, since the corridor is one of the approved high speed corridors eligible for money from ARRA.^[10] Depending on federal grant awards, the timetable of any of the following projects may speed up.

Additionally, in summer 2009, Oregon applied for a $2.1 billion Federal grant to redevelop the unused Oregon Electric Railway tracks, parallel to the Cascades' route between Eugene and Portland, to enable more passenger trains and higher speeds.^[11]

Vancouver to Seattle projects

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 began in July 2008 and was completed in October 2009^[12].

Bellingham Waterfront Redevelopment Project

• Relocates 0.75 miles of BNSF track to avoid the current sharp curve.
• Would increase passenger train speeds above 30 mph.
• Not yet fully funded.
• Construction is scheduled in the 2009-2011 biennium.

Mt. Vernon siding upgrade

• Adds a siding to allow southbound trains from Bellingham to pass northbound trains from Seattle; allows for earlier southbound departure.
• Closes the grade crossing at Hickox Road.
• Construction began in March 2005; siding upgrade is completed but siding extension is delayed until 2008.

Stanwood siding upgrade/repair

• Lengthens and repairs siding to ensure freight trains are accommodated; increases reliability for Vancouver and Bellingham to Seattle trains.
• Construction began in February 2008 with and is now completed.

Everett PA Junction and Delta Yard Realignment

• Realigns sharp curves to increase passenger train speeds from 30 mph to 50 mph, 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 is delayed.

King Street Station track improvements

• Allows more trains to access the station at one time.
• Prevents passenger trains traveling between the service yard and the station from having to cross the mainlines.
• Construction began in October 2006 with expected completion in Winter 2011.

Seattle to Portland projects

With these three projects, WSDOT projects to have an additional two round trips added daily between Portland and Seattle.^[13]

Point Defiance Bypass

Map of 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. After these and other delays, collaborated construction is currently scheduled to begin in June 2009 with an anticipated completion date sometime in 2019.

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 around 2017 with an anticipated completion date in 2021.

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 began mid-2009 with an anticipated completion date in 2013.

High-speed crossovers

These projects allow trains to switch mainlines at higher speed, reducing time lost when passing another train.

• Titlow (Tacoma) – completed in 2005
• Centennial (Lacey) – completed in 2007
• Tenino - completed in 2009
• 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

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)

References

• Washington State Department of Transportation Rail Page Retrieved September 19, 2005
• 2005 Washington State Transportation Tax Package Retrieved September 19, 2005
• WSDOT December 2005 Quarterly Project Report for PA Junction Curve Realignments and Delta Yard Storage Tracks Retrieved March 3, 2006

External links

• Amtrak - Amtrak Cascades (Amtrak official site)
• Amtrak Cascades (Amtrak Cascades official site)
• Amtrak Cascades Train Equipment (Washington State Department of Transportation)