SOUNDER and Tacoma LINK could be improved.

It was reported in the recent issue of TRAINS magazine that Sound Transit is buying the BNSF Prarie Line. By 2007, Sounder service to Lakewood and perhaps Du Pont may be underway.

I rode SOUNDER to do some Christmas Shopping in Tacoma on Friday. (I also wanted to ride Tacoma LINK Light Rail). As I was taking the Pierce Transit 210 Bus to Tacoma Mall, I saw a piece of that line. The biggest stumbling block to starting new service was the lack of a connection between Tacoma Rail's Mountain Division and the Prarie Line. By the Tacoma LiINK line, I saw the signals for the abandoned connection with the BNSF Point Defiance Line, that was voluntarily removed to avoid conflicts with Light Rail.

http://www.soundtransit.org/newsroom/re ... 1202_1.asp

There are also calls for expansion of all Sound Transit modes as part of Phase II. One possibiltiy is to use the Mountain Division to reach Fredrickson, and Light Rail throughout the region. Tacoma should have their line expanded, as it has reached 1 million riders since the September 2003 opening. One thing would be to go west to the Tacoma Community College, East to S. 29th St, and one group wants it to go North to Federal Way. Also, more stations on the existing SOUNDER lines.

They could use more Trains for thing.

John

AmtrakFan wrote:They could use more Trains for thing.

John

We could, and by the end of this year, two trains to Everett, in addition to RailPlus and possibly a 4th Train to Tacoma. Track and Signal Upgrades are underway, but at least in the case of the Prairie Line, it should be upgraded very quickly, as little traffic is on it right now. Thanks to Sound Transit's Tacoma LINK line.