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

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 Canada. 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, but Thruway Motorcoach connections in Seattle allow for trips between Vancouver, BC and Eugene. ImageMetadata File history File links Amtrakcascases. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Amtrakcascases. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Roses, Stumptown, Bridgetown Location Location in Multnomah County and the state of Oregon Coordinates , Government Country State County United States Oregon Multnomah County Mayor Tom Potter Geographical characteristics Area     City 145. ... This article is about trains in rail transport. ... Amtrak train in downtown Orlando, Florida Amtrak’s high-speed Acela Express at Penn Station New York, NY For other uses, see Amtrak (disambiguation). ... Official language(s) None Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Area  Ranked 18th  - Total 71,342 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Largest city Salem Portland Area  Ranked 9th  - Total 98,466 sq. ... Darker red states are always considered part of the Pacific Northwest. ... This article refers to the city in British Columbia, Canada. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Emerald City Location Location of Seattle in King County and Washington Coordinates , Government Country State County United States Washington King County Incorporated December 2, 1869 Mayor Greg Nickels Geographical characteristics Area     City 369. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Roses, Stumptown, Bridgetown Location Location in Multnomah County and the state of Oregon Coordinates , Government Country State County United States Oregon Multnomah County Mayor Tom Potter Geographical characteristics Area     City 145. ... Nickname: The Emerald City Motto: Location Coordinates , Government Country  State   County United States  Oregon   Lane Founded Incorporated 1846 1862 Mayor Kitty Piercy Geographical characteristics Area     City 105. ... Categories: Stub ... This article refers to the city in British Columbia, Canada. ...

Cascades service on the Seattle-Portland route began in 1993. Total Amtrak Cascades ridership for 2005 was 636,892.[1] 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ...

Equipment

The Amtrak Cascades is a unique train that is painted in a special scheme. The train is 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), or Cab Control & Baggage Car (CCB), nicknamed "Cabbages" on the other end. The NPCU/CCB contains a cement weight, possibly to meet FRA weight requirements. Amtrak, the national passenger train service in the United States, has colored its trains differently over the years. ... A single GWR autocoach capable of push-pull operation. ... The Electro-Motive Diesels F59PHI diesel-electric locomotive is a common locomotive on passenger trains in North America. ... The General Motors Electro-Motive Division model F40PH is a 3000 horsepower (2. ...

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. The Talgo trainset is articulated - each passenger car in the Talgo set actually shares a single axle with the next, such that they cannot be decoupled without lifting one car onto a support. This design can also prevent jackknifing in a derailment. Talgo is a Spanish manufacturer of railway vehicles. ... A tilting train is a train with a tilting mechanism that enables increased speed on regular railroad tracks. ... Jackknife is: a pocket knife An undesirable configuration of a tractor and semi-trailer. ...

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 2006, there will be four daily round trips between Seattle and Portland. Three are funded by Washington State and one is funded by Amtrak. Washington State also funds two daily round trips between Seattle and Bellingham, with one of them extending north to Vancouver, BC. Oregon was funding two daily round trips between Eugene and Portland. The five trains are organized into semi-regular operating cycles, but no particular train always has one route. Official language(s) None Capital Largest city Salem Portland Area  Ranked 9th  - Total 98,466 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Area  Ranked 18th  - Total 71,342 sq. ... Union Station is a train station near the west shore of the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon,in Old Town. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

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. Please note that companion ticket coupons do expire, have blackout dates, and must usually be presented at a staffed station to purchase a ticket.

• 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.
• Through the Portland Oregon Visitors Association, through May 25, 2006 the Portland Big Deal offers a free companion ticket for any paid fare traveling to/from Portland. No coupon is required (code H567).
• Through Seattle's Convention and Visitors Bureau, through May 25, 2006 the Seattle Super Saver Guide (PDF) offers a free companion ticket for any paid fare traveling to/from Seattle. This includes the Vancouver, BC round trip. Seattle's King Street Station ticketing agents have been instructed to accept coupons printed from the PDF online.
• 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. The University of Washington, founded in 1861, is a public research university in Seattle, Washington. ... Sound Transit has been the popular name of Washington states Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority since 1996. ... The Sounder at King Street Station The Sounder Commuter Rail is a commuter rail service operated by Sound Transit. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Vancouver (pronounced ) is a Canadian city in the province of British Columbia. ... View from the northwest with Qwest Field in the background, 2004 View from the southeast with the Smith Tower under construction in the background, 1913 King Street Station is a train station built from 1904 to 1906 by the Great Northern Railway and Northern Pacific Railway. ... Amtrak Cascades consist in Portland, Oregon. ...

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 is scheduled to begin operating in June or July of 2006. 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

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. 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company (AAR reporting mark BNSF) (NYSE: BNI), headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, and established as a result of a 1995 merger between the parent companies of the Burlington Northern Railroad and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, is one of the largest... Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Official languages none stated in law; English is de facto Flower Pacific dogwood Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 36 6 Area Total  - Land  - Water    (% of total)  Ranked...

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 begins in Fall 2007 with expected completion in Summer 2009.

A siding, in general rail terminology, refers to a section of rail used to store stationary rolling stock perhaps whilst it is loaded or unloaded, or alternatively, a short length of rail that provides access to and from factories, mines, quarries, wharves, etc. ... 2007 (MMVII) will be a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2009 (MMIX) will be a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Bellingham Georgia Pacific upgrades

• Increases passenger train speeds near the Georgia Pacific plant from 20mph to 30mph.
• Upgrades warning and crossing equipment to improve safety for pedestrians and vehicles at Laurel and Central streets.
• Construction begins in 2008 with expected completion in 2009.

2008 (MMVIII) will be a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2009 (MMIX) will be a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

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).
• Construction begins in Fall 2007 with expected completion in Summer 2009.

2007 (MMVII) will be a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2009 (MMIX) will be a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

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 2005 with expected completion in 2007.

A siding, in general rail terminology, refers to a section of rail used to store stationary rolling stock perhaps whilst it is loaded or unloaded, or alternatively, a short length of rail that provides access to and from factories, mines, quarries, wharves, etc. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) will be a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

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 2007 with expected completion in 2009.

A siding, in general rail terminology, refers to a section of rail used to store stationary rolling stock perhaps whilst it is loaded or unloaded, or alternatively, a short length of rail that provides access to and from factories, mines, quarries, wharves, etc. ... 2007 (MMVII) will be a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2009 (MMIX) will be a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

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 is hoped to begin in September 2006 with expected completion in June 2007.

2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) will be a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

King Street Station track improvements

• Allows more trains to access the station at one time.
• Construction begins in Summer 2006 with expected completion in Winter 2011.

2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2011 (MMXI) will be a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Seattle to Portland projects

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: The F59PHI locomotives used by Sounder Commuter Rail cannot climb the steep grade south of Tacoma in wet weather, so a different design to level the incline must be used. WSDOT construction is scheduled to begin in 2009 with an anticipated completion date in 2013, but 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.

Image File history File links Point_Defiance_Bypass. ... Image File history File links Point_Defiance_Bypass. ... Sound Transit has been the popular name of Washington states Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority since 1996. ... The BNSF Railway (AAR reporting mark BNSF), headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, is one of the largest railroad networks in North America (only one competitor, the Union Pacific Railroad, is comparable in size). ... Old Town neighborhood in Tacoma, with Mount Rainier in background Nickname The City of Destiny Location Location of Tacoma in Pierce County and Washington State Government County Pierce Mayor Bill Baarsma (NP) Geographical characteristics Area  - City    - Land    - Water 162. ... The Nisqually River (nuh-SKWAH-lee) is a river in west central Washington in the United States, approximately 81 mi (130 km) long. ... The Coast Starlight is a 1389-mile (2235 km) passenger train route operated by Amtrak on the West Coast of the United States. ... 2007 (MMVII) will be a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) will be a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Electro-Motive Diesels F59PHI diesel-electric locomotive is a common locomotive on passenger trains in North America. ... The Sounder at King Street Station The Sounder Commuter Rail is a commuter rail service operated by Sound Transit. ... 2009 (MMIX) will be a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2013 (MMXIII) will be a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) will be a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

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.

2009 (MMIX) will be a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2013 (MMXIII) will be a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

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.

2007 (MMVII) will be a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2011 (MMXI) will be a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

High-speed crossovers

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

• Titlow
• Ketron
• Centennial
• Tenino
• Chehalis
• Newaukum
• Winlock

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)

Station stops

Northbound trains are even-numbered; southbound trains are odd.

All station stops are made.

British Columbia

• Vancouver

Washington

• Bellingham
• Mount Vernon
• Everett
• Edmonds
• Seattle
• Tukwila
• Tacoma
• Olympia-Lacey
• Centralia
• Kelso-Longview
• Vancouver

Oregon

• Portland
• Oregon City
• Salem
• Albany
• Eugene-Springfield

References

• Amtrak Cascades timetable (PDF) Retrieved December 1st, 2005
• Amtrak Cascades 20-year Plan (Washington State) (PDF) Retrieved September 19th, 2005
• Washington State Department of Transportation Rail Page Retrieved September 19th, 2005
• 2005 Washington State Transportation Tax Package Retrieved September 19th, 2005
• WSDOT Public Transportation and Rail Monthly Report - April 2005 Retrieved September 20th, 2005
• WSDOT December 2005 Quarterly Project Report for PA Junction Curve Realignments and Delta Yard Storage Tracks Retrieved March 3rd, 2006

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... December 1 is the 335th (in leap years the 336th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... September 19 is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... September 19 is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... September 19 is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... September 20 is the 263rd day of the year (264th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 3 is the 62nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (63rd in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Amtrak - Amtrak Cascades (Amtrak official site)
• Amtrak Cascades (Washington State official site)