Subject: WSDOT Rail Monthly Highlights - July 2012
Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2012 18:17:11 -0500
To: guyperea@live.com
From: wsdot@service.govdelivery.com
In this issue:
- State and federal officials dedicate Amtrak's new Seattle maintenance facility
- Electronic ticketing launched on Amtrak Cascades
- Project highlight - King Street Station, crews making progress on steel installation
- Federal high speed rail funds help Sound Transit extend commuter rail service to Lakewood
- July on-time performance
- Customer Compliment
Secretary Hammond joined U.S. Senator Patty Murray and Sound Transit Board Chair Pat McCarthy to celebrate the completion of Amtrak's new Seattle maintenance facility. Amtrak Cascades trains go in for maintenance and cleaning every four days. The fleet averages 2,300 miles each week while providing service throughout the corridor. The new $37 million facility will allow crews to perform preventative maintenance and repairs with greater efficiency, and reduce potential service disruptions.
U.S. Senator Patty Murray is joined by Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond, State Senator Mary Margaret Haugen, Amtrak Government Affairs Chief Ray Lang and Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy to cut the ribbon.
Electronic ticketing launched on Amtrak Cascades
Amtrak launched electronic ticketing for Amtrak Cascades on July 30. With eTickets, customers will be able to print one-way or round-trip eTickets at home, obtain them at ticket offices, Quik-Trak kiosks or have them delivered as an email attachment displayable on a smart phone. Booking a trip, making reservation changes and boarding the train will be more convenient and WSDOT and Amtrak will also realize the benefits of real time information for more effective revenue management. Learn more about new electronic ticketing.
Rail Project Highlights
King Street Station - Crews making progress on steel installation
Work on strengthening King Street Station has accelerated significantly since the end of May when passengers were temporarily moved to another part of the station. WSDOT is investing $16.7 million in federal high-speed rail funds, part of a $23 million project that will strengthen King Street Station and its clock tower to better withstand earthquakes. Steel installation continues on both the second and third floors. In addition to steel being installed along the inside wall, crews have begun installing diagonal bracing steel on the third floor. Approximately 1000 tons of steel is being used to retrofit the 100+ year-old station.
Contractor crews install steel bracing to help the station better withstand earthquakes
Federal high speed rail funds help Sound Transit extend commuter rail service to Lakewood
Sound Transit is nearing completion on its Tacoma - D to M Street project, allowing Sounder commuter trains to begin testing runs on the segment between Tacoma and Lakewood. The D to M Street project will be partially funded with up to $21.3 million in federal high-speed rail funding, part of WSDOT's $800 million funding award. Sound Transit hosted a small media briefing to notify the public that it will see Sounder commuter rail trains traveling the new tracks as testing begins in preparation to launch commuter rail service to Lakewood this fall. Get more information about Sounder trains schedules and fares.
Performance Measures
Amtrak Cascades on-time performance for July 2012 averaged approximately 71.77 percent, a bit lower than June's average of 85.8 percent. Delays in July were mostly attributed to equipment issues and speed restrictions due to excessive heat.
Customer Compliment
This is an excerpt from a letter written by a customer who recently rode Amtrak Cascades between Seattle and Bellingham. She accidentally left her purse containing her passport, credit cards and house keys on the train and didn't realize it until the train had departed for Vancouver, B.C. Her purse and all of its contents were quickly returned to her thanks to some quick thinking and customer-focused Amtrak employees.
"I would like to express my thanks to Amtrak for this unbelievable gesture of honesty which restored my faith in the goodness of people. These special acts are so rarely mentioned in our media, and therefore, I feel that you should know about this service far beyond your employees' duty. I am grateful to Amtrak and its crew at Bellingham Station in more words that I am able to express at this time. The contents of my purse are of necessity and very valuable to me and I would like to say a most heartfelt 'Thank You So Much' to all involved." – Aida K., Blaine, WA
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