May 2013
- Passengers on Trains 510 and 517 will ride Amtrak Superliner equipment between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C., from January to the end of May while Amtrak and Talgo, Inc. complete upgrades to last of the five Cascades trainsets.
- View photos of a trainset with upgraded bistro and lounge cars.
- WSDOT is working with Amtrak to upgrade onboard Wi-Fi systems on all Amtrak Cascades trains to bring greater bandwidth and faster connectivity. The upgrades are scheduled to be complete by end of summer 2013.
Why is WSDOT
overhauling the Amtrak Cascades trainsets?
There are five trainsets in the Amtrak Cascades fleet of equipment. WSDOT owns three - the Mt. Adams, the Mt. Rainier, and the Mt. Baker, and Amtrak owns two – the Mt. Hood and the Mt. Olympus. These trains operate over the 467-mile rail corridor that connects Eugene, Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, B.C.
Amtrak Cascades trains are heavily used and require periodic upgrades so that they continue to provide amenities that Pacific Northwest travelers expect. The overhaul work will extend trainset life so that they will continue to provide public benefits well into the future.
Since 2008, WSDOT, Amtrak, and the trainsets’ manufacturer, Talgo Inc., have worked together to renovate the Business Class and Coach Class cars, upgrade the restrooms and vestibules, add safety features, and made upgrades to suspension systems and on-board computers. In 2011, Wi-Fi service was added and new video monitors were installed.
The End Result
The Amtrak Cascades fleet of equipment will continue to be safe, clean, and attractive to the travelling public.
Project Benefits
- Continued operation of Amtrak Cascades routes between Eugene, OR, and Vancouver, B.C.
- Extended service life of the publicly-owned trainsets
What is the project timeline?
- Work began in March 2012 and interior upgrades to the Mt. Rainier, Mt. Baker, and Mt. Adams are complete.
- Similar upgrades to the Mt. Olympus and Mt. Hood will begin in January 2013.
- The work will be completed by the end of May 2013.
Financial Information
This project is funded through the following sources:
- 2005 Partnership Funding (Weight Fees) - $9 million
- Total Funding From All Sources - $9 million
How can I get more information?
Contact:
Kirk Fredrickson, Cascades Operations Supervisor
State Rail Division
PO Box 47407
Olympia, WA 98504-7407
360-705-7939
Fredrik@wsdot.wa.gov
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