BOB2 Wrote:
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> Is there a date for the "cutover" of NW corridor services on the new cutoff?
The plan is to wait til the modifications to the Freighthouse Square station are completed ...
Quote:WSDOTNew Service Starts Fall 2017
There will be several months following the certification before passenger trains begin using this route on a daily basis. The Point Defiance Bypass will be in full operation in the fall 2017, when the new Tacoma Amtrak Cascades station opens at Freighthouse Square. At that time, passenger rail service will be expanded to six round-trip Amtrak Cascades trains and one roundtrip Coast Starlight train each day. The average crossing time at intersections will be 45 seconds, with speeds up to 79 mph.
[
www.wsdot.wa.gov]
The WSDOT project map provides an overall view, but leaves out the details. Use Google Maps to see the details. All the new rail connection between former MILW to former NP is in place and visible on the map (near the Tacoma Dome area):
[
www.google.com]
On that map, Freighthouse Square is tagged by Google as "Tacoma Dome Station" (blue icon). The bypass line runs west from there (don't mix it up with the former MILW line visible going to the south). You can follow the former NP track/new bypass route all the way to Nisqually where it rejoins the BNSF main to Portland.
The current Amtrak route is further north on that map and the current Amtrak station is marked with the blue icon "Tacoma".