by lpetrich
Vancouver, Seattle and Portland sign pact to push for high-speed rail; Mayor hosts meeting with top rail leaders (City of Vancouver, BC)
WSDOT - ARRA Funded High Speed Passenger Rail
WSDOT - Project Index List (Rail)
The Sounder commuter trains also use the tracks that Amtrak's Cascades use:
Sound Transit Projects: Sounder Track and Signal Improvement Projects
Everett:
WSDOT - Project - Rail - Everett - Curve Realignments and Storage Tracks
Sound Transit Projects: Seattle-to-Everett Track & Signal Upgrades
These projects are under construction.
Tacoma:
WSDOT - Project - Rail - Tacoma - Bypass of Point Defiance
Sound Transit Projects: D-to-M Streets Track and Signal Work
Sound Transit Projects: M Street to Lakewood Track and Signal
Tacoma Tomorrow: WSDOT announces funding for D-M St. & Pt. Defiance Bypass
The D-to-M-Sts project should start construction this summer, while the M-St-to-Lakewood project is now under construction. When the projects are complete, Cascades trains can go through Lakewood instead of Point Defiance, thus saving about 15 minutes or so and avoiding conflicts with BNSF trains. This will permit more trains, thus more service.
There are some additional projects of this nature, designed for speeding up the slowest parts rather than increasing the route's maximum possible speed. Several other US HSR projects are like that. Not exactly Eurasian high-speed lines, but better than nothing.
June 9, 2010 - Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn and Portland Mayor Sam Adams have signed a protocol agreement that will unite the three major cities in the push to secure a high-speed railway service through the Pacific Northwest region.Checking on the Washington State Department of Transportation's site, I find these pages:
WSDOT - ARRA Funded High Speed Passenger Rail
WSDOT - Project Index List (Rail)
The Sounder commuter trains also use the tracks that Amtrak's Cascades use:
Sound Transit Projects: Sounder Track and Signal Improvement Projects
Everett:
WSDOT - Project - Rail - Everett - Curve Realignments and Storage Tracks
Sound Transit Projects: Seattle-to-Everett Track & Signal Upgrades
These projects are under construction.
Tacoma:
WSDOT - Project - Rail - Tacoma - Bypass of Point Defiance
Sound Transit Projects: D-to-M Streets Track and Signal Work
Sound Transit Projects: M Street to Lakewood Track and Signal
Tacoma Tomorrow: WSDOT announces funding for D-M St. & Pt. Defiance Bypass
The D-to-M-Sts project should start construction this summer, while the M-St-to-Lakewood project is now under construction. When the projects are complete, Cascades trains can go through Lakewood instead of Point Defiance, thus saving about 15 minutes or so and avoiding conflicts with BNSF trains. This will permit more trains, thus more service.
There are some additional projects of this nature, designed for speeding up the slowest parts rather than increasing the route's maximum possible speed. Several other US HSR projects are like that. Not exactly Eurasian high-speed lines, but better than nothing.