By Peter De Keles

Author  Bio Washington State accepted $780 million in federal stimulus money aimed at improving rail transportation. Will they?

Title:	Passengers would benefit from improved train service
Publication:	THE OLYMPIAN.com
Date:	05/24/11
LSOL.com Rating
Category	Real Trains
Overview	The state is taking a bit of a gamble by accepting the federal stimulus money for improved train service. There are strings attached and increased operation and maintenance costs. In 2010, trains ran on time on the Amtrak Cascades line through western Washington less than 70 percent of the time. The state DOT goal is for those trains to be on time at least 88 percent of the time. One of the goals is to improve scheduling and coordination between passenger trains and freight trains in Washington state. Detailed planning on how to make this work is just beginning.
URL Link	Link to Washington Amtrak story

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cascade lines

The issues in California and Oregon are similar. How can the freights get out of the way of the passenger lines? And then, how can Amtrak run any kind of service with limited, old and broken down equipment? I rode from Sacramento to Denver through some of the most gorgeous scenery in America in dilapidated equipment with many toilets not working. The porter said they have only one spare sleeper for the two zephyr trains! And still the train was sold out!

Mike Evans - 06/03/2011 - 14:06

Wash. Cascades, east/west service

I would like to see the passenger service taken from the old GN line and restored to the old NP line from Pasco-Yakima-Ellensburg-Auburn-Seattle. Plenty of people in Central Washington have cause to travel to Puget Sound, but don't want to drive in that insane cell phone using traffic. The old GN line does not have as much population as the old NP line. Amtrak should be moved to service more people. Yeah, I know driving while using a cell phone is illegal in Washington State, but most of the motorists still do it. No one seems to care to do what is right.

Harry Kelly - 06/03/2011 - 14:42

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