Sound Transit has reached a major milestone to provide more commuter rail service between Everett and Seattle.
According to Sound Transits agreement with the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF), the agency has acquired the track and signal improvement permits necessary to run a second Sounder commuter rail train.
With the permits from the U.S. Corps of Engineers and the state Department of Ecology in hand, BNSF can move forward with the track and signal upgrades, and Sound Transit can add a second Sounder run by the third quarter of 2005.
Obtaining the permits and approvals brings us closer to delivering expanded Sounder service to Snohomish County and providing still more options for commuters, said Sound Transit board chairman and Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg. … we have a clear path to adding the second of what will be four daily Sounder round trips between Everett and Seattle with a stop in Edmonds and eventually Mukilteo.
Sound Transits agreement with BNSF allows the agency to run four round trips a day between Seattle and Everett by the end of 2007, assuming acquisition of additional shoreline permits by the end of 2005. The next round of permits, which will clear the way for the third and fourth trains, deals with the corridor between Seattle and Everett and within the city of Everett.
The first Sounder north train began service Dec. 21, 2003, with special Seahawks Service. Commuter service began the next day and serves about 300 riders per weekday.
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