For North-enders, the combination of the words, “Sound Transit” and “rail” are usually red flags to stop paying attention. The regional transit agency’s over-budget and under-delivered light-rail project won’t have a significant impact for anyone north of Seattle for years, perhaps decades, to come.

However, this past week Sound Transit announced movement on its heavy-rail program that utilizes existing Burlington Northern train tracks.

The heavy-rail plan is already operational in Pierce and South King counties and was anticipated to be already carrying passengers between Everett and Seattle, with several stops between. The heavy-rail proposal can have real impact on I-5 corridor traffic. Implementation was hung up in negotiations involving Burlington Northern, which had real issues on preserving its own lifeblood, and Sound Transit.

Although the pact announced May 28 was the first phase, it assures commuter train travel along the route for the next 97 years, from now through the year 2100. The initial trains, one each way, will start running this year with up to eight a day as soon as track improvements are made.

Critics point out that this service, like others from Sound Transit, is less than promised, behind schedule and over budget. There are legitimate issues, such as where will the money come from for additional costs identified with track improvements.

However, there are also legitimate differences. Heavy-rail operates on existing lines in an existing corridor with some existing infrastructure, such as the new Everett train station. Other wheels and budgets are already turning for a new multi-modal transit center in Edmonds, which will draw commuters from South Snohomish and North King counties.

No, the heavy rail agreement for the north end isn’t the same as promised in 1996 but then, not much is. It is, however, a positive step in the right direction for alleviating the region’s transportation woes.