A Train to the Mountain! One Step Closer
The results of the feasibility study for Train to the Mountain were presented to council today at the study session. The conclusion: Train to the Mountain is feasible.
The primary goal of the train should be, according to the report, getting passengers to the National Park Service shuttles at Mt. Rainier. As congestion grows in the area, the Train to the Mountain Excursion will become more attractive as a way to get to Mt. Rainier National Park. Sounds good…
The total minimum capital costs are just over $11 million for track upgrades, platforms, and other infrastructure improvements. that would get us from Tacoma to Elbe. The preferred terminus would be Ashford. However, getting all the way to Ashford will require approximately $24.3 million. So, go to Ashford now. Or go to Elbe now and build to Ashford later.
What are the next steps? Well, we paid for a feasibility study and I don’t think anything is moving at this point. But, should it go ahead… continue to find grant funds to pay for capital improvements, issue an RFP for a train operator, and establish the corridor review committee.
So, are you ready to ride the train?
11 comments
E Elliot December 5, 2007
I mean, yeah, I’d ride it the 1.2 times per year I go to Mt Rainier. I guess the larger question is whether visiting tourists would do it. For that, it might need a viable connection (no, not a hour-long Sound Transit bus) from Seattle.
Actually, scratch that. Make it a park and ride at the Dome, and try to get folks to stay the night before or after in Tacoma. “Gateway to Mt. Rainier” is a great thing for Tacoma to become for tourists. That’s actually something I’d do if I was visiting Seattle. As is, I’ve always figured getting people to take a day to come down here for just for the Museum of Glass and a quick walk around downtown was a bit of a stretch, but if you couple that with a trip to Rainier, now that’s interesting.
Ok, I’ve officially sold myself on this project.
M mardod December 5, 2007
I admit it’s a good idea in concept, but didn’t Lonergan mention that the project has been running at a significant loss for quite some time with the distinct possibility that it will continue to do so? I certainly believe in forward thinking in regard to economic development, but there doesn’t appear to be any facts (that I heard last night) at hand to support continued funding. Or did I miss something?
C Crenshaw Sepulveda December 5, 2007
If this thing is marketed as going from “the Seattle area” to Mt. Rainier it could be a winner. Not a lot of money to be made just catering to the Tacoma population. I’m not certain you can fool people into thinking that Tacoma is the same as leaving from Seattle, but it is worth a shot.
M MG December 5, 2007
How ‘bout we steal away the cruise boats from Seattle and have them dock in Tacoma. The train could be a shore excursion. Sure most passengers would excursion up to Seattle, but not all would. Plus, some would want to stay in Tacoma the night before they get on the boat.
J Jim December 5, 2007
Lonergan may well have said the train was losing money for a long time, but the latest I hear is that it was pig-headedness on BNSF’s part that made the venture finally implode. If someone can find some way to get a train to rainier on someone else’s track, it might just work.
L Les December 5, 2007
Can you just envision taking a train for a jumpoff point for going hiking at Rainier? Fantastic!
D David December 5, 2007
2 million visitors a year sounds like a good investment.
http://www.mount.rainier.national-park.com/info.htm
J Jenyum December 5, 2007
Maybe the sounder would run the occasional connector train, since it stops in about the same location as the new train would start. If they’d do that a few times a week to match up with the train to the mountain, and the rest of the time it only ran direct from Tacoma, we could have the best of both worlds.
J JAYE December 6, 2007
I haven’t been to Rainier for years, but if a train could take me there… I would go! I hate driving long distances, so I don’t go far from home. Train travel is surprisingly easy and quick… just took to Portland, and had a great experience. I support anything that takes more cars off our roads!
S Steve December 7, 2007
This should be strictly a private enterprise. Sell rights to use of the line for tourist excursions. If it makes any sort of economic sense, someone will do it. If it doesn’t, then it shouldn’t be done.
M Mark December 7, 2007
Well, the last time I was up at Rainier (it has been a few weeks) the “Park” did not include Elbe or Ashford. In fact both are quite a distance from the Park boundary. It seems the NPS needs to cough up a mass transit connection (and eliminate cars from the Park altogether) to really make this thing work!