Update on Seattle King Street Station Restoration

[johnny.menhennet]

OK. So OR/WA decided that, rather than Amtrak. I'm still curious why OR/WA wanted to do that, and given the generally negative reactions voiced here about the seat-assignment check-in, I'm curious if OR/WA/Amtrak receive similar negative feedback. (Of course, it's possible that the only opinions voiced here are negative, but that most are positive or at least indifferent.)

One argument that could be put against unreserved seats as on the Capitol Corridor, Pacific Surfliner, and Hiawatha is that by having reserved seating, you can maximize funding. In California, definitely not every train is full, but even when they get full, they still have to sell tickets at the same price. While you think you would get more from the standees, I think that the fact that maybe 4 out of every 22 trains are actually like that. If you have reserved seating, as space fills up, the prices can go up with it, allowing more to be collected for every single seat after that point.

 

[Eric S]

OK. So OR/WA decided that, rather than Amtrak. I'm still curious why OR/WA wanted to do that, and given the generally negative reactions voiced here about the seat-assignment check-in, I'm curious if OR/WA/Amtrak receive similar negative feedback. (Of course, it's possible that the only opinions voiced here are negative, but that most are positive or at least indifferent.)

One argument that could be put against unreserved seats as on the Capitol Corridor, Pacific Surfliner, and Hiawatha is that by having reserved seating, you can maximize funding. In California, definitely not every train is full, but even when they get full, they still have to sell tickets at the same price. While you think you would get more from the standees, I think that the fact that maybe 4 out of every 22 trains are actually like that. If you have reserved seating, as space fills up, the prices can go up with it, allowing more to be collected for every single seat after that point.

That seems like a reasonable argument in favor of reserved versus unreserved seating. However, reserved seating (which exists on almost all trains other than the ones you mention) doesn't require the whole seat-assignment check-in thing.

Just to be clear, I'm not trying to be argumentative really, and I've yet to ride the Cascades (that should change in August, though) so I'm not complaining that the policy/practice is necessarily a bad thing, I'm just curious if there is any reason to have it for the Cascades but not to have it anywhere else (AFAIK).

 

[fairviewroad]

OK. So OR/WA decided that, rather than Amtrak. I'm still curious why OR/WA wanted to do that, and given the generally negative reactions voiced here about the seat-assignment check-in, I'm curious if OR/WA/Amtrak receive similar negative feedback. (Of course, it's possible that the only opinions voiced here are negative, but that most are positive or at least indifferent.)

It's really not that bad. First of all, in BC there's a dedicated check-in line that's always super-short.

The chief complaint seems to be that the line for coach seat assignments is typically very long. People start lining up sometimes an hour before departure, and in busy travel periods the line can wind all over the station...people see a line and instinctively get into it so they don't lose out. But the conductors typically don't start handing out seat assignments until 15 minutes before train time, so there's really no point in getting in line early.

Of course, if it's your first time on the Cascades and you absolutely want to sit on the Puget Sound side, then yeah you should get in line early. If you don't especially care which side of the train you're on, there's really no particular reason to be in the line for very long. The conductors do their best to seat couples/families with each other by pairing solo travelers side-by-side, so there's little fear of getting split up. With 2X2 seating there's no fear of getting a middle seat, either. And unlike a plane, there's generally no issue in losing out on "overhead bin" space for your carry-ons. So instead of standing in line for 30+ minutes, I just wait for the line to diminish and then stroll over for my seat assignment, rarely waiting more than 2 or 3 minutes in line.

I think the seat-assignment thing grates on those of us who are used to bounding onto a train at the first chance and sitting wherever we'd like...but once you let that part go, the Cascades system really isn't a big deal.

 

[amamba]

I am riding the EB out of Seattle on Monday. How early should I arrive at the station? We have a bedroom but I got a call from Amtrak today warning abOut station renovations.

After I print the tickets do we need to check in?

Also is there a room where I could drop/store our bags for a few hours so we could go to pike place?

 

[Big Green Chauvanist]

I am riding the EB out of Seattle on Monday. How early should I arrive at the station? We have a bedroom but I got a call from Amtrak today warning abOut station renovations.

After I print the tickets do we need to check in?

Also is there a room where I could drop/store our bags for a few hours so we could go to pike place?

Before this recent [and final] stage of the renovation, it was usually possible to leave luggage with the baggage claim agent, but in the crush at the station these days, with much less room to maneuver, I wouldn't count on it, but I don't know for certain. If you could leave bags at the hotel and the logistics worked out to pick them up before heading to the station, I'd suggest that. With a bedroom, you don't have to check in, or at least didn't have to in the past. Just show the ticket as you leave through the door to board, if asked. The ticket will be collected on board. I'd get to KSS a good hour before departure, just to be sure.

 

[Big Green Chauvanist]

OK. So OR/WA decided that, rather than Amtrak. I'm still curious why OR/WA wanted to do that, and given the generally negative reactions voiced here about the seat-assignment check-in, I'm curious if OR/WA/Amtrak receive similar negative feedback. (Of course, it's possible that the only opinions voiced here are negative, but that most are positive or at least indifferent.)

I'm pretty sure that most opinions of the actual passengers would be very negative. The whole process stinks. I always travel by business class just to avoid the long, snaking line through the great hall. On top of that, sometimes one is assigned a seat with a lousy view (staring at the partition between windows). It can usually be changed is you act fast enough, but the whole coach seat assignement procedure is really a turn off. As stated, in business class, you still have to get a seat assigned, but BC is handled at the ticket counter with a much shorter waiting time, if any.

 

[fairviewroad]

I'm pretty sure that most opinions of the actual passengers would be very negative. The whole process stinks. I always travel by business class just to avoid the long, snaking line through the great hall. On top of that, sometimes one is assigned a seat with a lousy view (staring at the partition between windows). It can usually be changed is you act fast enough, but the whole coach seat assignement procedure is really a turn off. As stated, in business class, you still have to get a seat assigned, but BC is handled at the ticket counter with a much shorter waiting time, if any.

But someone's got to sit in those "lousy view" seats, especially with so many trains approaching sold-out status these days. So to assure yourself a "good view" seat under an open

seating scenario, you'd have to line up well in advance anyhow so as to be on the train as early as possible. Whereas with the current system you can actually wait until the very end

and still have a 50-50 shot at a "good view" seat since the conductors don't hand out seat assignments based on the quality of the view.

 

[amamba]

Anyone know if it is possible to store luggage at King Street station right now? Bueller? Bueller? TIA.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

They need to leave the Anubis statue out front-he makes the place look like it means business.

 

[Ana]

1342155270[/url]' post='379827']Anyone know if it is possible to store luggage at King Street station right now? Bueller? Bueller? TIA.

I was a sleeper passenger on a late departing 8 last weekend and they looked after my carry on bags for me so I could wander around unencumbered. That part of the station was finished ( though still sort of cut off from the rest). I'm not sure if they were looking after coach bags though.

 

[Mackensen]

The chief complaint seems to be that the line for coach seat assignments is typically very long. People start lining up sometimes an hour before departure, and in busy travel periods the line can wind all over the station...people see a line and instinctively get into it so they don't lose out. But the conductors typically don't start handing out seat assignments until 15 minutes before train time, so there's really no point in getting in line early.

This is what happens at Union Station in Chicago as well, and it drives me nuts. There aren't even seat assignments in Chicago, so it's totally pointless. Crowd control in Chicago is also non-existent.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

1342155270[/url]' post='379827']Anyone know if it is possible to store luggage at King Street station right now? Bueller? Bueller? TIA.

I was a sleeper passenger on a late departing 8 last weekend and they looked after my carry on bags for me so I could wander around unencumbered. That part of the station was finished ( though still sort of cut off from the rest). I'm not sure if they were looking after coach bags though.

Make sure the Agent you leave your bags with understands you want to reclaim them before you board and not have them go to the Baggage. They took my 2 carry-ons last Summer saying they would be delivered to my room but they ended up on the cart going to the Baggage Car. Luckily I caught eye of that before it was too late.

 

[amamba]

Well we are in a bedroom so anything about coach pax does not apply to us. We dont have a hotel as we are staying with family that don't live downtown, so we wanted to head downtown early in the day, drop the bags at the station and then do some sight seeing.

 

[Nathanael]

OK, this "seat assignment" thing is really bizarre.

This is the 21st century. You can assign seats at the time of ticketing (like most airlines) or you can make it first-come first-served (like most trains), but who thought it was a good idea to assign seats *at time of boarding*? The whole airline-style check-in procedure is inappropriate for trains in any case; if ODOT and WSDOT want seat assignments, Amtrak should figure out how to assign seats in the reservations system, and people should just board!

Seattle in particular is laid out so that it's rather easy to get to the platform without going through the station, so the airline-style check-in procedure is completely counterproductive to good pedestrian flow.

 

[Big Green Chauvanist]

OK, this "seat assignment" thing is really bizarre.

This is the 21st century. You can assign seats at the time of ticketing (like most airlines) or you can make it first-come first-served (like most trains), but who thought it was a good idea to assign seats *at time of boarding*? The whole airline-style check-in procedure is inappropriate for trains in any case; if ODOT and WSDOT want seat assignments, Amtrak should figure out how to assign seats in the reservations system, and people should just board!

Seattle in particular is laid out so that it's rather easy to get to the platform without going through the station, so the airline-style check-in procedure is completely counterproductive to good pedestrian flow.

I'm not sure what you mean by this. There is no way to get to an Amtrak train without going through the station. Short of walking (trespassing) along the tracks from some distance from the station. Even if seats could be pre-assigned or first-come-first-served, which is what I want, you'd still have to show a ticket at the door leading from the station to the platform. Sounder commuter trains are accessible via stairs from the street above but cannot be reached from the station. Boarding and for Sounder and Amtrak trains are totally separated and don't use the same tracks.

 

[CHamilton]

There is an area just south of the station that has, in the past, been easy to walk through for direct access from the parking lot to the tracks. However, that access has been fenced off and the gate is almost always locked. I've seen it open occasionally, but it's evident that station personnel don't want passengers going that way -- there's a sign to that effect.

I agree, though, that assigning seats while ticketing would be a good idea. But there's a post here someplace that talks about a trial of assigned seats somewhere that failed miserably, so I suspect that Amtrak is reluctant to spend the bucks on a system that they're afraid will fail. And they're getting some extra income from those of us who choose to go business class in order to take advantage of being able to get seat assignments at the ticket counter, thus avoiding the long lines. I started going BC when I had some leg problems that made standing in line uncomfortable. The upgrade to BC doesn't cost much, and the perks (like the discount coupon for the bistro car) are nice. My only complaint about BC is that it's too popular -- I would almost prefer to see the BC surcharge go up (...sheesh, what am I saying!)

 

[Bob Dylan]

-- I would almost prefer to see the BC surcharge go up (...sheesh, what am I saying!)

Charlie:Remember the old saying "Be careful what you ask for, you might get it?" :help:

Maybe once the idiots running Wisconsin sell off the Talgos to the Cascades Route, there will be more seats available in BC easing the crowding! I know during the Gathering trip from SEA-PDX in OCT some of us were able to ride in BC while others Lollygagged and were with the Unwashed Class in Coach! I find the BC seats much more comfortable and like the Bistro Car too! Good model for the other Corridor Trains IMO!!!

 

[CHamilton]

Seattle Transit Blog points out that Seattle DOT has posted a new set of pictures on Flickr showing the interior teardown of King Street Station. It's a bit unnerving to see one's home station empty and down to bare walls, but it will be fun to watch how the restoration proceeds from here. In its current state, we can really see what an impressive building it really is, and can imagine how nice it might be when work is completed.

 

[RRUserious]

When I go spend a day in Seattle, I hope I can remember to go see this in person. Truth is I had plenty of time today when passing through and completely forgot about this remodeling.

 

[alanh]

You won't be able to see much right now, other than the temporary waiting area.

I see the "Electric Stairs to Jackson St" are gone. Just as well, since they haven't worked in years. I did like the neon sign (plus the odd "electric stairs" name), though. From what I read, the access will be by regular non-electric stairs or an elevator.

 

[Big Green Chauvanist]

I see the "Electric Stairs to Jackson St" are gone. Just as well, since they haven't worked in years. I did like the neon sign (plus the odd "electric stairs" name), though. From what I read, the access will be by regular non-electric stairs or an elevator.

Great find. I wonder where the sign is now? There was a narrow staircase used up until a couple of years ago when that whole access area to Jackson Street was closed off. I think it was parallel to the escalator which was indeed boarded up years ago. Perhaps the grand staircase will replace both, and there will be an elevator somewhere also.

 

[Ana]

1342196497[/url]' post='379890']

1342193151[/url]' post='379875']

1342155270[/url]' post='379827']Anyone know if it is possible to store luggage at King Street station right now? Bueller? Bueller? TIA.

I was a sleeper passenger on a late departing 8 last weekend and they looked after my carry on bags for me so I could wander around unencumbered. That part of the station was finished ( though still sort of cut off from the rest). I'm not sure if they were looking after coach bags though.

Make sure the Agent you leave your bags with understands you want to reclaim them before you board and not have them go to the Baggage. They took my 2 carry-ons last Summer saying they would be delivered to my room but they ended up on the cart going to the Baggage Car. Luckily I caught eye of that before it was too late.

Good point. In my case, they made it very clear to me that I must collect them again or they'd be left behind. They weren't being checked and they weren't going to be delivered to me.

 

[CHamilton]

This is the "official" email that Amtrak is sending out to Seattle passengers about the renovation. They also called with a very similar version -- probably the longest automated call I've ever gotten.

Dear Amtrak Passenger,

Our records indicate that you are scheduled to depart on Amtrak Train number XXXX from Seattle-WASHINGTON at XXXX

We are emailing to inform you that a restoration project is underway at the Seattle station, and there are also other construction projects near the station. As a result, passengers may encounter vehicle congestion in the area, limited parking and traffic flow changes.

Allow Extra Time

Please allow additional time to get to the station and access the boarding gates. Games and events at Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field may also impact travel to the station.

Limited Parking, Drop Off and Pick Up Only

Parking in the area is severely limited, so please allow additional time. You may want to be dropped off or take transit to the station. Please note that there is a new taxi area on South King Street, temporary 15-minute passenger load and unload spots, and temporary ADA parking stalls to facilitate access to the station during construction.

Navigating the Station

Changes have been made to the flow of traffic through the station. Passengers will now enter the Amtrak ticketing and baggage area from a temporary entrance north of the current station entrance, located at the same level as the previous entrance.

During this period, temporary waiting areas are also available for passengers, while the permanent waiting area is under construction. Please note that areas inside the station may be congested.

Project Information

King Street Station now features upgraded baggage and ticket areas and major restoration work will continue at Seattle’s historic train station through April 2013. This $23 million project will strengthen King Street Station and its clock tower to better withstand earthquakes, as well as restore the historical features of the station’s main hall and upgrade electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems to modern standards.

The restoration, managed by the city of Seattle, is an ongoing partnership between WSDOT, the Federal Railroad Administration, Amtrak, Federal Transit Administration 4Culture services agency and the city. Since 2008, nearly $30 million in federal, state and local funding has been invested to improve the station and restore its unique historic character. The project is expected to be complete by spring 2013. For more information, visit www.seattle.gov/transportation/kingstreet.htm.

For travel aboard Amtrak Cascades service between Vancouver, B.C., Seattle, Portland, Eugene and other Pacific Northwest destinations, visit www.AmtrakCascades.com. Follow us on twitter.com/Amtrak_Cascades.

Thank you for traveling with Amtrak. We appreciate your patience as we restore King Street Station. Reservation and train status information is available on Amtrak.com, our free iPhone app and at 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245). Join us on Facebook.com/Amtrak and follow us on Twitter.com/Amtrak. Thank you for traveling with us. Sincerely, Amtrak Customer Service

 

[Big Green Chauvanist]

This is the "official" email that Amtrak is sending out to Seattle passengers about the renovation. They also called with a very similar version -- probably the longest automated call I've ever gotten.

Dear Amtrak Passenger,

We are emailing to inform you that a restoration project is underway at the Seattle station, and there are also other construction projects near the station. As a result, passengers may encounter vehicle congestion in the area, limited parking and traffic flow changes.

That's putting it mildly. Downtown Seattle is being torn asunder by some major construction projects. In the end they will make things much easier and more pleasant, but in the meanwhile, watch out!

 

[NW cannonball]

This is the "official" email that Amtrak is sending out to Seattle passengers about the renovation. They also called with a very similar version -- probably the longest automated call I've ever gotten.

Dear Amtrak Passenger,

We are emailing to inform you that a restoration project is underway at the Seattle station, and there are also other construction projects near the station. As a result, passengers may encounter vehicle congestion in the area, limited parking and traffic flow changes.

That's putting it mildly. Downtown Seattle is being torn asunder by some major construction projects. In the end they will make things much easier and more pleasant, but in the meanwhile, watch out!

Kinda like the (in)famous Boston "BigDig" -- naah it won't be that bad -

I heart Seattle.