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Seattle-to-Everett Track & Signal Upgrades

Description

The rail line between Seattle and Everett is one of the busiest in the entire nation. Sounder commuter trains, Amtrak passenger trains and BNSF Railway Company freight trains all use the 30-mile-long corridor.

To improve the safety and the movement of passenger and freight trains, BNSF, which owns the track, is made a number of track and signal upgrades.

The improvements included:

• Adding a second track for safety and efficiency in some of the areas where there is only one track. The areas needing double tracking include through Edmonds and Mukilteo.
• Adding six crossover sections where trains can cross from one track to another.
• Adding 28 new train signals to bring the corridor up to BNSF’s nationwide standards.

The improvements will allow BNSF to increase the number of trains running through the corridor, reduce the time that trains need to idle and advance train mobility and safety.

Sound Transit paid BNSF for the right to run four Sounder commuter trains in the north corridor. Sound Transit is also undertook the environmental work and payed for environmental mitigation projects that included improvements to Willow and Deer creeks.

BNSF is planned, scheduled and built the track and signal work.

More information on train signal design

• Train signal design description
• Why are the Signals Required? (Focus on Edmonds area)

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