The last Amtrak passenger trains traveling with Nisqually Delta, the Narrows, Salmon Beach, Northern Pacific’s Point Defiance tunnel, and Vashon Island views will run on December 17th. Beginning on the 18th, passengers will board at the new Amtrak station at Freighthouse Square in downtown Tacoma. Departures and arrivals will use the new Bypass Route which will take passengers through South Tacoma and Lakewood and travel alongside I-5 past DuPont. While shaving time SoundTransit says, “The new inland rail route will create room for Amtrak Cascades to add more daily trips between Seattle and Portland, shorten travel times, and reduce delays.”
The last Amtrak passenger trains traveling with Nisqually Delta, the Narrows, Salmon Beach, Northern Pacific’s Point Defiance tunnel, and Vashon Island views will run on December 17th.My wife Peggy and I with a few of our friends had been talking about a trip to Centralia before the new schedule changed. November 12th was the day. We all made our reservations and dressed warmly and dryly (umbrellas) so we could walk around town a bit between trains. They last time we had all ridden together on Amtrak it resulted in a trip to Tuscany. We began the planning while we waited at Powell’s Books in Portland for the Coast Starlight from California about twelve years ago. No trip to Italy this time, but we did have fun.
On our first leg of the journey along Ruston Way, an original Santa Fe orange covered freight engine whizzed past us pulling cars in the opposite direction. The BNSF (Burlington Northern Santa Fe) unit momentarily blocked our view of Vashon Island and Quartermaster Harbor.
On our first leg of the journey along Ruston Way, an original Santa Fe orange covered freight engine whizzed past us pulling cars in the opposite direction.We had great seats in the middle of the car. There were two rows facing each other with folding tables in-between. What a great day for traveling. The weather was always threatening rain, but only paid off with dull gray skies, which actually were an excellent background to highlight the autumn leaves on trees and bushes, and the ground. Coming out of the Pt. Defiance Tunnel we could see Salmon Beach as we left it behind and traveled the Narrows, under the bridge, and then past Titlow Park and Day Island. On one side of our car we saw the links of Chamber’s Bay and on the other we were treated to McNeil Island. Soon we passed Chamber’s Bay itself and flashed through Steilacoom. Past Steilacoom we looked out on Ketron Island with a grounded ferry sitting on the shore. Past Ketron was Anderson Island and then the fantastic Nisqually Delta. We quickly passed the Nisqually Delta, the Nisqually bottom lands and stopped at East Olympia (a station run by volunteers). After passing through the Mima Mounds we arrived in Centralia.
There are lots of antique stores in downtown Centralia. We visited the Centralia Square Grand Ballroom and Hotel.We walked around downtown on our own. The second annual Centralia Christmas Market is coming to historic downtown Centralia Dec. 9 and 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. In the past, shop owners would dress is Currier & Ives style clothes like an old time Christmas card and welcome visitors. I don’t know if they’ll do that this year, but you never know. The current market features local craft vendors selling unique and handmade items, so you can come pick up Christmas presents for friends and family! And after it’s all done, stick around in downtown Centralia and catch the Lighted Tractor Parade, an event that grows in popularity each year for good reason!
There are lots of antique stores in downtown Centralia. We visited the Centralia Square Grand Ballroom and Hotel. The basement features small booths selling various antiques. On the second floor is the grand ballroom. Two of our couples danced around in the grand ballroom, which features a stage, too. Rooms are available for rent – http://www.centraliasquare.com/. While I waited for Peg and our friends I sat on the corner across the street from the park/Carnegie Library. The maple trees at the park were fantastic as were the trees at Centralia Square. When we first started walking around a man in a wheelchair asked if I had any spare change. I spared him some. The second question of the day came as a young man stopped his car at the intersection and asked, “What are you talking pictures of?” I simply pointed at the trees and Centralia Square.
Peg had the steelhead club sandwich with a salad and I had the oysters and tater tots.Our next stop was the Olympic Club, which is a McMenamin’s property. Years ago Peg and I along with our friends Jan and Mike had gone to a movie there and enjoyed sitting in a love seat (per couple), eating dinner, having wine or beer, and enjoying a movie. Like Centralia Square, the Olympic Club has rooms for rent also – https://www.mcmenamins.com/olympic-club.
The six of us crowded into a booth for lunch. It looks like most people who dine there are single, a couple, or some configuration equaling four. It took some time to have our food served, but we had no place to go anyway. Everyone seemed happy with their food. Peggy and I shared our orders. Peg had the steelhead club sandwich with a salad and I had the oysters and tater tots. The tater tots were smaller than most others of the same name, but I hesitate to call them tiny tots . . . it sounds so cannibalistic. The ketchup which is bottled in Portland was excellent. Peg loved the club sandwich and I thought the oysters were perfectly crunchy.
After our lunch we moseyed on down the street window shopping and then we entered True Value. The hardware store is one of my favorite places to visit in Centralia. They always have great items for sale near the entrance. Our friend Donn poked around at an $80 BBQ. If I still had really young grandchildren, or had been by myself, I would have purchased the one plastic cutlass they had for sale. I also liked the ice chest/cooler that stood about three feet tall and had long legs and wheels. It was bright red. You never know when you might need to wheel drinks around.
The Amtrak ticket clerks in Tacoma and Centralia where friendly and efficient. The on board crews explained everything and were very helpful.The train was a few minutes late. We boarded and had room to make our own chart for sitting. The Amtrak Coast Starlight engine was larger than most of the local Cascades engines. We made up more of the lost time and enjoyed relaxing and looking at the Pacific Northwest landscapes. The Amtrak ticket clerks in Tacoma and Centralia where friendly and efficient. The on board crews explained everything and were very helpful. Parking was easy. I don’t know how the new Tacoma station will work for people, but I do know that time is short for anyone who wants to ride Amtrak with the water views of the southern Puget Sound. I recommend it – https://www.amtrak.com/tickets-reservations.
“Take the last train to Clarkesville
And I’ll meet you at the station . . .”
– The Monkees, 1966
In about the time it takes to read what follows – together with the article above – Amtrak intends to shave that and more – a minimum of 360 seconds – from its Seattle/Portland run by running its trains – up to 12/day at 79 mph – through the life-congested neighborhood of Tillicum and Tillicum’s suburbs to the immediate north and south – Lakewood and DuPont, respectively.
In deference to the faster passenger trains, the coal-oil-and-freight-folks – the engineer and the guy in the caboose – will dutifully plod along – and enjoy – the scenic Puget Sound waterfront route while freeing up Amtrak to fast track along the freeway.
There, sipping fruit-based smoothies ordered from the Café car and enjoying the wonders of mobile Wi-Fi in air-conditioned bliss – their heads in restful repose on inflatable pillows while blanketed in wide reclining seats – ultra-pampered Amtrak passengers will be offered panoramic views of passing scenery to include grown men duking it out on I-5, cheered on by their ‘are-we-there-yet’ preschoolers rooting from steamed up windows where they’re cooking like sardines in a can.
And that’ll be because the expressway has become – and continues to be – a more suitable location for an espresso stand, given it has all come to a standstill.
To save an estimated 10 minutes of Amtrak travel time from Seattle to Portland, the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) estimates Lakewood and its neighbors can expect one accident every decade or so.
So that’s encouraging. If it’s not you.
According to WSDOT’s Point Defiance Bypass Environmental Assessment (Appendix F: Traffic and Transportation Discipline Report, p.83), “None of the individual crossings are predicted to experience accidents more frequently than one in every 10 years.”
In March of 2013, Lakewood sued WSDOT to stop the Point Defiance Bypass project which would reroute Amtrak trains through local neighborhoods.
One year later, March of 2014, Pierce County Superior Court Judge Katherine M. Stolz ruled against Lakewood.
Lakewood cited safety among its concerns specifically with regards the Tillicum community.
“The Tillicum community would be directly impacted by the rerouted trains,” wrote reporter Brynn Grimley in the Tacoma News Tribune, January 8, 2014.
Lakewood’s lawsuit described Tillicum, together with its cross-I-5 neighbor Woodbrook, as comprising a total of 4,754 people, with but one way, in the case of Tillicum, in and out of town: across the railroad tracks.
“The Point Defiance Bypass Project threatens to destroy progress made in this neighborhood,” said Lakewood.
In its lawsuit, Lakewood charged WSDOT with “arbitrary and capricious conduct,” and inadequate mitigation. “No meaningful mitigation is proposed,” read the city’s complaint.
That America is being taken for a ride – literally – on the “epic failure, gross mismanagement, and union featherbedding that surrounds Amtrak;” or that “high-speed rail diverts limited federal funds from much-needed infrastructure improvement,” raising such concerns is all just so much clickety-clack chatter, immaterial really, given what really should concern everybody, and evidently does, are the “widespread complaints about getting online while onboard.”
There is good news though. An upgrade is promised whereby “riders might finally be able to browse the Web and check e-mail without getting constantly kicked off their connections.”
You still will not be able to watch Netflix however while whistling past the graveyards of Lakewood and Tillicum.
Links to references available.
David,
Thank you for reading my article and for voicing your opinion about the reroute of Amtrak. Please, keep on reading my articles and others in the Suburban Times . . . and commenting.
The Lakewood Ingress/Egress intersection at Bridgeport/Pacific Highway, and its access to north and southbound I-5 ramps, is already a congested mess. Currently, one tiny hiccup on the road or signal malfunction on the tracks causes dangerous backups onto the freeway, and idled vehicles parading in all directions on City streets. Fast forward to the wonderful day December 16, when Amtrak adds its own bit of chaos to the mess of this intersection- I predict catastrophic results to the already vulnerable design. Why was Amtrak not required to build an above or below grade crossing on this major route to commerce, JBLM, schools, and and a hospital? Once running through Lakewood, Amtraks’ predicted accident figures and casualty count can be conveniently massaged by their press rep, Gus Melonas. We can keep our own tally here in the Suburban Times.
I am also not happy about the new Amtrak route. However, it’s a done deal, and the reroute will not stop me from occasionally taking the train.
I really enjoyed reading this article. It had never occurred to me to visit Centralia, but the writer’s detailed story made me want to delve into this city’s interesting downtown area. And get there by train!
Kris,
I wasn’t sure if my response got back to you . . .
Thank you for reading my article and writing. My wife has numerous presents purchased by me from Centralia. They have at least one hot shop producing blown glass art and a ton of stores to go through looking for bargains. Our group also had a mid-morning snack at the Centralia Cafe, which is directly across from the Olympic Club. It’s a lot cheaper than Berryfields at the Centalia Square.
Be sure to visit the library and check out the doughboy statue commemorating the Centralia Massacre on Veteran’s Day in 1919 when six people were killed. The ramifications of this event included a trial that attracted national media attention, notoriety that contributed to the Red Scare of 1919–20, the creation of a powerful martyr for the IWW, a monument to one side of the battle and a mural for the other and a formal tribute to the fallen Legionnaires by President Warren G. Harding.
It’s a fun little town.
Thanks again for reading and commenting.
Don
Mandy,
Thanks for your comments. Amtrak of course owns no track here in the Pacific Northwest, but merely uses the BNSF system. The argument could have been that Amtrak with far shorter trains only creates roadblocks for seconds or minutes as the trains whiz by. They are adding more trains, however. It will be interested to see what happens when speculation becomes reality next month. Thanks for the comments.
Don
And let’s not forget the toll on the transients biking and walking the tracks to get between Tillicum and points north. In their defense they have been proactively cutting holes in the chain link security fence paralleling the tracks. Hope they can beat the train off the tracks.
I predict an accident by the 15th of January 2017. Happy New Year
Thom,
Thank you for reading AND writing. As someone who has seen a walker run down by an Amtrak train, I hope the transients keep their wits about them. I’ve seen the death in my mind many times. I know it is even worse for the engineers driving the train.
Thank you, again for reading my article. Keep on reading and writing. I love to hear from readers.
Don
Kris,
Thank you for reading my article and writing. My wife has numerous presents purchased by me from Centralia. They have at least one hot shop producing blown glass art and a ton of stores to go through looking for bargains. Our group also had a mid-morning snack at the Centralia Cafe, which is directly across from the Olympic Club. It’s a lot cheaper than Berryfields at the Centalia Square.
Be sure to visit the library and check out the doughboy statue commemorating the Centralia Massacre on Veteran’s Day in 1919 when six people were killed. The ramifications of this event included a trial that attracted national media attention, notoriety that contributed to the Red Scare of 1919–20, the creation of a powerful martyr for the IWW, a monument to one side of the battle and a mural for the other and a formal tribute to the fallen Legionnaires by President Warren G. Harding.
It’s a fun little town.
Thanks again for reading and commenting.
Don
I was so inspired by this story that I booked seats for my daughter and me to take the trip to Centralia.
Looking forward to the scenery and the oysters!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Jean,
Wow, that was quick. Thanks for reading and writing. I hope you and your daughter have a nice the trip. I’d recommend sitting on the water side down and the side on the way back. That will give you two different looks to enjoy. Please, continue to read my articles AND be sure to send a follow-up comment about your trip.
Don