Kelso Multimodal Transportation Center

The Kelso Multimodal Transportation Center (also known as Kelso–Longview) is an Amtrak train station located near downtown Kelso, Washington, United States. The station also serves the neighboring city of Longview, which is located just across the Cowlitz River. The station is served by Cascades and Coast Starlight trains. Greyhound Lines provides national and regional bus service, while RiverCities Transit provides local transit. Shuttle vans, taxis and rental cars can also be hired at the station.

Kelso–Longview, WA
The transportation center with the clock tower in the background
General information
Location501 South First Avenue
Kelso, Washington[1]
United States
Coordinates46.14215°N 122.91316°W / 46.14215; -122.91316
Owned byCity of Kelso and BNSF Railway
Line(s)BNSF Seattle Subdivision
Platforms1 side platform
Tracks2
ConnectionsGreyhound Lines
RiverCities Transit
Construction
ParkingYes
AccessibleYes
Other information
Station codeAmtrak: KEL
History
Opened1912 (1912)
Rebuilt1995 (1995)
Passengers
FY 202219,711[2] (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Vancouver, Washington
toward Eugene–Springfield
 Amtrak Cascades Centralia
toward Vancouver, British Columbia
Vancouver, Washington
toward Los Angeles
 Coast Starlight Centralia
toward Seattle
Former services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Centralia
toward Seattle
 Pioneer
Discontinued in 1997
 Vancouver, Washington
toward Chicago
Joint Great Northern/Northern Pacific/
Union Pacific service
Preceding station Great Northern Railway Following station
Carrolls
toward Portland
 Portland–Seattle Line Ostrander
toward Seattle
Preceding station Northern Pacific Railway Following station
Carrolls
toward Portland
 Portland–Seattle Line Ostrander
toward Seattle
Preceding station Union Pacific Railroad Following station
Carrolls
toward Portland
 Portland–Seattle Line Ostrander
toward Seattle
Location
Kelso–Longview, WA is located in Washington (state)
Kelso–Longview, WA
Kelso–Longview, WA
Location in Washington
Kelso–Longview, WA is located in the United States
Kelso–Longview, WA
Kelso–Longview, WA
Location in the United States

History

Kelso's first train station was built for the Northern Pacific Railroad. The first small depot was a wooden structure in the 100 block of Front or First Avenue. By 1906 the citizens of Kelso petitioned the Northern Pacific Railroad for a better passenger and freight depot. This was granted and a new, brick passenger and a wood freight depot was built. A grand opening reception was held February 12, 1912.[3][4] The line was also operated by passenger trains by the Great Northern Railway and Union Pacific Railroad under a joint service agreement.

View of the station from the platform

In 1970 the Northern Pacific Railway merged with several other railroads to create the Burlington Northern Railroad. The station remained in active freight service until the early 1980s when Burlington Northern suspended freight service there and transferred that service to the Portland, Oregon hub. Amtrak service to Kelso began on July 12, 1971, a few months after the company took over national passenger rail service.[5]

The station was staffed by a ticketing agent until the 1990s when the station was locked up due to vandalism.

In the mid-1990s the station underwent extensive remodeling to make it look like the passenger stations of a bygone era. The station's interior and exterior received face-lifts and rebuilds, and a 30-foot-tall (9.1 m) clock tower was constructed outside the station.[6]

The refurbished station was formally dedicated on September 23, 1995.[3][7]

Service

Although the Amtrak Cascades runs between Eugene, Oregon and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, there is no train that starts at one terminus and ends at the other. However, each day eight Amtrak Cascades trains (four northbound and four southbound) stop at the Kelso Multimodal Transportation Center.[8] The Coast Starlight has runs one train daily in each direction between Los Angeles, California and Seattle.[9] The next northbound stop on both Amtrak trains is in Centralia and the next southbound stop is in Vancouver.

The intermodal center is also served by intercity Greyhound buses from Portland and Seattle, as well as local buses operated by RiverCities Transit, the local transit authority.

Boardings and alightings
Year 2011[10]2012[11]2013[12]2014[13]2015[14]2016[15]2017[16]2018 [17]
Total 26,97226,56028,89230,32631,01731,66029,93731,228
YOY Difference --4122,3321,434691643-1,7231,201
YOY Difference % --1.52%8.78%4.96%2.28%2.07%-5.44%4.31%

Historical events

November 1993 accident

A head-on crash between a Burlington Northern and Union Pacific train occurred just south of Kelso on November 11, 1993. Five crew were killed in the accident and subsequent fire, which was fueled by approximately 10,000 U.S. gallons (38,000 L) of diesel fuel on board the trains. The double track corridor in the area served around 60 passenger and freight trains per day, making it one of the busiest rail corridors in the United States at the time of the accident.[18] The Kelso station was used as a staging area for Burlington Northern's Incident Response Unit.

Station remodel

In 1994 and 1995, the station was inundated with water damage when the nearby Cowlitz River peaked over the dike at 22 feet (6.7 m) and flooded the basement and platform area, which ultimately led to the approval of the remodel.

Greyhound service to the depot was temporarily disrupted from 2006 to 2007 after a dispute with the city over maintenance costs.[19]

Other events

In 1993, a special Burlington Northern train made a stop at the station while it was carrying the company's CEO and board members on an inspection of the system. Numerous special events are held at the station each year, the most notable of which is the Kelso Christmas Celebration at which the mayor lights the Christmas tree that adorns the clock tower and Santa Claus makes a visit via the Amtrak Cascades train.

Between 1999 and 2004, the Kelso City Council held its meetings in the station's basement, because City Hall had been torn down to make way for a new bridge spanning the Cowlitz River.[20][21]

References
  1. "Kelso, WA - Longview (KEL)". amtrak.com. Amtrak. Retrieved 12 Jan 2014.
  2. "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2022: State of Washington" (PDF). Amtrak. June 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  3. "Kelso Train Depot". www.kelso.gov. City of Kelso. Archived from the original on October 19, 2009.
  4. Fischer, Amy M. E. (May 5, 2011). "Chugging along". The Daily News. Longview, Washington. p. A3. Retrieved January 4, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. icon of an open green padlock
  5. "Amtrak adds stops on Portland trains". The Seattle Times. July 7, 1971. p. A18.
  6. Lindblom, Michael (February 3, 1994). "Remodeled Kelso depot could open next summer". The Daily News. Longview, Washington. p. C1. Retrieved January 4, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. icon of an open green padlock
  7. Jenkins, Don (September 23, 1995). "Early railbirds catch glimpse of buffed station". The Daily News. Longview, Washington. pp. A1, A2. Retrieved January 22, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. icon of an open green padlock
  8. "Amtrak Cascades" (PDF). amtrak.com. Amtrak. 20 Feb 2016. pp. 2–3. Retrieved 29 Jul 2016.
  9. "Coast Starlight" (PDF). amtrak.com. Amtrak. 11 Jan 2016. p. 2. Retrieved 29 Jul 2016.
  10. "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2011: State of Washington" (PDF). Amtrak. November 2011. p. 1. Retrieved 6 Jan 2015.
  11. "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2012: State of Washington" (PDF). Amtrak. November 2012. p. 1. Retrieved 6 Jan 2015.
  12. "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2013: State of Washington" (PDF). Amtrak. November 2013. p. 1. Retrieved 6 Jan 2015.
  13. "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2014: State of Washington" (PDF). Amtrak. November 2014. p. 1. Retrieved 12 Jan 2016.
  14. "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2015: State of Washington" (PDF). Amtrak. November 2015. p. 1. Retrieved 12 Jan 2016.
  15. "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2016: State of Washington" (PDF). Amtrak. November 2016. p. 1. Retrieved 12 Jan 2017.
  16. "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2017, State of Washington" (PDF). amtrak.com. Amtrak. Nov 2017. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  17. "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2018, State of Washington" (PDF). amtrak.com. Amtrak. June 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  18. "Transportation". www.emd.wa.gov. Washington Emergency Management Division. Archived from the original on 2010-01-11. Retrieved 6 Feb 2010.
  19. Fischer, Amy M.E. (October 3, 2007). "Greyhound stop moves back to Kelso train depot". The Daily News. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
  20. Middlewood, Erin (December 15, 1999). "Council, staff hope budget cuts won't be obvious". The Daily News. p. 16.
  21. Fischer, Amy M.E. (September 26, 2004). "'Dream' complete: City Hall welcomes public to view new stomping ground". The Daily News. p. B1.
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