Sounder commuter rail

Sounder commuter rail (reporting mark SDRX) is a commuter rail service operated by BNSF on behalf of Sound Transit.[4] Service operates Monday through Friday during peak hours from Seattle, Washington, north to Everett and south to Lakewood. In 2022, the system had a ridership of 1,208,500, or about 6,700 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2023.

Sounder
Two Sounder trainsets at Tukwila station
Two Sounder trainsets at Tukwila station
Overview
OwnerSound Transit
LocaleSeattle metropolitan area
Transit typeCommuter rail
Number of lines2
Number of stations12
Daily ridership6,700 (weekdays, Q2 2023)[1]
Annual ridership1,208,500 (2022)[2]
WebsiteSounder Rider Guide
Operation
Began operationSeptember 18, 2000 (2000-09-18) (S Line)
December 26, 2003 (2003-12-26) (N Line)
Operator(s)BNSF
Reporting marksSDRX
Number of vehicles14 locomotives
67 passenger cars[3]
Train length2–7 passenger cars
HeadwayN Line: 2 round trips per day
S Line: 10 round trips per day
Technical
System length81.8 mi (131.6 km)[3]
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Top speed79 mph (127 km/h)
System map

Line
Cascades to Vancouver, BC
Empire Builder to Chicago
 Everett
Amtrak
 Mukilteo
Washington State Ferries
 Edmonds
Washington State Ferries Amtrak
Snohomish County
King County
 Seattle
First Hill Streetcar Amtrak
 Tukwila
Amtrak
 Kent
 Auburn
King County
Pierce County
 Sumner
 Puyallup
 Tacoma Dome
Amtrak
 South Tacoma
 Lakewood
 Tillicum
(2045)
 DuPont
(2045)
Cascades to Eugene–Springfield
Coast Starlight to Los Angeles
Line

As of 2017, schedules serve the traditional peak commutes, with most trains running inbound to Seattle in the morning and outbound in the afternoon. Three daily round-trips run the reverse commute to and from Tacoma.[5] Additional Sounder trains operate on some Saturdays and Sundays for travel to and from Seahawks and Sounders games at Lumen Field and Mariners games at T-Mobile Park. Both stadiums are a short walk from King Street Station.

Service history

S Line

The S Line (formerly the South Line) began service with two round trip trains on September 18, 2000, with stops in Tacoma, Sumner and Auburn that terminated in Seattle. Puyallup and Kent stations were added February 5, 2001, with Tukwila being added March 12, 2001. There are currently thirteen round trips on the S Line, with three operating in the reverse commute direction.[5]

In July 2010, Sound Transit reached a new agreement with BNSF, valued at $185 million, which grants Sound Transit permanent access to the S Line corridor, as well as allowing four more daily round trips to begin, starting in 2012 and continuing through 2017.[6]

On October 8, 2012, the extension to South Tacoma and Lakewood stations was inaugurated, with five daily round trips, all of which are in the peak direction, serving the new stations.[7] In September 2016, a mid-day round trip was added between Lakewood and Seattle.[8] In September 2017, two additional round trips were added, bringing the total to eight daily round trips servicing the Lakewood extension.[9][5]

The average weekday ridership in 2010 on the S Line was 8,300, down 7% from 2009 due to continued low employment in Downtown Seattle. Since then the average ridership has increased and as of October 2015 stood at 14,500 per day.[10] In 2019, S Line ridership was 16,419 per day.[11]

N Line

The 35-mile (56 km) Everett-to-Seattle N line (formerly North Line) started with a Seahawks game train on December 21, 2003. Regular service started on December 22 with one morning train to Seattle and one evening train back. A second round trip train was added on June 6, 2005, to help increase ridership, a third was added in September 2007. In September 2008, an additional train was added to the line, bringing the total number to four round trips in the peak direction. On May 31, 2008, service to Mukilteo station began. There are currently three stops along the N Line: Edmonds, Mukilteo, and Everett.[12][13]

Additionally, Sound Transit partners with Amtrak Cascades to allow Sounder riders to use the two trains per day that Amtrak Cascades operates to Bellingham, WA and Vancouver, BC through the RailPlus program. This allows commuters to use the Sounder fare structure between Everett and Seattle. The program is available only to riders who use monthly passes. The Amtrak Cascades trains do not stop at Mukilteo nor does Amtrak's Empire Builder from Chicago, Illinois.

Weekday ridership on the N Line was roughly 1,100 in 2010[14] and was about 1,561 in the first quarter of 2016.[15] Trains on the N Line have been prone to frequent cancellation due to mudslides throughout its history,[16] though WSDOT has begun construction to remedy the problem.[17]

Future expansion
The future terminus of the S Line at DuPont station

Sound Transit plans to add additional S Line stations at Tillicum and DuPont. The track has already been constructed by Sound Transit with funding from WSDOT as part of the Point Defiance Bypass project. Funding for constructing the two stations was approved in the 2016 Sound Transit 3 ballot measure and is expected to cost $300 million. It was originally scheduled to open in 2036, but was delayed to 2045 due to a systemwide funding gap caused by increased planning costs.[18][19] The Tillicum station is planned to be located near the intersection of Interstate 5 and Berkeley Street Southwest, adjacent to Joint Base Lewis–McChord. The terminus at DuPont station is planned to be located adjacent to an existing park and ride lot at Interstate 5 and Center Drive.[20]

In addition, Sound Transit plans to extend station platform lengths on the S Line to accommodate trains up to ten cars in length, up from the current seven, and increase service.[21] Both programs were included in the Sound Transit 3 ballot measure and were originally scheduled to be fully completed by 2036, but were also delayed by the systemwide funding gap and subsequent realignment of projects. Platform extensions are scheduled to be complete by 2036, while additional trips on the S Line are scheduled to be implemented by 2046.[22][23]

Fares

As with Link light rail, Sounder operates using a proof-of-payment fare system and uses distance-based fares; adult fares range from $3.25 to $5.75.[3] Passengers are required to purchase a paper ticket, use a mobile ticket, or tap their ORCA card (and receive a valid permit to travel) before boarding trains. Sound Transit fare inspectors or police officers randomly board trains and check for valid proof-of-payment, issuing warnings or fines to passengers without valid proof-of-payment. Passengers using ORCA cards are charged the maximum fare from the station they are traveling from and are issued a permit to travel when they tap before boarding and, if necessary, receive a refund when they tap after boarding. Discounted fares are offered for youth, seniors and the disabled, and low-income riders qualifying for the ORCA Lift program.[24]

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, fare collection for all Sound Transit services was suspended from March 21 to June 1.[25] Fares on Link and Sounder were reintroduced on June 1 with a discounted rate of $2 for non-ORCA users on Sounder.[26]

Ridership statistics
YearRidershipYoY Diff. %
2004955,298—
20051,268,29132.8%
20061,692,97133.5%
20072,156,65227.4%
20082,668,62323.7%
20092,492,362-6.6%
20102,364,290-5.1%
20112,543,9557.6%
20122,811,89110.5%
20133,035,7358%
20143,361,31710.7%
20153,812,04013.4%
20164,165,9929.3%
2017[27]4,438,3746.5%
2018[28]4,646,4084.7%
2019[29] 4,616,656-0.6%
2020[30]1,274,219-72.4%
2021[31]711,720-44.1%
2022[31]1,140,90860.3%
Data from Sound Transit[32]

Rolling stock
ModelManufacturedRoad NumbersNumber In FleetNotesImage
Locomotives
EMD F59PHI 1999901–9044All locomotives rebuilt with engines that meet the Tier 3 EPA standard to reduce emissions and provide fuel savings.[33]
2000905–9062
2001907–9115
MotivePower MP40PH-3C2012921–9233Upgraded to comply with the Tier 3 emissions standard
Cab Cars
Bombardier BiLevel cab car 1999101–1044
2000105–1117112–118 sold to Caltrain.[34]
2003301–3077
2017321–3299
2022330–3323[35]
Coaches
Bombardier BiLevel Coach 2000201–21313
2001214–2152
2002216–218, 227–228, 231–24015219–226 & 229–230 sold to Caltrain.[34]
2003401–41010
2022411-4188
Sources (unless noted otherwise):[36][37]

References
  1. "Transit Ridership Report Second Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. September 13, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  2. "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2022" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 1, 2023. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
  3. "Transit Development Plan 2022–2027 and 2021 Annual Report" (PDF). Sound Transit. August 25, 2022. pp. 12–14. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  4. "Sounder Commuter Rail Train Specifications". Sound Transit. 2009-07-18. Archived from the original on 2009-08-02. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
  5. "Sound Transit: Sounder Commuter Rail Schedules". Sound Transit. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  6. "Sound Transit approves four new Seattle-Tacoma round trips". Trains Magazine. 23 July 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
  7. Hall, C.B. (November 21, 2012). "Sounder train gets a lackluster start in Lakewood". Crosscut. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  8. "South Sounder line to start mid-day service in September". Seattle Times. August 30, 2016. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  9. "Sounder south gets better than ever with new trips starting 9/25". Sound Transit. August 24, 2017. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
  10. "October 2015 Ridership Summary" (PDF). www.soundtransit.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-11-07. Retrieved 2013-11-27.
  11. "Q4 2019 Service Delivery Quarterly Performance Report" (PDF). Sound Transit. February 27, 2020. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  12. Pesznecker, Scott (May 31, 2008). "Sounder begins service to Mukilteo today". Everett Herald. Everett Herald. Retrieved 2008-05-31.
  13. "Mukilteo Station". Sound Transit. 2008-02-10. Archived from the original on 2008-02-07. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
  14. 2011 SIP, page 26 Archived 2011-08-10 at the Wayback Machine
  15. "2016 Q1 Report" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-04-20. Retrieved 2018-04-20.
  16. "Mudslides continue to plague rail traffic north of Seattle". Archived from the original on 2016-05-30. Retrieved 2013-11-27.
  17. "Work starts on landslide solutions for Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor".
  18. Lynn, Adam (March 24, 2016). "Several Pierce County projects in $50 billion Sound Transit plan". The News Tribune. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  19. Luczak, Marybeth (August 6, 2021). "Sound Transit Adopts 'Realignment' Plan". Railway Age. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  20. "Sounder Extension to DuPont" (PDF). Sound Transit. July 21, 2016. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
  21. "South Sounder Capital Improvements Program" (PDF). Sound Transit. July 1, 2016. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  22. "Realigned Capital Program Pursuant to Sound Transit Board action of August 5, 2021" (PDF). Sound Transit. August 12, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  23. "Sounder South Capacity Expansion". Sound Transit. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  24. "Sounder train fares". Sound Transit. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  25. "Sound Transit to suspend fares on all transit modes until further notice" (Press release). Sound Transit. March 20, 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  26. "Reduced fare options will accompany June 1 reintroduction of fares on Link and Sounder" (Press release). Sound Transit. May 18, 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  27. "2017 Ridership".
  28. https://www.soundtransit.org/sites/default/files/documents/monthly-service-performance-report-201812.pdf
  29. https://www.apta.com/wp-content/uploads/2019-Q4-Ridership-APTA.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwivjujLs8bpAhXGr54KHfL8DH4QFjAEegQIBBAK&usg=AOvVaw2Uwd3rFLsZ9LeH_rk_7YT0
  30. "Q4 2020 Service Delivery Quarterly Performance Report" (PDF). Sound Transit. February 25, 2021. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  31. "Ridership". System performance tracker. Sound Transit. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  32. "Quarterly Ridership Report archive". Sound Transit. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
  33. "MOTION NO. M2016-123 Sounder Locomotive Overhaul Contract Amendment" (PDF). Sound Transit. December 15, 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 26, 2017. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  34. "Sound Transit Motion No. M2001-72". Sound Transit. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-06-20.
  35. "New Sounder Train Cars Arrive In Seattle". Seattle, WA Patch. 2022-08-22. Retrieved 2022-10-15.
  36. "Draft 2015 Service Implementation Plan – Appendix B: Fleet Plans" (PDF). Sound Transit. p. 112. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 November 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  37. "Two new Sounder train cars arrive for Seattle-Lakewood line". August 23, 2022.
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