Light rail suspended from Capitol Hill to SODO and Capitol Hill to Judkins Park due to derailment
Loading...
By
Seattle Times transportation reporter
An overnight train derailment, only the second known derailment during Sound Transit light rail passenger service, has suspended service on the 1 Line from Capitol Hill Station to Sodo Station and the 2 Line from Capitol Hill Station to Judkins Park Station.
No passengers were aboard the train when it derailed at the International District/Chinatown Station around midnight. As of 10 a.m. Sunday, trains still weren’t serving downtown Seattle, and shuttle buses continued to move travelers between Capitol Hill, downtown, Judkins Park and Sodo stations. Workers were trying to remove some bolts that were sheared within the trackway during the derailment, spokesperson Rachelle Cunningham said.
At the time of the derailment, the train was maneuvering to help clear the last of the concertgoers leaving an Ed Sheeran show. It was going in the northbound tracks and crossing over toward the southbound platform of International District/Chinatown Station to pick up people for the southbound 1 Line to SeaTac and Federal Way, Cunningham said.
There was no damage to overhead power lines, though workers with lift trucks did have to de-energize those wires for safety while trying to restore train service.
There were about two trainloads of concert fans trying to leave when the breakdown happened, she said. The lead railcar went off the track at low speed, and the whole four-car train wound up blocking both directions below the International District/Chinatown Station plaza.
The incident once again illustrated Sound Transit’s need to add a downtown crossover track — as recommended by outside experts, either there or at Pioneer Square Station — so all four downtown stations would not need to be closed. For the past several months, standard protocol has been to turn back some or all incoming trains at Capitol Hill, Sodo and Judkins Park to avoid dead-ending them downtown when one or both tracks are blocked.
Advertising
A Reddit user posted a photo of a train off the tracks at International District station, adding that “an out of service train ran off the tracks.”
The gates at International District/Chinatown Station were still closed as a crew below performed some tasks with the overhead power lines directly above the southbound tracks.
Shuttle buses arrived mostly full from Capitol Hill, where King County Metro took people either to Sodo to catch a train south or to Judkins Park Station to catch a train east. One rider screamed and cried at security guards along 5th Avenue South about a miscommunication at Capitol Hill Station. They were traveling to the University District but wound up on a bus to International District/Chinatown.
This was only the second known derailment during Sound Transit light rail passenger service. The other was in November 2009, when a train operator entered a track section next to the Sodo maintenance yard while the switches weren’t aligned yet, causing a 50-minute commuter delay and some equipment damage.
Transit rider Laura Bell-Allred encountered a tougher commute after her overnight shift in the UW Medical Center. She had to get a train at UW Station, step off at Capitol Hill, then ride a shuttle bus to International District/Chinatown’s plaza and find a different shuttle bus east to Judkins Park. But it was only the second time she recalls her light rail trips being disrupted. “They always make sure they have a plan,” she said. “I think they’re doing the best they can.”
Advertising
A King County Metro supervisor, in yellow uniform, was guiding people individually to catch the right shuttle bus. They were arriving mostly full from Capitol Hill and downtown stops in the 8 a.m. hour.
Sound Transit reported that shuttle buses are available from Capitol Hill Station to SODO Station and Judkins Park Station to Downtown Redmond Station to replace the light rail services between those stops.
1 Line trains are still running from Lynnwood City Center Station to Capitol Hill Station and from SODO Station to Downtown Federal Way Station, but with adjustments to the platforms. In addition, some 1 trains may turn back at SODO.
Between Lynnwood and Capitol Hill, trains will be using the platform to Lynnwood. Between Capitol Hill and SODO, trains will be using the platform to Federal Way. Between Judkins Park and Downtown Redmond, trains will be using the platform to the International District, according to Sound Transit.
2 Line trains are still running from Judkins Park Station to Downtown Redmond Station. Some trains may turn back at Judkins Park.
1 Line shuttle bus locations:
- Capitol Hill:
- To Federal Way: E John St & Broadway
- Westlake:
- To Lynnwood: 3rd Ave & Pine St
- To Federal Way: Pine St & 5th Ave
- Symphony:
- To Lynnwood: 3rd Ave & Union St
- To Federal Way: 3rd Ave & Union St
- Pioneer Square:
- To Lynnwood: 3rd Ave & James St
- To Federal Way: 3rd Ave & James St
- Symphony
- To Lynnwood: 3rd Ave & Union St
- To Federal Way: 3rd Ave & Union St
- Pioneer Square
- To Lynnwood: 3rd Ave & James St
- To Federal Way: 3rd Ave & James St
- Int’l District/Chinatown
- To Lynnwood: 3rd Ave S & S Jackson St
- To Federal Way: 5th Ave S & S Weller St
- Stadium
- To Lynnwood: SODO Busway & S Royal Brougham Way
- To Federal Way: SODO Busway & S Royal Brougham Way
- SODO
- To Lynnwood: SODO Busway & Lander St
- To Federal Way: SODO Busway & S Lander
2 Line shuttle bus locations:
- Capitol Hill:
- To Judkins Park: E John St & Broadway
- Westlake:
- To Lynnwood: 3rd Ave & Pine St
- To Judkins Park: Pine St & 5th Ave
- Symphony:
- To Lynnwood: 3rd Ave & Union St
- To Judkins Park: 3rd Ave & Union St
- Pioneer Square:
- To Lynnwood: 3rd Ave & James St
- To Judkins Park: 3rd Ave & James St
- Symphony
- To Lynnwood: 3rd Ave & Union St
- To Judkins Park: 3rd Ave & Union St
- Pioneer Square
- To Lynnwood: 3rd Ave & James St
- To Judkins Park: 3rd Ave & James St
- Int’l District/Chinatown:
- To Judkins Park Station: 5th Ave S & S King St
More travel options are available from Sound Transit here.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Check back for updates.
Mike Lindblom: 206-515-5631 or mlindblom@seattletimes.com. Mike Lindblom is a transportation reporter at The Seattle Times.
Make us a preferred sourceSee more Seattle Times content on Google
Most Read Local Stories
- Unprecedented WA wildfire weather fans flames raging into Spokane
- Seattle City Hall rarely runs smoothly. This week it hit a low
- Shon Barnes receiving over $590K to step down as Seattle's police chief
- Blue Angels air show canceled Saturday at Seafair due to wind
- Thousands evacuate in Spokane as wildfire crosses river into city
Posting comments is now limited to subscribers only. View subscription offers here. For more information, visit our FAQ's.
The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times.
Recommended in
Loading...
Advertising
Read Original at The Seattle Times →