Date:  Thursday, November 12, 2009

Contact:
Kirk Fredrickson, Project Manager, 360-705-7939
Vickie Sheehan, Communications, 360-705-7904

OLYMPIA – Passenger rail service is returning to the community of Stanwood/Camano Island for the first time in 38 years thanks to a new rail station completed by the Washington State Department of Transportation and Amtrak. This new station will allow Amtrak Cascades train service to make two morning and two evening stops daily in Stanwood.

The Washington State Department of Transportation will host a Stanwood Station grand opening celebration on Saturday, Nov. 21 with the arrival of the first Amtrak Cascades train at 9:03 a.m. Honorary guests expected to attend include Senator Mary Margaret Haugen and Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond. The public and media are invited to attend.

“The opening of this new station could not come at a better time with the 2010 Olympics right around the corner. Not only does the new stop give the community of Stanwood/Camano Island access to Amtrak Cascades intercity passenger rail service, which means more travel options to Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, BC., but it provides Olympics-bound travelers another option for getting on board Amtrak Cascades to Vancouver, BC,” said Paula Hammond, Washington Transportation Secretary.”

“This has been a long time coming, and it’s going to make a huge difference for so many people in so many ways -- time, energy, environment, quality of life,” Senate Transportation Committee Chairwoman Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island said. “The benefits extend not just to Stanwood but to the surrounding communities, including Camano Island. Everywhere I go, people are talking about the train station.”

Great Northern Railroad operated passenger rail service to Stanwood until 1971. The Stanwood Station project provides additional transportation options for Stanwood and Camano Island residents and it is expected to boost the Stanwood-area tourism industry and spur local economic development near the station.

The $5 million project was funded by the state of Washington. It is located on the corner of 271st Street NW and the BNSF main line tracks in downtown Stanwood.

The station was constructed by Interwest Construction of Burlington. Work on the station began in April 2009 and was completed under budget in mid November.

Stanwood Station is an unstaffed platform and will not have any ticketing capabilities. However, passengers have several different options for making reservations and purchasing tickets:

• Tickets can be purchased at staffed stations or at a station with a Quik Trak Self-Servicing kiosk. For a list of staffed stations or stations with Quik Trak capabilities, visit Amtrak.com.
• Reservations may be made and paid in advance by visiting Amtrak.com online or by calling (800) USA-RAIL.
• Reservations made and purchased online or by phone can be mailed to passengers if purchased at least ten days in advance of travel or may be picked up at a staffed station or a station with a Quik Trak machine.
• Passengers with a reservation confirmation number can also get their tickets onboard from the train conductor.

Also, passengers riding between Stanwood and Vancouver, B.C. will also qualify for the 25% discount on Amtrak Cascades fares to and from Vancouver that is available until December 31, 2009.

Amtrak Cascades is operated by Amtrak in partnership with the Washington and Oregon Departments of Transportation. For Amtrak Cascades fares and schedules, visit www.AmtrakCascades.com.

- 30 -

WSDOT keeps people, businesses and the economy moving by operating and improving the state's transportation systems. To learn more about what we're doing, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/news for pictures, videos, news and blogs. Real time traffic information is available at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic or by dialing 5-1-1.

< Go Back