Uploaded November 2022 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
BNSF's Seattle Subdivision is known for some of the best scenery in the Pacific Northwest. For approximately 15 miles from Tacoma to Nisqually, the Seattle Subdivision runs along the banks of the Puget Sound, providing some spectacular running. Along with the usual freight traffic on the line, Amtrak trains traversed this section enroute to Seattle and Portland. With increased freight and passenger traffic over the years, Amtrak trains were frequently held up on this section of line, causing lengthy delays.
The solution, was transferring all passenger traffic to the Point Defiance Bypass. Owned and rehabilitated by Sound Transit, this far less scenic route provides about 10 minutes of saved running time between Olympia and Tacoma. Originally opened in mid-Decmber 2017, the crash and derailment of Amtrak 501 in DuPont put a quick end to trains running on the line, and all trains reverted back to the shore route for the time being.
From December of 2017 to November of 2021, Amtrak trains continued to run on the shore route. Finally on Thursday, November 18th 2021, Amtrak trains returned to the Point Defiance Bypass, ending the many years of running on the shore route. Today marks one year of the switchover, so I thought it would be fitting to look back at a route that once was for passenger trains.
All locations listed in the video.
Thanks for watching! | Video and Content by MichaelLovesTrains 2022
BNSF's Seattle Subdivision is known for some of the best scenery in the Pacific Northwest. For approximately 15 miles from Tacoma to Nisqually, the Seattle Subdivision runs along the banks of the Puget Sound, providing some spectacular running. Along with the usual freight traffic on the line, Amtrak trains traversed this section enroute to Seattle and Portland. With increased freight and passenger traffic over the years, Amtrak trains were frequently held up on this section of line, causing lengthy delays.
The solution, was transferring all passenger traffic to the Point Defiance Bypass. Owned and rehabilitated by Sound Transit, this far less scenic route provides about 10 minutes of saved running time between Olympia and Tacoma. Originally opened in mid-Decmber 2017, the crash and derailment of Amtrak 501 in DuPont put a quick end to trains running on the line, and all trains reverted back to the shore route for the time being.
From December of 2017 to November of 2021, Amtrak trains continued to run on the shore route. Finally on Thursday, November 18th 2021, Amtrak trains returned to the Point Defiance Bypass, ending the many years of running on the shore route. Today marks one year of the switchover, so I thought it would be fitting to look back at a route that once was for passenger trains.
All locations listed in the video.
Thanks for watching! | Video and Content by MichaelLovesTrains 2022
