King Street Station renovation

GN-Z-phile Sep 2, 2009

  1. GN-Z-phile

    GN-Z-phile TrainBoard Member

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    New photos of King Street Station

    Delayed by a computer crash (and subsequent replacement of that computer) I've just finished posting a series of photos of the renovations being made to Seattle's King Street Station.

    Enjoy!

    Mike
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 19, 2009
  2. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Sure looks a lot better than it did, a couple of decades back. When I was there last year, the transcients, etc, did not seem to be as obvious in that vicinity. Perhaps they'll get it all revitalized around the area. So people can walk around the stations, and waterfront as they once could enjoy it all- Back when I was a boy.

    Boxcab E50
     
  3. Larry777

    Larry777 TrainBoard Member

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    This is excellent news. I trainwatched at King Street Station in the mid-fifties. As early as around 1951, I stood with my mother on the viaduct at 4th and Jackson Street and waited for the #42 Empire Way bus that would take us home to Columbia City. In those days, steam locomotives were right beneath us and when they smoked it up, you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. I was born at Harborview Hospital (which overlooks King Street Station) and for a time, lived within sight of the station clock which I could see from my bedroom window. And that is sometimes how my brother and I knew what time it was...
     
  4. Metro Red Line

    Metro Red Line TrainBoard Member

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    I was in Seattle in May and took the Cascades train to Vancouver for a couple days (actually the NB train was sold out so I had to take the bus :( - but I got to take the train going SB back to Seattle. Not the Talgo one though :( :(

    But I did see the a small section of the original ceiling. It's encouraging to know that train stations all over the country are being restored to their original lustre.
     
  5. Metro Red Line

    Metro Red Line TrainBoard Member

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    It's less of a dead area now. You have Safeco and and Qwest Field next door with baseball, football and soccer fans spilling out into the nearby restaurants and bars. Some of those fans might be taking the train in. You also have daily commuters from the Sounder trains, and the nearby bus tunnel and now the light rail.
     
  6. gregamer

    gregamer TrainBoard Supporter

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    I went up to check out the renovation tonight and this is what I saw:

    [​IMG]
    The exterior looks great!

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    When you first walk in, the walls and ceilings of the Compass Room and the adjacent waiting room are exposed, but in need of restoration.

    [​IMG]
    The main lobby is still a "modernized" dump.

    The main interior renovation is set to begin in early 2010.

    Looks like I'll have to go back.
     
  7. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    I was disappointed by the KSS's looks when I went thru in Jun 2009. IOt is coming along, though! The exterior looks great!
     
  8. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Looks the same as when I was there, summer of 2008.

    Boxcab E50
     
  9. GN-Z-phile

    GN-Z-phile TrainBoard Member

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    More King Street Station renovation photos

    I have posted some more photos of the King Street renovation (spurred on by Greg having recently posted some night-shots). I rather like the view along the actual King Street in the "International District" (or "Chinatown") with the station tower in the distance.
     
  10. GNFA310

    GNFA310 TrainBoard Supporter

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    I wonder what it will look like in September... :tb-err: ... the interior that is...:tb-cool:

    Wife and I will be making our return trip to Chicago on the EB then... :tb-biggrin:
     
  11. Glenn Woodle

    Glenn Woodle TrainBoard Member

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    Not sure if some stimulus/HSR money has been awarded to both Seattle & Portland for renovations to the stations & other upgrades to the service there. Appears to be some good news for the region!
     
  12. GN-Z-phile

    GN-Z-phile TrainBoard Member

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    Stimulus - yep

    The Cascade Corridor does indeed have some stimulus money coming, $590-million worth, according to this Seattle Times story:

    http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010910788_highspeedrail28m.html

    Specific to King Street Station, the story says seismic retrofitting of the station is among the upgrades.

    When we get to see the waiting room ceiling in all its glory again is another story.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 29, 2010
  13. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Getting rid of that dropped ceiling will be a massive improvement. The place will once again feel grand. I wish this would happen soon!

    Boxcab E50
     
  14. MOPMAN

    MOPMAN TrainBoard Member

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    I noticed the drop ceiling in the interior shots. It looks like ____ (you fill in the blank).
     
  15. GN-Z-phile

    GN-Z-phile TrainBoard Member

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    KSS suspended ceiling suspended no more!

    I was near the King Street Station early Sunday. If I had known the ceiling looked like this, I would have stopped in:

    http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/archives/214409.asp

    Train stations beat airports and bus stations (except maybe Vancouver, BC's Pacific Central Station - but that's a combined train- and bus- station anyway) all to heck!
     
  16. Kurt Moose

    Kurt Moose TrainBoard Member

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    That is so awesome!! Gonna' look great once they patch the holes and all! I was there about 3 weeks ago and they were starting to rip out the escalator up to King Street, so they can put the grand stair case back in. gonna' be nice!
     
  17. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Haven't seen that since I was a youth. You could catch a tiny glimpse at the edge of one area and dream of what was hidden.

    I may be riding the Builder west again in coming months. Will enjoy seeing these views in person.

    Boxcab E50
     
  18. Larry777

    Larry777 TrainBoard Member

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    Renovating King Street Station

    When I was a child in the early fifties, King Street Station had a cafeteria and, I believe, a restaurant. Wonder if that will go back in? The news stand at King Street Station is also where I bought my first copy of "Trains" back in the fifties. It was fifty cents per copy and Model Railroader was thirty-five cents. In those days, when kids were in the station, the employees made sure that when you left, you had a paper "engineer's cap" on your head. Steam was just about gone by then but it was an exciting place to be.
     
  19. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Larry-

    Remember when the model railraod club still had it's layout in the station? I am trying to recall what that room housed so many years beforehand. Seems like it would have been too small for the restaurant. But it's been fifty some odd years since this little boy was awe struck by that place.

    Boxcab E50
     
  20. Kurt Moose

    Kurt Moose TrainBoard Member

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    That layout was NICE!! I walked into that room with my Dad back about 1980 or '81, and was awestruck!! I really started into model trains after that! :rolleyes:
     

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