Major construction activities are under way at Amtrak’s King Street Yard in Seattle, where crews recently began building the foundation for a new nearly 100,000 square foot maintenance facility that Amtrak said will help improve service and support the introduction of new Airo trainsets from Siemens Mobility in the Pacific Northwest.
The upgraded King Street Yard “will enable modern, more efficient maintenance practices, and support the introduction of new, state-of-the-art Amtrak Airo trainsets that will enter service first on the Amtrak Cascades route in 2026, along with maintenance for trains on the long-distance routes (Coast Starlight and Empire Builder) that operate out of this yard,” Amtrak noted. Upon completion in 2027, the modernized rail yard will feature a new two-bay Maintenance and Inspection facility and a new Service and Cleaning bay “that provide the foundations for a world-class maintenance yard.”
Immediately after awarding the construction contract last summer, Amtrak and its contractor began early pre-construction activities such as relocating buildings and railcar equipment before grading the property to prepare for pile driving necessary to provide proper building stabilization. By the end of 2025, Amtrak expects to conclude pile driving and mass excavation at the site, before beginning to erect a pre-engineered metal building in early 2026.
“The Pacific Northwest is a key priority for Amtrak, with the popular Amtrak Cascades line between Seattle, Portland, Vancouver, B.C. and points in between, as well as our long-distance Coast Starlight and Empire Builder trains connecting the region,” said Amtrak President Roger Harris. “This critical investment will help us meet growing customer demand for a new era of rail with brand new trains that will upgrade safety, reliability, and comfort.”
Amtrak added that similar investments are under construction or soon to be under way at six Amtrak rail yards around the country. Construction is under way in Seattle and Philadelphia; contracts were recently awarded for Boston and Washington, D.C.; procurement is under way for improvements in New York City; and planning is progressing for Albany/Rensselaer, N.Y. “While not visible to guests on their Amtrak journey, these upgrades are necessary to support the new Amtrak Airo equipment coming to more than a dozen routes over the coming years,” Amtrak said. Amtrak Airo equipment is configured as integrated trainsets, “and these new rail yard facilities will help create a consistent maintenance system that improves efficiencies and reduces turnaround times during repairs or inspections.”
