Seattle, WA: King Street and Union Stations

King Street: (Satellite, 618 photos)

Union: (Satellite, 627 photos)

On the left is Union Station and on the right is King Street Station. Amtrak now uses King Street Station. If you know which historical railroad used which station, please leave a comment. (Update: Dennis Hogan explained: "Union Station: Union Pacific and Milwaukee Road / King St. Station: Great Northern and Northern Pacific.")

Street View, Feb 2023

Note that Seattle has both 1950s-style trolleys and streetcars. Is this the only town in the USA with trolleys?

Street View, Feb 2023

James Maxwell posted three photos with the comment: "Wandered over to see Union Station while waiting for #8. What a grand hall and a loss for the rail traveling public. Sound Transit does well in keeping it up."

Glenn Olsen: The entire right of way south of the station has been built over.

David Lee: Glenn Olsen since 22 years ago.

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On a topo map, there were a lot of tracks going south from the stations, but nothing going north. The tracks going south are labeled Union Pacific, Milwaukee and Northern Pacific. But I know that Great Northern and Northern Pacific approached Seattle from the north because I have notes on their bridges across the Lake Washington Ship Canal.

1949/1969 Seattle South Quad @ 24,000

So, I followed some tracks north and found Seattle South Portal. Then I followed some tracks south along the coast until I found the North Portal. Those tracks are labelled GN and NP on the topo map. The north portal is near the upper-left corner of the above excerpt.

Hans-Christian Kasper posted five photos with the comment: "Here we are inside Seattle’s King Street Station on Tuesday 25 June 2024 (as your photographer waits to board the 4:55 p.m. Empire Builder to Chicago)…"

Hans-Christian Kasper shared with the same comment

Carla Forgey: they restored the depot and found a false ceiling and opened it to discover a beautiful ceiling. This over 10 years ago. [I'm glad Amtrak is no longer content with the Amshacks.]

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