Rail News October /November 200 888

www.AllAboardWashington.org

Publication of All Aboard Washington A Not ---for-forforfor----profitprofit Consumer Organization “Moving forward...On Rail ."."."

the number of hours a month engi - reauthorization and rail safety bill neers, conductors and other safety pass Congress by wide margin critical employees can work. The limit will be 276. Crew members As the flurry of activity in Congress voted yes on HR 2095 except lame -duck cannot work more than 12 hours picked up in late September amid the Larry Craig (R -Idaho). As for the presi- and must have a minimum of 10 $700 bill. bailout of the country’s financial dential can didates, Sen. Barak Obama hours off between the end of one institutions and the rush to adjourn to get (D) voted for HR 2095 while Sen. John assignment and the start of the home to campaign, the House and Se- McCain (D) voted against the bill. next (up from 8 hours). “Limbo nate managed to pass long languishing Key provisions of the rail safety part of time,” when a crew has reached bills to reauthorize Amtrak and improve HR 2095: their 12 hours on duty and is rail safety. The reauthorization, different • To prevent collisions and speeding awaiting a shuttle or being shuttled versions of which had earlier passed both most mainline tracks will be re- to their terminal, will have addition Houses by veto-proof margins, was quired to have a modern positive limits placed on it. folded into a rail safety bill that passed train control system installed by • The FRA will see a substa ntial in- the House in Oct. 2007 but had gone December 2015. PTC would have crease in field safety inspectors. nowhere in the Senate. It’s shameful that prevented the Metrolink engineer Key provisions of the Amtrak reautho - it took the horrific collision of a southern from running past a stop signal rization part HR 2095: and into the path of the oncoming • Authorizes $13.06 bill. for Amtrak UP train. The bill authorizes $250 and passenger rail programs over mill. to help the railroads imple- 5 years, including the State Capital ment PTC. The National Trans- Grant program. This is nearly portation Safety Board has had double what Congr ess has re- PTC at the top of its agenda of ur- cently been appropriating for pas - gent needed rail improvements for senger rail. Of course, the actual over a decade. The railroads, while funding must still be appropriated supporting implementation, have each year by Congress. been concerned about how to fund • installation, estimated at about Requires Amtrak to study restora - $2.3 bill. nationwide. The Associa- tion of the -Portland-Boise- tion of America Railroads has Denver - Pioneer (killed by posted a letter from AAR President Amtrak in May 1997) and the Edward Hamburger on its website Seattle -Spokane-Billings-Twin (www.aar.org) stating, in part, "The Cities -Chicago North Coast Hia- legislation sets an aggressive watha (killed by Congress in Oct. Photo by Warren Yee deadline for implementation of 1979). Senators Mike Crapo (R - Amtrak last run of the Pioneer departs positive train control across most ID), Gordon Smith (R -OR) and King St. Station for Boise, Denver and Ron Wyden (D -OR) were instru- Chicago on May 10, 1997. Note the of the rail network. The scope of the work remaining to be accom- mental in getting the Pioneer study sad face drawn locomotive by the provision in the bill. Montana Sen - crew to mark the train’s demise . plished presents a challenge to both the supply industry and the ators Max Baucus (D) and Jon California Metrolink commuter train with a railroads. Nonetheless, the freight Tester (D), and Rep. Denny Reh - Union Pacific freight train and 25 fatalities railroad industry is committed to berg (R) pushed for the North to get the rail safety bill out of Congress. doing everything it can to ensure Coast Hiawatha study provision. • The combined bill (now know as HR that PTC is implemented effec- Requires Amtrak to fully bring all 2095) passed the House on a voice vote tively and safely. We will work with its facilities into compliance with on Sept. 24 and passed the Senate 74- the Federal Railroad Administra- the Americans with Disabi lities Act. • 24 on Oct. 1. When the earlier version of tion and our partners in the transit Authorizes the Surface Transporta - the Amtrak reauthorization passed the community, at Amtrak, our suppli- tion Board to fine freight railroads House on June 11, eight of our nine rep- ers and our customers to imple- for delaying Amtrak trains . resentatives voted in favor of it. Only Doc ment the mandate." AAR has in- • Required a plan to bring the North - Hastings (R-Pasco) voted against the formation on PTC at it website. east Corridor up to a state of good reauthorization. All senators in Wash- • To address train crew fatigue is- repair by 2018. ington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana sues, the bill substantially reduces (See Amtrak, page 4)

page 2 no “cure,” (some level of traffic of high gas prices as a deterrent From the desk of congestion is inherent in economi- for excess mileage. So why is the Government cally-thriving urban places) streets sprawl bad, assuming, with Clean Affairs Director and roads would be just as Cars, no air pollution or petroleum crowded with Clean Cars as with dependency?. Again, it imposes bybyby the current petroleum-dependent, heavy costs of providing public Lloyd H. Flem air-polluting fleet. The congestion services not borne by drivers. costs in time, frustration and safety Water, sewer, u tilities: all are more Clean Cars? OK, but Insufficient; would be at least as great. (Some costly to provide when places are Freighthouse Square – 8 November argue traffic congestion would be scattered. We all pay, but not as We will not waste your time with criti- worse as at least some of the pop- drivers. But perhaps most impor - cizing those Americans whose vision for ulation of drivers who now con- tantly, scatteration causes child - our country’s transportation future would sider alternatives to driving alone ren, some elderly, some disabled, be, if they chose to put it into coherent would, “guilt-free,” slip behind the many low -income people and any thought, “The Party Never Ends.” Their wheel assured that their behavior non-driver to lose access to Party would feature: permanent cheap adds neither to air pollution nor to place s. While the car-dependent abundant gasoline, evermore pavement the economic/strategic problems of world has increased total and everyone drives everywhere. Fortu- oil imports nor the environmental MOBILITY – miles traveled – in the nately, these Party Animals, though noi- problems seen as part of domestic past half -century, ACCESS – a some, seen to be decreasing in number oil production. “I’m green; my car is more important measure – has de- and political influence. clean.” creased for all non -drivers. Clean • A big step above the Party people are Safety. Whether 20, 30 or 40 times Cars would do nothing the alleviate those who are aware of the less likely per million passenger this problem. finite nature of the petroleum There are, to their credit, supply (most of which is in the So what is missing from Clean Cars Clean Cars people who also hands of less-than-cordial as THE answer? Considerable. agree that Clean Cars alone is countries) and the negative an insufficient strategy. They impacts of tailpipe emissions from miles (the data I’ve encountered support a return to more com - petroleum-fueled motor vehicles. These vary somewhat) to be injured or pact communities, buses, biking and Clean Cars folks believe that with the killed in a train versus a car, riding walking as means of transportation, not limitation, or ideally, elimination of petrol an American intercity passenger just recreation. (Recreation – as in those as a motor-vehicle fuel, those two train is dramatically safer than urban middle -class adults who drive the environmental/economic problems would driving or riding in a private motor SUV to a fun trail – formerly a rail line? – be limited or cured and a modified Party, vehicle. Clean Cars would not be to hike or bike. Individually healthy, but essentially free of the multiple negatives inherently safer than the petro- not a positive form of transportation.) associated with oil-dependency, could leum-burning variety. Economic Most rail advocates support Clean continue. and emotional costs from the tra- Cars. And we support buses, walking, The ideal world envisioned by the gedies of transportation deaths biking and the redevelopment of neigh- Clean Cars people would seem to be as would still exact their high toll. borhoods and settlements where such many private motor vehicles as the • Public-sector costs. Private motor are practical modes of transportation. world’s population could want or afford, vehicles create massive public Intercity and urban rail accomplishes all powered by, say, (now-still-experimental) (taxpayer) costs not paid for by us of that plus safety (yes, one is also safer hydrogen fuel cells, eliminating depen- as drivers. Fuel taxes do not pay in a bus than in a car), comfort and sense dency on foreign or even domestic pe- for most city streets, police and fire of community, access for all – one needs troleum and elimination of all tailpipe services attributed to private motor bu t a ticket, not a car, truck, van or SUV, emissions except clean water vapor! vehicles. Nor do we as drivers di- or possess special levels of physical skill Clean Cars, THE answer to the economic rectly pay for the high volume of and fitness – and, with trains, PERMAN- and environmental concerns which arise valuable land given to drivers as ENCE . The alleged virtue of buses’ ability from personal transportation, right? No, “ample, free and convenient” to change routes at will is a shortcoming, only partly right! parking. Whether public land or not an advantage! Rail lines and train But Clean Cars as THE answer is ad- private land (with full tax write offs statio ns remain sited for at least dec - vocated by many who wear “green” cre- as a business expense), parking is ades. The billions in private sector in - dentials proudly. This list includes many not “free” to the larger community, vestments near train stops in Portland Democrats who were candidates for the but is a no-cost or low-cost incen- and Vancouver, BC are substantially due presidency, Republican candidate John tive to drive. Clean Cars would to investor knowledge that the trains will McCain, ex-Senator Al Gore, many bring about all the public costs, ex- be there for the future . Portland, Vancou- mainstream environmental groups, and cept air pollution damage, as do ver and…Puyallup! P arametrix, a major lots of well-meaning people who think today’s petrol-based vehicles. engineering and environmental science Clean Cars are the techno-fix that could • Sprawl, scatteration and human consulting firm, is locating its new $19 entail no real behavioral change in our isolation. Clean Cars would not mill. headquarters four blocks from the overwhelming reliance on automobility for change the tendency for urban Puyallup Sounder station explicitly be - nearly all our personal transportation. sprawl and scatteration. In fact, cause of Sounder and the access it So what is missing from Clean Cars with hydrogen cell-fueled vehicles, provides to high end employees in as THE answer? Considerable: the scatteration of human activities Seattle an d elsewhere in the heart of the • Traffic congestion. While there is could increase, with the absence (See Flem, page 4) page 3 calming function. Pacific Northwest. The View Central Link also makes MLKing Way a m uch more pedestrian friendly street Prop 1 Release 2.0 Down the because it provides more crossings and Of course, the Seattle Times has cited Tracks safe areas than before. the same old tired arguments on why to ======However, the most dangerous thing vote against Prop 1, the three county with Jim Cusick about the Metrolink incident is how many transit proposal on the November ballot . have been quick to assign blame. Until Sheesh! It’s like having someone inces - the National Transportation Safety Board santly playing that old Barney the purple The more things stay the same, finishes an exhaustive investigation, ev - dinosaur song…Aarrrrrghh! the more they change . erything else is speculation. We must Of course, I recommend voting YES wait for the investigation to finish before on this year’s Prop 1. When I first started working on my we can learn all the facts. column for this issue, I was seriously While I had been All Aboard’s voice On the other hand, it has created ur- for a yes vote on last year’s Prop 1, the worried I’d just be rehashing old stories. gency for some positive changes in the Although, in a recent conversation with a Roads & Tra nsit package, I admit I was railroad industry. These inclu de longer holding my nose when voting yes, since I reporter for the local weekly Seattle pa- rest time for train crews and better me - per, The Stranger, I had to admit that wasn’t too pleased that ’s thods of train separation, including Posi - plans were hobbled by added road there really has been progress. tive Train Control (PTC), which makes In the past few weeks, it seems the building taxes. use of the Global Positioning System This time, it’s much easier since ST2 world has drastically changed, born of a (GPS). major crisis. is all Transit. In the push for increased safety, we It will build light rail to Lynnwood, to I’m not referring to the Wall Street do have to be concerned with relying too Bailout that President Bush has signed Fe deral Way, and over the Mercer Island into law; I’m talking about bridge to Bellevue and Red - another bill that has flown un- The fact that light rail will be the one mond. It will expand Sounder der the radar, the Rail Safety thing that will actually go the posted service. If you are a transit Reform Bill which also calls advocate, this is the package for Amtrak and passenger rail speed [on MLKing Way] should provide that will accomplish much. If to receive $13 bill. over five an effective traffic calming function. you are a RAIL advocate, then years, though Congress will this is definitely the package have to separately approve the money muc h on the latest “high-tech” solution. to vote for . year after year. Now I don’t consider myself some sort Why? Well for me at least, the best This good news, unfortunately, is pri- of troglodyte, afraid of any change. After part is that there’s some serious money marily the direct result of bad news, the all, I spent 20 years in the Information to be spent on the Woodinville Sub (the head-on collision in Chatsworth, CA of a Technology industry. I love my navigation BNSF Eastside rail line) in the form of a Metrolink commuter train with a Union system and can make it work well for me. partnership with another party to build Pacific freight train. However, it does have some quirks and , not just money for more There is no way to soft-sell the bad I’d be sure it works flawlessly before I studies. What do es this mean for the news; it’s a black eye on the safety entrusted my life to it. Planes still have Woodinville Sub? Now that BNSF has record of passenger rail. trained pilots in them, even though they chosen GNP/Ballard to be the freight The recent tragic events for Metrolink practically can fly themselves. provider for the line, there remain only a had two effects. Of course, if you read as much as I few more pieces of the puzzle to com - On one hand, critics are ready to do, you are also aware of the potential of plete this picture. trumpet the safety shortcomings of rail worldwide havoc wreaked by the next With the passage of ST2 the only whenever they can. They weave this in- solar maximum cycle coming up, and the other hurdles would be putting the rails cident in with their alarmist talk about possibility of a devastating coronal mass back over I -405 in south Bellevue and to light rail in the Rainier valley. ejection (helios.gsfc.nasa.gov/cme.html) mitigate the effects of increased rail ser - Where that argument fails is that they which would certainly foul up the GPS - vice through some of the residential ignore the yearly death toll on the na- based PTC system being proposed. areas. So I suppose I could re -hash that tion's highways, which would be the Maybe afterwards I’ll come out of my argument. But let’s make nice with the equivalent of a Boeing 737 crashing two cave. folks in Kennydale. or three times a week. My point being that technology is an However, I would not consider this I think it would be appropriate now to adjunct to sound and solid basic safety “caving in” to the NIMBYs of the Kenny - go back to the argument of how safe it is practices, not a substitution for them. dale Neighborhood Association or the to run light rail at-grade in the Rainier So now we have a new railroad safety City of Renton who, during the I -405 Cor- Valley. The rather interesting thing about bill and along with that passenger rail is ridor Program, were the ones that effec - that is that MLKing Way had always been going to get the $13 bill. in funding it’s tively derailed this comm ute option. used as a high speed bypass for a been asking for. However it made it all Instead I see this as a way to improve clogged I-5, where the posted speed lim- this way isn’t the point; the point is that the situation for the residents of that its were regularly ignored and pedestr- what regular citizens have been arguing area. The rail line currently has numer - ians were in constant peril. for all this time is finally being recognized ous grade crossings that require the When Central Link begins operation by the powers -that-be. sounding of train horns, fouling the audio next July, the fact that light rail will be the Now it’s time to argue about the best environment, and high -tension trunk lines one thing that will actually go the posted way to spen d the money and I know All fo r power distribution, fouling the visual speed should provide an effective traffic Aboard has some great plans for the (See Cusick, page 4) page 4 Lakewood and then on to Nisqually to Foundation, Paul Weyrich. Weyrich, in rega in the BNSF mainline. Though most particular, stresses the social conserva - everyone you talk with is opposed to tive and “civilizing “benefits of passenger moving Amtrak from the scenic Pt. trains. Quote Weyrich, if you encounter Defiance line, WSDOT, Amtrak and those who argue support for public pas - BNSF claim the line along senger train investments is “left -wing Commencement Bay and the Tacoma nonsense.” Narrows is too congested to handle The object of this somewhat professo - additional Amtrak trains. The main rial essay is to demonstrate that Clean problem is the single track Nelson Cars, if and when they become reasona - Bennett tunnel under Pt. Defiance. bly availabl e, will help solve just two Photo by Jim Hamre Moving Amtrak service to the bypass line problems associated with auto -depen- will allow the eventual addition of two dency – petroleum demand and tailpipe Lakewood Station opens more Seattle -Portland round-trips. For emissions. Clean Cars alone cannot A rainy Sept. 27 marked the more information on USDOT’s grant decrease the many other faults of a world dedication of the new Lakewood Station distribution: www.dot.gov/affairs/ built for private motor vehicles. Rail ad - Transit Center. The facility, located in the dot14208.htm vocates, and yes, bus, bike and ped e- 11400 block of Pacific Hwy SW, boasts a Separately, WSDOT is designing the strian advocates, must join the chorus multi-story park and ride garage and a improvements needed between that Clean Cars are OK, but insufficient bus transit center for , Lakewood Station and Nisqually. For to recreate the fully livable communities Sound Transit and . construction , work will be combined with most Americans say they want. Then we Above is the Sounder platform, finished Sound Transit improvements north of must assertively advocate for invest - but still awaiting extension of Sounder Lakewood Station. For information on ments in passenger trains and other service south from Freighthouse WSDOT’s project: www.wsdot.wa.gov/ means of human access , not just for Square/. Sounder projects/rail/pnwrc_ptdefiance more automobility, even the clean kind. is expected to finally reach Lakewood in ☯☯☯☯☯☯☯ early 2012. In the interim, Sound Transit is provided a dedicated bus shuttle Amtrak, from page 1 Don’t forget to lend you support to between Lakewood Station and • Creates a National Transportation our annual silent auction fundraiser at Freighthouse Square. Route 599 Safety Board office to assist the 8 November meeting in Tacoma. connects with all 16 Sounder trips each families of passengers following See the article on page 6 for ways you weekday. rail disasters. can help All Aboard Washington. Extending Sounder service to While President Bush has continually Lakewood is years behind schedule pledged to veto any and all Amtrak because of the complexity of building the reauthorizations unless they contain the Cusick, from page 3 needed track connection from administration’s version of “reform,” the environment. Freighthouse Square to the former BNSF White has indicated Bush will sign HR I think it’s important for advocates Lakeview line (now owned by Sound 2095. such All Aboard to be involved with Transit). The two main issues have been As for fiscal year 2009 appropriations, making this commuter line one of the the steep grade (approaching 3%) and President Bush o n Sept. 30 signed a positive environmental changes to hap - how to cross Pacific Ave. Various Continuing Resolution that will fund many pen in this area. business groups and city leaders in federal government programs (including While we’ve had many successes, we Tacoma have had objections to every Amtrak) at 2008 levels until March 6, still have more work to do. plan Sound Transit has presented. 2009. Final decisions on Fiscal 2009 I suppose the more things change, the Finally, the city has agreed to a grade (which began Oct. 1) spending are left to more they stay the same. separation at Pacific Ave. that will require the next Congress and the new lowering that street. presiden t. Passenger rail advocates Tudor, from page 5 Due to inflation and the increased cost continue to urge adoption of a $1.9 bill. votes in the primary where incumbent of a grade separation, the track appropriation for Amtrak and the State Democrat Christine Gregoire and Repub - connection is still short about $50 mill. Capital Grant program, up from 2008’s lican Dino Rossi were easily the top two, The project did get a boost on Sept. 30 $1.3 bill. thus vying for our state’s top office in the when the USDOT announced its general ele ction. distribution of grant money from the $30 Flem, from page 2 We hope Chris continues his interest mill. appropriated by Congress this year Puget Sound metropo lis. Added proof in and commitment to public service and to match state investments in intercity that passenger train lines create positive runs for elective office in the future. passenger rail service. This is the first economic development today, just as time the federal government has stepped they did in decades past. up to the plate to partner with states to And, finally, we must not forget that fund passenger rail improvements. The most people simply prefer trains to buses track connection project received the and will switch from their cars, including biggest grant awarded by USDOT: $6 Clean Cars, to trains more readily than to mill. The intercity passenger rail rubber -tired transit. No person makes a component is the plan by Amtrak and better case for passenger trains, particu - Washington State DOT to reroute Amtrak larly in urban areas, than the arch - service from the Pt. Defiance Line to this conservative head of the Free Congress line from Freighthouse Square to page 5 Our All Aboard Washington confe- both freight rail and passenger rail. rence, Earth As Only a Railroad Can In Leavenworth, the city is tying to- Make It: The World and Environmental gether all the communities. Sustainability, is coming up on October The Icicle Station project is now going 25 at the State History Museum in Ta- well, though it has taken several years of coma. All members received program working with BNSF to reach the point and registration information in the mail. where final design could begin. HNTB, Though the early registration deadline the city’s consultant, is ready to present has passed it’s not too late to sign up. the 35% design to Amtrak and BNSF. Complete information and a registration Environmental review is complete and form can be found at AllAboardWashing permitting underway. The design will be ton.org. Here is the updated program: Photo by Jim Hamre finished in January 2009. Groundbreak- The Sept. 13 All Aboard Washington ing is planned for March with the station 08:30-09:30: Registration and Coffee meeting was held in the faux-Bavarian opening in September 2009. The city has 09:30: Welcoming Remarks and Intro- village of Leavenworth. Mayor (and financial commitments of $800,000 but ductions AAWA board member) Rob Eaton was still needs about $300,000. A public 09:45: Special Keynote: The Honora- our host and featured speaker. After the $100,000 grant campaign has been ble Bill Richardson, Governor of New meeting we visited the site of the future launched to help close the funding gap. Mexico (invited), “How the Rail Runner Icicle Station, soon to be a stop on Am- trak’s premier national network train, the is Saving New Mexico” . (Above, Eaton leads a 10:45: Coffee and Break tour of the site, about a mile from down- 11:00: Keynote: Cesar Vergara, Inter- town Leavenworth, after our meeting.) national Rail Designer (confirmed), The theme of Eaton’s presentation “Why America Still Fails to Get Rail- was Rail in the Community. How does roads Right” rail intersect with the community, he 12:00: Lunch asked. 01:15: Expert Panel on Railroad Policy • Environmental community: there Moderator, Dave Ross, KIRO are major environmental benefits Photo by Jim Hamre News Radio, Seattle (confirmed) to rail and a strong relationship Chris Tudor, above at left, Indepen- Jonathan Hutchison, Amtrak with this group is needed. dent candidate for governor speaks at Public Affairs (West), (confirmed) • Housing community: affordable the All Aboard Washington annual picnic Lloyd Flem, Government Af- “workforce housing” is needed in Puyallup on Aug. 9. near train and rail transit stations, fairs, All Aboard Washington Important elected officials, transporta- (confirmed) Transit Oriented Development • tion administrators and political candi- Rob Eaton, Mayor, Leaven- Business Community: rail allows dates have been among those featured worth, Washington (confirmed) employees to get to work more re- as guests at our meetings. In 2004 sev- Deb Wallace, WA State House liably at a lower cost; private in- eral major party candidates for governor of Representatives (confirmed) vestment in infrastructure con- were guests. This year we had Chris Tu- Dan Swecker, WA State Senate struction around stations improves dor join us and share his vision for our (confirmed) the entire community. state. Tudor felt health care, education • 02:45: coffee and break Legislative Community: provides and transportation were key issues, and 03:00-04:00: Panel Resumes government support for the rail delivered well-thought positions on these. 04:00: Summation, Anthony Trifiletti, system and other pubic infrastruc- Importantly, more than any other candi- ture. President, All Aboard Washington date, Chris advocated increased invest- • Freight Rail Community: we need (confirmed) ment in passenger trains as being an im- to always strengthen relationships 04:30: Conference Concludes portant part of our state’s future. with the freight railroads; improve- Tudor received a modest number of ments to their infrastructure benefit (See Tudor, page 4)

All Aboard Washington Officers Important Addresses and Phone Numbers Chuck Mott, Mukilteo..Chairman ...... 425 710-9665 ... [email protected] U. S. House of Representatives: Tony Trifiletti, Shoreline..President ...... 206 440-9451 ... [email protected] Washington, DC 20515 Jim Hamre, Puyallup..Vice President ...... 253 848-2473 ... [email protected] U. S. Senate: Washington, DC 20510 Rocky Shay, Federal Way..Secretary ...... 253 925-2085 ... [email protected] Capitol Switchboard (all members): 202 224-3121 John Carlin, Edmonds..Treasurer ...... 425 778-4529 ... [email protected] State Legislature: State Capitol, Olympia 98504 Al Runte, Seattle..Executive Director ...... 206 525-3608 ... [email protected] Hotline for leaving messages: 800 562-6000 Lloyd Flem, Olympia.. Government Affairs Director ...... 360 943-8333 ... [email protected] Amtrak Reservations/Information: 800 872-7245 Office FAX ...... 360 943-0136 Address ...... 3704 22 nd Ave SE, Olympia 98501 All Aboard Washington: AllAboardWashington.org NARP: www.narprail.org Jim Hamre, Puyallup..Newsletter Editor .....253 848-2473 ... [email protected] NARP Hotline: www.narprail.org/cms/index.php/hotline/ Warren Yee, Seattle..E-newsletter ...... 206 723-0259 Jonathan ... [email protected] Hutchison, Amtrak Public Affairs Amtrak: www.amtrak.com 12:30 (West),Jonathan (confirmed) Hutchison,Luncheon AmtrakSpeaker: Public Brock Affairs Nelson, (West),Amtrak Director (confirmed) Cascades: of Public www.amtrakcascades.com Affairs, Union All are evening numbers, except Lloyd's, which is available 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily. Sound Transit: www.soundtransit.org page 6

All Aboard News NOTICE OF ELECTION OF DIRECTORS OF ALL ABOARD WASHINGTON ALL ABOARD WASHINGTON will elect a new Board of Directors consisting of November 8 : All Aboard Washington seventeen members. Each member of All Aboard Washington who is of sound annual general membership meeting and mind and legal age is entitled to run for the office of Director and file a Declaration board elections at the Phoenix Room in of Candidacy by November 1, 2008. The Declaration of Candidacy shall be in Freighthouse Square in Tacoma, 430 E. writing and shall include the full name and mailing address of the candidate and 25th St. The Phoenix Room is on the must be delivered by mail, email or otherwise to Rocky Shay, Secretary, 820 SW main floor at the east end of the building, 356th St., Federal Way, WA 98023. (For Shay telephone and email information, a quarter mile from the Amtrak Station see page 5.) If no more than seventeen candidates have duly filed for Director by and adjacent to the Tacoma Dome 8 PM, November 1, 2008, all candidates who have filed Declarations of Candidacy Transit Station. We will also have our will be deemed elected, and the election will be canceled. annual silent auction fund raiser (see If an election is required, such election shall occur at the General Membership article, this page) as this location Meeting commencing at 12:30 PM at the Phoenix Room, Freighthouse Square, provides more space than Centennial 430 E. 25th St., Tacoma, WA on November 8, 2008. Each active member of All Station. Auction will start at 11:30, with Aboard Washington (i.e., whose dues are current) is entitled to be present and the program starting at 12:30. From the vote for up to seventeen candidates for Director. The new Board shall take office north, use trains 513 and 516 to and from on January 1, 2009. the meeting; from the south, use trains At the General Membership Meeting, Directors-elect shall randomly draw for 500 and 507. Lunch is available on your terms of one, two, or three years, said terms to begin on January 1, 2009. The own at the food court. terms of Board Positions #1 through #7 shall expire on December 31, 2009; Board December 13: All Aboard Washington Positions #8 through #12 on December 31, 2010; Board Positions #13 through gathering at 11:45 a.m. at Centennial #17 on December 31, 2011. Thereafter, Directors shall be elected for three year Station, 6600 Yelm Hwy SE, Lacey. terms, as the one, two, and three year terms of those elected in 2008 shall expire. Meeting is timed between the arrival of trains 11 and 500 and the departure of Silent Auction Time! family to bid and buy. This is an impor- trains 507 and 516. Cost is $10 cash or Do you have items to donate to our tant fundraiser for our organization. check for pizza and beverages. fourth annual All Aboard Washington To deliver your items or arrange to All Aboard Washington welcomed the fol- silent auction? It will be held at our Nov. have them picked up prior to the meeting lowing new members in July, August and 8 meeting at Freighthouse Square in Ta- contact the person nearest you: Warren September: Martha Schmidt, Seattle; Ro- coma (see left). Your donations surely Yee (Seattle), Lloyd and Darleen Flem bert Hollowell, Seattle; Webb Thomsen, can, but need not be, railroad parapher- (Olympia), Jim Hamre (Puyallup). Con- Bellevue; Howard Henry, Bellevue; Robert nalia (books, videos, souvenirs, time- tact information is on page 5. Riopelle, Shoreline; Stephen Mishkin, tables). You can also donate services Thank you for your commitment and Olympia; Terry Nakano, Seattle; Robert that you provide. Or go out and solicit generosity! Kleier, Olympia; Oran Viriyincy, Bothell; W. items or gift certificates from your local Mike Weber, Cincinnati, OH. merchants. And save your dollars to bid King St. Station update: A City of Seat- All Aboard Washington members contri- on all the great items. This is a good tle contractor has started roof replace- buting to this newsletter include: Rob place to do your Christmas shopping! We ment and the clocks on the tower have Eaton, Warren Yee, Darleen Flem, Lloyd would like to have as many items as been restored to working order! A full re- Flem, Tony Trifiletti, Al Runte and Jim possible ahead of time, but you are cer- port will be in the next newsletter. Visit Cusick. tainly welcome to bring your items to the the city’s website: www.seattle.gov/ auction on Nov. 8. Invite your friends and transportation/kingstreet.htm.

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