Construction firm PCL has secured the contract to design and build major rail yard upgrades for Amtrak’s King Street Yard in Seattle, according to a news release.
The $300 million project, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, will modernize maintenance operations, supporting the introduction of new Amtrak Airo trains set to enter service in 2026.
The upgrades include construction of a new two-bay maintenance and inspection facility, as well as a new service and cleaning bay. That should improve the ability of the yard to maintain Amtrak Cascades trains, long distance routes and Sound Transit’s Sounder commuter trains, according to the release.
Additional infrastructure improvements involve the relocation of existing facilities, upgrades to utilities and the creation of more space to store train maintenance materials, according to the release.
Amtrak plans to maintain regular service throughout the project. PCL will work within the rail yard’s existing footprint, south of the Stadium District in Seattle.
The facility will operate without the use of fossil fuels for heating, allowing Amtrak to take advantage of the region’s available renewable electricity. The project will help Amtrak reach its goal of sourcing 100% carbon-free electricity by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2045, according to the release.
This is the second contract Amtrak awarded in 2024 to advanced major rail upgrades, following the Philadelphia Penn Coach Yard award. Similar upgrades in Boston, New York City and Washington, D.C., are in the procurement process. Amtrak expects to announce those contracts soon, according to the release.
PCL expects to finish work in 2027.
