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Luggage storage lockers?. Does the King Street Station have any luggage storage lockers?
Fabulous Customer Service!. Yesterday, I brought my 15 year old daughter to the train depot- her first time ever traveling alone for a long distance- and when the clerk, Carol found this out, she recalled another 15 year old girl traveling alone, and called her to the front desk. When she had the girls together, she told them that she'd personally escort them on the train so they could get a good seat and if they wanted to share it, that would be a good suggestion and that is what the girls did. She put my mind as well as the other girl's mother's mind at ease. And for this I am thankful.…
Amtrak Lost n Found. Thought I'd post the phone number here in case you leave something on a train or in the station. It took me some digging to find the number: King St Station Lost n Found 382-4713 The person I spoke with for my lost and found items was helpful, though I did not find the book.…
The clocktower on this neoclassical building makes it easy to spot King Street Station..
The Background
This station, rundown and grimy and a mere reflection of its glory days, when it opened in 1906 as the end-of-the-line railway station for the Great Northern Railroad. King
Street Station was designed by the architectural team of Reed and Stem, who also designed New York's Grand Central Station. You have to look hard to find any resemblance, what with peeling paint, dirty floors and an austere waiting room whose most striking feature is the seats: vinyl, tiny and uncomfortable.
The Experience
To get a feeling for what the place looked like long ago, look up as you enter. There's a grand, ornate cast-plaster ceiling that deserves to have a chandelier hanging from it. Instead there's a bare light bulb. Walk to the left and see the shadow of a "Baggage" sign, mosaic gold and green tiles, cast-plaster walls and oak doorways.…
An example of America's travel history. Seattle King Street Station, now used exclusively by Amtrak passenger trains and the local commuter trains, is a great example of America's travel history. From it's amazing mosaic tiled floor to the soaring clock tower, you can see evidence of it's better life. Although this year (2006) celebrates the station's 100th anniversary, neither the city nor Amtrak have made an effort to restore the grand old "lady". The streets outside are uneven and riddled with potholes. The mosaic tiled floor has seen much better days, showing wear with large fractures throughout. The passenger waiting area is filled with seating that would have been new in the 70's, but is now missing arms and starting to tear. As train stations go, I've seen smaller and more dilapidated, but they could have put a little more effort (or any at all) to improve it for it's milestone year.…
