Sound Transit invites everyone to see the first Sounder commuter train on Thursday, Dec. 9

Sound Transit welcomes everyone to tour the first set of Sounder trains from 2 - 6 p.m. at Seattle's King Street Station on Thursday, Dec. 9. Sporting Sound Transit's bold wave design of teal, green and blue, the first Sounder locomotives and two passenger cars arrived under budget and on schedule.

The initial fleet of Sounder commuter trains will consist of 38 bi-level Bombardier (bomb-BARD-dee-eh) passenger cars featuring comfortable high-back cloth upholstered seats with cup holders, luggage racks, work tables, surge-protected outlets for computers and cell phones, restrooms and areas for wheelchairs and bicycles. General Motors Electro-Motive Division high-performance clean diesel locomotives will power the trains.

Sounder trains are projected to offer two-way rush hour service between Tacoma and Seattle in 2000 and extended service north to Everett and south to Lakewood in 2001/2002. Along with Sounder, Sound Transit is moving forward implementing Sound Move, the regional transit plan approved by voters in 1996 that includes Link light rail between SeaTac and Northgate by 2006 and a 1.6 mile downtown Tacoma Link line in 2001, and Regional Express service that includes 18 new limited-stop ST Express regional bus routes and numerous improvements to transit centers, park-and-ride lots and high-occupancy vehicle lanes throughout the region.

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Sound Transit plans, builds and operates regional transit systems and services to improve mobility for Central Puget Sound.