Amtrak's Return to the Point Defiance Line (2026)

At 1 a.m. on July 4, 2026, a car struck a power pole near Lakewood, Wash., knocking power lines down over the Point Defiance Bypass, preventing trains from passing through. Over the next 14 hours, Amtrak trains were rerouted over the Point Defiance Line. For the first time since the opening of the Point Defiance Bypass in November 2021, Amtrak was running revenue service along the water route. As soon as I got word of the reroute, I ran over to the water route and was able to catch Amtrak 517, 507, and 518 before the bypass was reopened for Amtrak 14 and the rest of the evening’s trains. I am glad I was able to catch some trains on the water route with my 4K camcorder, as this was the first time I was able to do so.