How expensive would it be to start a rail transit service using the Eastside railroad?
As rail transit projects go, it would be extremely cheap. This is because there is already an operating railroad with much excess capacity just waiting to be used. A major cost would be the purchase of the right of way, but this is something that will apparently happen in any event because Burlington Northern, the current owner, has expressed an interest in selling it and King County has said it wants to purchase it (or obtain it in a complex trade). The cost, exclusive of acquiring the railroad, could be roughly $5 million per mile for the first phase if DMU (diesel multiple unit) vehicles were used, as they do not require costly electrification. The main expenditures would be for the vehicles, adding several passing sidings, construction of simple stations, smoothing some of the track and construction of a simple maintenance facility. If the first stage of operation were the approximately 20 miles from Renton to Woodinville, this would amount to about $100 million, which is much less
