In Seattle, King Street Station and Union Station were next to each other. King Street Station was used by Great Northern and Northern Pacific. The GN main line extended north to Everett, where the lines split to Vancouver BC to the north, and Spokane, Minneapolis and St. Paul to the east. NP controlled the line south to Tacoma and Portland, although GN also operated trains over most of that line. Amtrak continues to operate over all of these lines. At Auburn, the NP Stampede Pass main line turned east towards Spokane, Minneapolis and St. Paul. Amtrak operated over this line until 1979. Union Pacific operated Union Station and trackage south. Milwaukee Road had trackage rights over Union Pacific from Seattle to Argo, and the Pacific Coast Railroad from Argo to Black River. From Black River, Milwaukee Road trains continued either south on its own trackage to Tacoma, or east via trackage rights over the Pacific Coast Railroad. From Maple Valley, the Milwaukee Road's own trackage continued east towards Chicago. Union Pacific had trackage rights over the Milwaukee Road south from Black River to Tacoma, and the NP line from Tacoma to Portland.
Significant Locations and Distances from Station
PA Jct./Everett (34 miles N) - junction of GN Main Line, Vancouver Line.
North Portal (1 mile N) - north of King Street Station.
South Portal (N of Station) - north end King Street Station.
Argo (3 miles S) - junction of NP Tacoma line, PCR, UP.
Black River (10 miles S) - junction of NP Tacoma line, CMSP&P, PCR, UP.
Maple Valley (13 miles SE) - junction of PCR, CMSP&P with trackage rights.
Auburn (21 miles S) - junction of NP Tacoma line, Stampede Pass line.
Between Argo and Black River, three railroads paralleled each other. From east to west were Union Pacific, Pacific Coast Railroad, and Northern Pacific. The latter two railroads became part of Burlington Northern, now BNSF. It is possible that parts of the former NP main line might have been shifted to the alignment of the Pacific Coast Railroad.