Tacoma Union Station was mostly served by trains between Seattle and Portland, operated by Great Northern, Northern Pacific, and Union Pacific. NP operated the station and most of the area trackage, while GN and UP used trackage rights. The geography was such that trains towards Seattle would actually normally depart from the south end of Union Station, before turning east and north. While trains towards Portland would normally depart from the north end of Union Station, before turning west and south. At the north end of Union Station was 15th Street Tower, which was a junction with NP's Draw Bridge Line and Prairie Line. These two lines were used by GN trains between Seattle and Portland. The Draw Bridge Line rejoined the main line towards Seattle at Reservation, 2 miles east of the station, and its use enabled the GN trains to be pointed in the proper directions. The Prairie Line was accessed via a backup move in and out of Union Station, proceeded southwest, and rejoined the NP main at Tenino Jct., 39 miles south of Tacoma. NP also operated service to Hoquiam, using the Prairie Line 8 miles south to Lakeview, before turning west via the American Lake Line which served Fort Lewis. That line actually crossed the NP main line, using the main line for the 4 miles between Nisqually and St. Clair. Reservation was also the junction with a UP mile long connection to Tacoma Jct., where UP trains would join the Milwaukee Road line for trackage rights towards Seattle. Tacoma Jct. was 2 miles east of the Milwaukee Road's own separate station.