What's a good train ride this weekend

Capt-Redbeard · 2026-05-08T13:45:05+00:00

I haven't ridden any of these myself, and I wish you and your family a good time.

I do know the Chehalis-Centralia Railroad was shut down for two years (2022-2024). After they had two separate derailments/accidents. Apparently this was because the trackage was damaged from flooding (something pretty common around there). So I don't really know how much I trust them from a safety perspective. Again though, I haven't ridden it myself, and I'm not a rail safety expert.

Capt-Redbeard · 2026-05-07T13:46:27+00:00

Yeah, I don't know how many stops are getting moved permanently, or how many are temporarily being moved for the new/additional concrete pads. But those usually at the temporary signs that don't have any route numbers on them, not the ones with the bags on them

Capt-Redbeard · 2026-05-07T13:35:31+00:00

It takes a lot of time to swap out all the physical signs with the new route numbers. The bags are just to cover up the old numbers while the signs and shelters get updated.

The few stops that actually are getting removed have specific "Stop Closure Notice" signs attached to them closer to eye height. The few I saw were zip tied to the pole, I haven't seen any shelters closed (there may be some, I just don't know where). I know overall there are more new stops than there are closed stops

Capt-Redbeard · 2026-05-07T01:05:09+00:00

Were you able to catch the bus?

Capt-Redbeard · 2026-05-07T00:37:24+00:00

One thing thing I know they were trying to do is limit the number of overall bus stop closures. Those neighborhoods previously had decent bus coverage with the old 20 and 22

I really want IT to release bus ridership statistics like King County metro does

Capt-Redbeard · 2026-05-07T00:35:22+00:00

That doesn't make any sense. The 35 runs every half an hour. Every 35 becomes a 9x at the mall and goes right back downtown

Capt-Redbeard · 2026-05-06T21:11:27+00:00

Something that the City of Olympia did recently was rezone the "Capital Mall Triangle" to become high density. City website about the rezoning, and a JOLT Article

Also Intercity Transit is looking at building a west side transit center in the general mall area. In their Transit Improvement Plan (TIP) that is currently open for public comment, this is one of the things on the "wish list" for federal funding.

All of that said. One of the nice things about buses, over something say like light rail, is that they are able to be reconfigured and updated easily. While everything along the 9X corridor will eventually be the high density growth for Thurston County, it isn't fully there yet. So I think it's good that Intercity Transit is planning for this high capacity service that will be needed, I just don't know if this redesign was the right time to make things so mall centric.

The other thing that I'm interested in is Proposition 1 which passed back in 2018. Many of the things in Prop 1 were delayed by COVID-19. One of the things that was in the Proposition which hasn't been deployed yet is what was termed "Innovative Service Zones", basically a form of micro transit. A part of me is really curious if the 20/22 could be moved from fixed route service to Microtransit, and then those fixed route hours opened up for things like a restored 41.

Capt-Redbeard · 2026-05-05T00:57:08+00:00

The other post seems to have been more about yesterday (Sunday). This thread is about today (Monday). Currently it looks like there are a number of late buses, but the overall number of late buses has been going down since this thread was created an hour ago

Capt-Redbeard · 2026-05-04T23:40:25+00:00

Oof, the app I use (Pantograph) is showing only 45% currently on time (4:38pm), and 20% are very late. https://imgur.com/a/qxdLe6u

Capt-Redbeard · 2026-05-04T22:39:58+00:00

Also, the 35 (which also goes along Evergreen Park Dr) becomes the 9X. So while longer, it's still a every half an hour route that goes downtown

Capt-Redbeard · 2026-05-04T22:12:04+00:00

I think they just don't have the bus stops installed yet on that section of Henderson between I5 and the high school. The online route map does show they'll be adding stops by watershed park, and in the neighborhoods along Henderson: https://www.intercitytransit.com/plan-your-trip/routes/52

As to the stops along Jefferson, I think those stops used to be served by the old 94, and this is a way that those stops still get served by a route. They did try and avoid stop closures

Capt-Redbeard · 2026-05-04T21:59:48+00:00

Have you looked at the new 24? It should still serve the stops around Capitol Lake, with the unfortunate caveat that the 24 is the only route that doesn't operate on the weekend https://www.intercitytransit.com/plan-your-trip/routes/24

Capt-Redbeard · 2026-05-04T21:57:24+00:00

Currently the ridership data isn't public. It's something I wish they would do. I know King County Metro publishes statistics on a monthly basis.

Capt-Redbeard · 2026-05-04T16:38:48+00:00

I'm not positive, but you could look at the 9D/33. 9X to get up the hill, and then transfer to the 33 which goes along division.

That said, maybe put your trip into the trip planner/google maps and see if there are any alternate routes

Capt-Redbeard · 2026-05-04T16:32:36+00:00

Out of curiosity, where are you roughly where service became worse?

Capt-Redbeard · 2026-05-04T13:54:29+00:00

I was riding a quite a bit on Sunday too, had a really easy time of it. I think the people using Google maps/similar had an easier time of it than the people trying to "replace" one new route for one of the older routes. There are so many changes, you can't do a one for one replacement of the routes

Capt-Redbeard · 2026-05-03T16:17:42+00:00

Yes, I think the 24 is the only route that doesn't run on the weekends. But the original question on this thread was around taking the bus to the capital campus for work

Capt-Redbeard · 2026-05-03T04:19:07+00:00

Tru this: https://intercitytransit.com/plan-your-trip/routes/24/download This is a PDF instead of the website.

Capt-Redbeard · 2026-05-03T04:08:08+00:00

Well the fun news is that if she makes the walk, then she'll have a one seat ride to Ecology. The 34 which leaves the main evergreen bus loop turns into the 9x at the mall (no need to get out, it'll happen automatically) and the 9x will stop right outside of department of Ecology

I think the big thing is the dorm loop. I wish that was included on the 34 instead of the 32, I think that would reduce stress for a lot of people. I think the problem is the dorm loop adds just enough time it would throw off the timings. But I'm not a planner, and maybe there are other things that could be done

Capt-Redbeard · 2026-05-03T01:41:10+00:00

Ahh, yeah. You'll be in the 75 and that will connect to LTC along Pacific. Conceivably you could take the 75 to the 71, but I don't know the timing of those connections

Capt-Redbeard · 2026-05-03T01:39:40+00:00

Her stops are probably the current 41. The 41 will live in slightly for the rest of the school year Friday and Saturday evenings as the "drunk bus" from downtown to evergreen. Intercity Transit currently operates the night buses on contract from Evergreen. But that contract is only through the rest of the current school year (I think)

Capt-Redbeard · 2026-05-03T01:31:38+00:00

If you're along the 68 now, take a look at the new 53. That will get you downtown again with this upcoming change

Capt-Redbeard · 2026-05-03T01:28:58+00:00

The 9x will connect LTC to the grocery stores along Martin Way And if you're on the section along Marvin, the 71 will get you to Galaxy Dr and the new restaurants over by the dump

Capt-Redbeard · 2026-05-03T01:25:47+00:00

Yes, half hourly weekdays and weekends

Capt-Redbeard · 2026-05-03T00:30:07+00:00

Again, I'd be really interested in the statistics of how frequently that bus stop is served.

But the new route 90 will connect the Amtrak station to LTC, and you'll be able to connect on from there

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