Service on the South Lake Union route of the Seattle Streetcar is suspended while crews address mechanical issues with the two substations that power the streetcar due to an unplanned outage.
King County Metro’s Power Distribution group is working as quickly as possible to develop a repair plan and schedule. While there is not yet an exact estimate for how long the repairs will take, we expect service to be suspended for several weeks. We will provide updates as soon as more information is available.
Metro and SDOT know this suspension will impact riders and understand the importance of frequent and reliable transit service.
Rider bus alternatives available
Metro operates frequent service on bus routes connecting South Lake Union and Downtown Seattle.
- Route 40: Timetable and route map.
- Route 70: Timetable and route map.
- RapidRide C Line: Timetable and route map.
Replacement parts, repair work needed to restore service
The South Lake Union route of the Seattle Streetcar is powered by two traction power substations that went into service in 2007. One power substation is located at the north end of the streetcar line and one near the south end. The substations deliver power to what is called the overhead catenary system, which powers the streetcar.
King County Metro staff perform ongoing maintenance of this equipment including regular inspections. King County Metro’s electrical vendor that supports streetcar operations identified worn-out control units that manage the high-voltage breakers at one substation in July. In response, the maintenance team began working to obtain highly specialized replacement parts which are not readily available in North America. Service was temporarily scaled back to reduce the power load on the remaining substation.
Worn-out units at the second substation failed on Friday, Aug. 9, which suspended all service until further notice. We are working with our vendor to determine why the parts failed.
Streetcar service will be suspended until further notice while repairs are being made. The exact repair timeline is still being determined, and it is currently expected to take several weeks to obtain and install parts for four control units and up to four high-voltage breakers. Metro and SDOT are working together to expedite the work to the extent possible to restore service as soon as possible.