Driver Blocks Trains On Elevated Tracks at Mount Baker Station

Today at the Mt. Baker light rail station, a car went North, up the tracks towards the Beacon Hill tunnel. According to a police escort, there were no injuries. #Seattle #BeaconHill #BreakingNews

- Alex Garland (@alexgarland.bsky.social) 2026-06-03T02:24:41.930Z

On Tuesday evening, a driver managed to drive their car on the light rail tracks from MLK Way & Walden St to Mount Baker station. The 70-year-old driver was not injured but was taken to the hospital as a precaution. 1 Line trains were replaced with shuttle buses between SODO and Othello station while Sound Transit crews removed the vehicle from the tracks.

What Happened?

The official investigation is still underway, but I spoke with a few witnesses about what they saw. Each person had a similar story: the driver entered the southbound track at the at-grade intersection of MLK Way and Walden St. Once on the track, she accelerated quickly while traveling north. The first 270 feet of track north of the intersection are embedded in concrete, so the car can drive on the tracks without issue. After those 270ft, the track switches to be mounted on plinths. This leaves a deep gap between the tracks that should stop vehicles from continuing up the ramp to the elevated station. One witness mentioned a loud screeching sound when the car was on this section of the track, so the part of car was likely dragging on the tracks. Despite this, the driver navigated an additional 1,200ft of track before stopping at the southbound platform. Video from the platform at Mount Baker show the car driving surprisingly well on the tracks.

The swing loader starting its trip north from Walden St, following a similar path that the car took. Notice the change from embedded rails to plinths before the incline. Clearing the Tracks

Once the driver exited the vehicle and was taken to the hospital, Sound Transit had to figure out how to remove the stuck car from the tracks. To do this, Sound Transit crews used a swing loader to pick the car up in a rope harness and carry it down to Walden St. Before the swing loader entered the track right of way, crews grounded the overhead wire. The swing loader then switched from it's road wheels to rail wheels at Walden St and traveled north on the tracks to Mount Baker station. At the station, crews used ropes to create a harness for the car. The swing loader picked up the car and carried it back to Walden St.

Swing loader carries the car on an elevated section of track. Swing loader carries the car on an at-grade section of track.Crews guide the car past the pedestrian waiting area.Swing loader carries the car to Walden Street.

Sound Transit crews removed the car less than two hours after it got stuck. That is an impressive response time, especially for a first-time event. 1 Line service resumed about an hour after the car was removed. On behalf of all Link passengers, thank you to the team for the quick response and creative problem solving. This was the first, and hopefully last, case of someone driving their car on the tracks at an elevated station.

What's Next?

The King County Sheriff's Office is handling the investigation for this case and will work out the necessary resolution between the driver, their car insurance, and Sound Transit. It is also worth discussing what can be done to prevent such an incident from occurring again in the future. The most obvious answer is to fully grade separate the tracks in the Rainier Valley. A 2023 study found that moving the Link tracks to an open trench is the most economical option for full grade separation at $1.1 billion (2023 dollars). Given Sound Transit's current financial state, a grade-separation project is at least a few decades away. In the near term, MLK Way needs to be redesigned around the at-grade tracks. The current road is overbuilt, leading drivers to speed and drive recklessly (both on and off the road).

Yesterday's incident was just the latest in nearly 3,000 crashes on MLK Way since Link began operations in 2009. Every local elected official with jurisdiction over MLK Way supports redesigning the road. It's time for the City of Seattle to fix the flawed street design and make this vital corridor safe for everyone.

Below is a video of the swing loader carrying the car off the tracks.