Sound Transit installs first rails for Central Link project

Seattle's Sound Transit crews installed the first rails for the Central Link light rail system. The first rail to be installed, running through Seattle's SODO (south downtown) area, includes four 1,200-foot-long ribbons weighing approximately 23 tons each. Construction bids for the Central Link project came in 6% below estimates, and the project remains on schedule to begin carrying passengers starting in mid-2009. The 14-mile light rail line will stop at 12 stations and run 4.4 miles on elevated tracks, 2.5 miles in tunnels and seven miles at grade.