Your editor has had the opportunity for a couple of visits to California in recent weeks, and some interesting train experiences during those short visits. (see also page 33)
On March 19, 2009, I travelled to San Francisco for a weekend visit with my son. Always a great weekend, this one started off a little differently as I travelled the morning Air Canada flight to SFO. Chris would not be off work in Oakland (where he works for Bay Area Rapid Transit or BART), so what to do? The decision, a ride around the area by rail—ending up with four different conveyances in a short period!
Arriving SFO around 1015, first was to ride the airport’s AirRail system (an automated Bombardier inter terminal system) to the Airport’s BART station. Here, I boarded a 10 car BART train bound for San Francisco and on to Bay Point, rode one stop to transfer at the San Bruno station to a Millbrae train, and then to Millbrae where BART connects with CalTrain. BART fare was $1.50.
Here, I purchased a ticket ($6.00) that would take me to San Jose and awaited the arrival of the 1231 CalTrain for San Jose. The CalTrain service (like our West Coast Express) serves the peninsula from San Francisco to San Jose with some trips on to Gilroy. The 1231 arrived with an MP 36 locomotive and five Bombardier bi level cars. The ride to San Jose was smooth and comfortable, we arrived there at 1331. time to look around the San Jose station, have a sandwich, and buy a ticket for my next trip—Amtrak to Oakland. (CalTrain photo, rear cover)
I purchased my San Jose—Oakland ticket ($14) and readied to board the 1500 Amtrak Capitol Corridor train #538. The consist was five Amtrak California double deck cars, four coaches with a food service car in the middle of the train, pushed by an F59PHI locomotive. I settled in to a comfortable seat, and we departed right on time. The ride was again very smooth and enjoyable, we arrived Jack London Square in Oakland on time at 1630. (photo page 25) Time to enjoy the lovely sunny day, so the nearby Starbucks patio was a good place for a latte, then a walk to meet Chris at the end of his day. A great start to a wonderful long weekend!
