SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA: Transit/Transportation News

[38 Geary]

Originally Posted by TowerDude

Any news about connecting the Transbay/Salesforce Terminal into the California High Speed Rail system?

It was always the plan to have CAHSR and Caltrains terminate at the Transbay (Salesforce) Transit Center. I believe it's just the final alignment that hasn't been determined yet.

The shell for the station has already been constructed as part of Phase I. Phase II will include actually building out the two-level underground station. Three island platforms and six tracks. There will also be an underground pedestrian tunnel to connect it to the Embarcadero BART/Muni station. And it's likely it will become a stop on the future second Transbay Tube line.

[redblock]

A Caltrain press release about diesel pulled clearance test moves with the Stadler trains. Test runs under electric power will begin later this year.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/vrflounge/permalink/1182967932249363/?flite=scwspnss

[38 Geary]

Originally Posted by redblock

A Caltrain press release about diesel pulled clearance test moves with the Stadler trains. Test runs under electric power will begin later this year.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/vrflounge/permalink/1182967932249363/?flite=scwspnss

Very nice! There was an article in the SF Gate about it today as well.

[38 Geary]

Caltrain's electrified trainsets just cleared a big hurdle. Here’s when to expect them.
Silas Valentino, SFGATE
July 19, 2022

The first set of electric trains for Caltrain landed in the Bay Area this year and are beginning to pass the first of many tests needed before they appear on the tracks.

Enthusiasts spotted electric trains rolling up and down the Peninsula over the weekend — but don’t expect to catch a ride on these modernized train sets just yet, because passenger service won’t start until at least 2024.

In the meantime, trainspotters caught a glimpse of these electrified rides during their clearing testing, which recently took place along the corridor between Santa Clara and Tamien stations.

These tests are used to ensure that the trains meet their clearance requirements to safely run along the corridor. Trains were fitted with foam rubber padding to extend their clearance areas to ensure they wouldn’t collide with anything along the path. The electric trains were pulled by a diesel locomotive at 5 mph.

“No major problems arose over the course of testing, and further clearance testing will be conducted throughout the rest of the corridor in the near future,” Caltrain wrote in a statement.

The next electric train test is expected to occur by the end of the year, when the trains will operate under their own power through the overhead catenary system.

The electrification of Caltrain is the focal point of the Caltrain Modernization Program, which will replace approximately 75% of its current diesel locomotives with electric trains. These trains will run between San Francisco and San Jose. The project is expected to improve Caltrain’s system performance and minimize long-term environmental impact by decreasing greenhouse gas emissions.

https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/ca...17315216.php?IPID=SFGate-HP-CP-Spotlight

[38 Geary]

Here's a video someone posted on Twitter of the testing.

https://twitter.com/ryanglobus/status/1549192457098649601?s=20&t=rUJjV77KQH8dfAVZeJKh9Q

[38 Geary]

Good looking trains.



https://twitter.com/Caltrain/status/1553113394982440962?s=20&t=fz8_Fy-Nql69urfBU6QxZQ

[38 Geary]

Decided to take a trip down to the Caltrain Centralized Equipment Maintenance and Operations Facility (CEMOF) to see the train for myself in person, and I can say with 100% certainty, it's straight fire.

[Busy Bee]

[just a dummy]

VTA backs new, massive San Jose BART tunnel as advocates push for more entrances
VTA says bigger tunnel will ease access and save money

Originally Posted by San Jose Mercury News

One of the world’s largest planned subway tunnels — bringing BART trains through downtown San Jose — could get 20% bigger.

On Friday, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority officials unveiled a plan to expand the controversial tunnel’s diameter from 43 to 48 feet, about the width of a four-lane freeway, in an effort to meet concerns over passenger access and station safety. The new tunnel proposal, still being finalized, will require building an even larger boring machine to excavate mammoth sums of earth as it crawls nearly five miles under San Jose.

For critics already concerned about ballooning construction costs on the largest construction project in Santa Clara County history, the VTA now says a wider tunnel could actually make the project cheaper. And a presentation on Friday won rare approval from downtown San Jose’s major business interests, who would bear the brunt of construction, transit advocates and some BART board members.

The main change for Bay Area riders — who are expected to finally see a downtown San Jose BART extension in the early or mid 2030s — is that trains would run side-by-side with one platform separating east and westbound BART cars.

The prior smaller tunnel plan had the trains stacked on top of one another, requiring passengers to navigate between platforms.

“Side-by-side tracks is a real game changer for the single bore project,” said Scott Knies, San Jose Downtown Association executive director. Knies acknowledged that a larger tunnel bringing cheaper costs was a “bit counterintuitive.”

https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/08/26/v...el-as-advocates-push-for-more-entrances/

[38 Geary]

Originally Posted by just a dummy

VTA backs new, massive San Jose BART tunnel as advocates push for more entrances
VTA says bigger tunnel will ease access and save money





https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/08/26/v...el-as-advocates-push-for-more-entrances/

I like the side by side platform more from a rider perspective, but if the costs for the bigger bore are significantly more expensive and will lead to more construction delays, then I'd be okay with the stacked platforms.

[Nouvellecosse]

Strange that a bigger tunnel would save money. Sometimes it costs less to have a single bore rather than twin tunnels despite the extra excavated volume but if they're both single bores I'm not sure where the savings would come in. Although the side-by-side set up would look grander with the higher ceiling.

[Busy Bee]

I have my doubts it will make one difference to the average rider. No one in NY avoids stations along the Central Park West line because they are stacked. I'd imagine it would matter even less considering it would just be a short escalator flight lasting only a handful of seconds between directions. Personally I kind of like the stacked stations because I like to be nestled and prefer side platforms to island and having a wall behind you can be psychologically more comfortable. It also appears the stacked design accommodates a more generous platform width, at least the lower level shown in the schematic. The wider width lower level platform should be matched to the direction with the highest outbound ridership, in this case toward Oakland, and the higher level narrower platform for disembarking passengers.


EDIT

Nevermind, on closer inspection it appears the platform widths are more or less the same when taking the angle of the tunnel radius wall into account.

[38 Geary]

Some more new Caltrain trainsets have arrived.



https://twitter.com/Caltrain/status/1563321169574383624?s=20&t=e1KaZHpj-1FvPgowOTM5Rg

[Nouvellecosse]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

I have my doubts it will make one difference to the average rider. No one in NY avoids stations along the Central Park West line because they are stacked. I'd imagine it would matter even less considering it would just be a short escalator flight lasting only a handful of seconds between directions. Personally I kind of like the stacked stations because I like to be nestled and prefer side platforms to island and having a wall behind you can be psychologically more comfortable. It also appears the stacked design accommodates a more generous platform width, at least the lower level shown in the schematic. The wider width lower level platform should be matched to the direction with the highest outbound ridership, in this case toward Oakland, and the higher level narrower platform for disembarking passengers.


EDIT

Nevermind, on closer inspection it appears the platform widths are more or less the same when taking the angle of the tunnel radius wall into account.

Island platforms (that lack platform doors) are also disliked by the visually impaired apparently. I saw an interview with an accessibility activist discussing potential designs for new stations in Toronto and they mentioned how scary it is to have tracks on both sides with no wall for refuge.

[38 Geary]

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

Island platforms (that lack platform doors) are also disliked by the visually impaired apparently. I saw an interview with an accessibility activist discussing potential designs for new stations in Toronto and they mentioned how scary it is to have tracks on both sides with no wall for refuge.

It is unfortunate that metro stations in the US don't have platform doors. If you've spent any amount of time traveling in Asia, you'd see the rapid transit systems there are much safer, cleaner, newer, and user friendly.

[Busy Bee]

Originally Posted by homebucket

It is unfortunate that metro stations in the US don't have platform doors. If you've spent any amount of time traveling in Asia, you'd see the rapid transit systems there are much safer, cleaner, newer, and user friendly.

I'm sort of indifferent to the whole concept of PSDs. I suppose with a ground up metro system or completely new lines they have a selling point. But the outrageous cost to retrofit them into an existing system and the visual and psychological sense of confinement they produce on already cramped platforms (unless of the harder to engineer and less protective half height style) I don't think they are worth it. Yes they may save some lives by preventing the incredibly rare and tragic pushing incident and a number of yearly suicides (which most would find another way to accomplish anyway, sorry to sound heartless) but when weighed against system expansion, better service and rehabilitated stations I do not see their value. And yes that's not even getting into the undeniable fact that they would take that certain something away, that energy and that magic, and not just for railfans, from the entire experience of riding rail rapid transit. I find the images of the grand vaulted ceilings of Paris Metro stations being walled in by tinted glass screens pretty miserable.

[Busy Bee]

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

Island platforms (that lack platform doors) are also disliked by the visually impaired apparently. I saw an interview with an accessibility activist discussing potential designs for new stations in Toronto and they mentioned how scary it is to have tracks on both sides with no wall for refuge.

I hadn't even thought of that. I imagine that would be the case.

[38 Geary]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

I'm sort of indifferent to the whole concept of PSDs. I suppose with a ground up metro system or completely new lines they have a selling point. But the outrageous cost to retrofit them into an existing system and the visual and psychological sense of confinement they produce on already cramped platforms (unless of the harder to engineer and less protective half height style) I don't think they are worth it. Yes they may save some lives by preventing the incredibly rare and tragic pushing incident and a number of yearly suicides (which most would find another way to accomplish anyway, sorry to sound heartless) but when weighed against system expansion, better service and rehabilitated stations I do not see their value. And yes that's not even getting into the undeniable fact that they would take that certain something away, that energy and that magic, and not just for railfans, from the entire experience of riding rail rapid transit. I find the images of the grand vaulted ceilings of Paris Metro stations being walled in by tinted glass screens, I find it pretty miserable.

I don't know. I've ridden various metro systems in Asia and I didn't feel like anything related to energy and magic was lost because of PSDs. And the fact that everything was clean, new, and modern made for a much more enjoyable experience.

I believe Honolulu's brand new system (HART) will have PSDs so it'll be interesting to see how that is executed.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by homebucket

It is unfortunate that metro stations in the US don't have platform doors. If you've spent any amount of time traveling in Asia, you'd see the rapid transit systems there are much safer, cleaner, newer, and user friendly.

I do believe Austin’s subway stations will include platform doors.

[Nouvellecosse]

I don't really like the aesthetics of PSDs but I try to set that aside because of the benefits. In addition to the other benefits mentioned, it isn't true that most suicides on metro systems would just happen elsewhere anyway. Often it's people who are distraught or experiencing some type of mental health crisis at that moment and they do it very spontaneously. So when people are presented with an easy, accessible way of doing it, the rates really increase. Kind of like with 🞵🞵🞵🞵 how the likelihood of a successful attempt is MUCH higher if you have access to one than if you don't. Having to go through extra time and bother to do it presents a lot more time for second thoughts or for other people to intervene and get the person help.