by updrumcorpsguy
I'm down in San Francisco on a business trip, having come down from Sacramento yesterday afternoon.
The Sacramento Station seems to be showing signs of someone caring about it - there's a nice new sign out front, and they built a handsome new counter for somebody by the doors out to the train, but the station is still sadly run down, and the area "out back" (between the station and platforms) is as jumbled as ever. Since I'm from Seattle, I have no place to talk (although King Street is coming along nicely) but I do wish this station's fate could be resolved and the building restored.
The corridor train was clean, the crew was pleasent, and the equipment well-maintained. We were held at Richmond for about 30 minutes due to police action on the tracks ahead (some sort of car wreck, apparently), but the conductors were great about keeping us informed on what was going on, and reminding people that the BART station was right next door and easily accessible if time was a consideration for them.
I've noticed over the times I've taken this train that the lounge car does not see the heavy level of patronage that the Cascades do, but this route isn't as long, and it wasn't as packed as a Cascades train usually is.
Probably the most noteworthy thing (other than the amazing scenery - this has to be one of the most scenic urban railroutes in the country) is how smooth the ride is. Whatever Amtrak California and UP are doing, it works.
After getting to Emeryville, I boarded the bus that headed into the city. It stuck me, as it always does, that not only would driving in the area make me crazy, but the private car is such an inefficiency in an urban area: Here we were, five lanes of traffic backed up and moving slowly, most of the cars with only one person in them - the amount of space wasted was truly amazing. It struck me that if you suddenly took all the cars away and just had the people walking instead, there really wouldn't even be that huge of a crowd, and there'd be plenty of space to roam. A new bay bridge is going up alongside the old one, but you have to wonder how long it will be before that to is in the same situation.
It would be great to see the lower level of the original Bay Bridge returned to rail service, but I realize that that will never happen.
I have some stuff to do here and willl be returning tomorrow afternoon via Caltrain and Alaska Airlines at San Jose (the Mineta airport) so the "Amtrak" part of my trip is over, but I thought I'd bring you this report from my little capitol corridor adventure.
The Sacramento Station seems to be showing signs of someone caring about it - there's a nice new sign out front, and they built a handsome new counter for somebody by the doors out to the train, but the station is still sadly run down, and the area "out back" (between the station and platforms) is as jumbled as ever. Since I'm from Seattle, I have no place to talk (although King Street is coming along nicely) but I do wish this station's fate could be resolved and the building restored.
The corridor train was clean, the crew was pleasent, and the equipment well-maintained. We were held at Richmond for about 30 minutes due to police action on the tracks ahead (some sort of car wreck, apparently), but the conductors were great about keeping us informed on what was going on, and reminding people that the BART station was right next door and easily accessible if time was a consideration for them.
I've noticed over the times I've taken this train that the lounge car does not see the heavy level of patronage that the Cascades do, but this route isn't as long, and it wasn't as packed as a Cascades train usually is.
Probably the most noteworthy thing (other than the amazing scenery - this has to be one of the most scenic urban railroutes in the country) is how smooth the ride is. Whatever Amtrak California and UP are doing, it works.
After getting to Emeryville, I boarded the bus that headed into the city. It stuck me, as it always does, that not only would driving in the area make me crazy, but the private car is such an inefficiency in an urban area: Here we were, five lanes of traffic backed up and moving slowly, most of the cars with only one person in them - the amount of space wasted was truly amazing. It struck me that if you suddenly took all the cars away and just had the people walking instead, there really wouldn't even be that huge of a crowd, and there'd be plenty of space to roam. A new bay bridge is going up alongside the old one, but you have to wonder how long it will be before that to is in the same situation.
It would be great to see the lower level of the original Bay Bridge returned to rail service, but I realize that that will never happen.
I have some stuff to do here and willl be returning tomorrow afternoon via Caltrain and Alaska Airlines at San Jose (the Mineta airport) so the "Amtrak" part of my trip is over, but I thought I'd bring you this report from my little capitol corridor adventure.