Santa Clara Light Rail

Hi! I'm a New Yorker who will be spending a week in the S.F. Bay Area next month. I also intend to drive down to Santa Clara to ride the Light Rail System there. I expect to start my trip at the end of the Mountain View Line. Does anyone know if there is mid-day parking available either at Mountain View Station or any other stops along that line in the Hwy-101 vicinity? I see from their system map that several stations along there do have parking, but I need to know if the lots fill up by 9AM or if you can find a space later in the morning.

When was that line extended to Mountain View? When I last rode it in the mid 1990's it ended at Great America, if I remember right. Also, are there any lines or stations that I should avoid in dangerous high-crime areas? Is the whole system safe to ride during the day? I don't quite understand the fare system from their website. Are their ticket machines at the stations? Do you pay the train operator, or is it a proof-of-payment system subject to random ticket inspection?

Any and all trivia and details will be much appreciated. Thanks !

Hi, again. One of my daughters lives in Palo Alto so I, too, frequently wind up in San Jose and ride VTA light rail. You can access the VTA at San Jose, Diridon, from the Caltrain Amtrak station, ticket kiosks at the stops, timed hold on to your tickest for proof of ourchase. From what i can gather the whole system is safe, it's clean. I have never ridden at night. As you surmise you can get on VTA further north of San Jose, I forget the exact stop but it may be Mountain View. Whatever it is if you get it there you can ride through the heart of San Jose and see some interesting stuff. Look for the dirgible hangers at the naval air station, Moffat Field, I think, near the airport. I love it out there.

Ha, ha...............thanks again Kevikens! I'm starting to wonder if anyone from California is actually on this board. (Chuckle!) I remember seeing those derigible hangers years ago when I first drove down there on the 101 Freeway, back in the 1990's. Looks like it'll be a good week of riding BART, MUNI, and VTA. Wish me luck with good weather and easy mid-day parking. I love to visit Calif. too, but the long flights and change of time zones is getting harder to take as I get older. And the Bay Area weather is just as iffy as New York. Wouldn't want to live out there though. Too much danger from earthquakes, wildfires, etc.

I know what you mean by the earthquakes. When I first took my daughter to Stanford in 1999 they had not yet repaired all the damage from the earthquake some ten years earlier. I remember reading a placard on the wall that told students what to do in the event of various situations and as I read it I found: "In the event of an earthquake you are to..." By the way they have tremors out there all the time. Think about this if you take BART under the Bay to Oakland.If one happens that is strong enough they stop rail service until the lines can be visually checked out. Not often, but if you feel the ground shake don't be surprised if that is followed by a rail transit stoppage till the lines are checked out. As for the weather you picked the best time for the Bay Area. Early fall is the warmest San Francisco ever gets and though the days are shorter there is actually more sunshine than in mid summer. I don't know what the status is of the trolley museum in San Jose but VTA goes right past it and on weekends they were running some heritage cars, but that is eight or nine years ago. I actually got into the museum on a weekday when it was not open. I went to it, saw some volunteers and when they found out I was from the East Coast they let me in and even moved one of the vehicles so I could get some better shots. I'm sure your trip will be a memorable one and don't forget about going to Martinez if you can.

Speaking of Moffat Field, a peculiarity is that the line dips down in an open cut for no apparent reason until you look at the map (if you're a member of AAA don't fail to get some of the excellent detailed area street maps that the Auto Club of Calif. issues--they have reprocity with other AAA groups) and see that the line passes just at the south end of the main runway; the track dips just enough to get the catenary below ground level. Southward from Mountain View the line parallels the Caltrain (ex-SP) right-of-way, and you can see the remnants of a crossover that was placed there for some freight business that apparently no longer exists. (I don't live in California either--just another Easterner.)

The entire line is a great ride, and Mountain View is a great little town to grab a little lunch. Nice small town bookstore with a coffee shop upstairs, nice views of the hills...really worth it to take the ride.

Thanks guys. I was looking at it on Google Earth and I see where it goes by Moffat Field. Since I'm going to be in the Bay Area over a weekend, I may do this run on Sat. to avoid any potential parking problem. On the VTA website I see that service on the Mountain View Line is only half-hourly at mid-day even during the week. I guess ridership isn't all that good as yet.

Do you have a good excuse for driving to the San Jose area to ride the light rail instead of taking CalTrain to one of its interchanges with the light rail, or Bart to Fremont and a bus to San Jose?

Excuse ??..........(Chuckle!)...Well good buddy, I didn't know I was accountable for my mode of transportation. Actually, I'm very interested in the Calif. freeway system too, so it's good to drive down U.S. 101. But............now that you mention it, taking Caltrain to the San Jose area to hook-up with the light rail might be an interesting alternative. Though it would be more attractive if one could see out the front of Caltrain. I don't think we can if I remember right from last time. But, I will look into it. Thanks for the suggestion.

On northbound Caltrains composed of gallery cars you used to be able to look out the head end if you didn't mind picking your way through the bicycles to get there (and don't expect to get out quickly after arrival at 4th & King); that may still be the case. I think the Baby Bullets (great if you like a good, fast ride past all the stations the locals stop at, plus perhaps overtaking a local at Lawrence or Bayshore) have a full-width cab which prevents looking out the head end--I seem to remember that I couldn't see out.

ExCon90 wrote:On northbound Caltrains composed of gallery cars you used to be able to look out the head end if you didn't mind picking your way through the bicycles to get there (and don't expect to get out quickly after arrival at 4th & King); that may still be the case. I think the Baby Bullets (great if you like a good, fast ride past all the stations the locals stop at, plus perhaps overtaking a local at Lawrence or Bayshore) have a full-width cab which prevents looking out the head end--I seem to remember that I couldn't see out.

Note that Bullets run on weekdays during peak hours only.

As far as VTA is concerned, there are TVMs at all stations; the system (just as Caltrain) is proof-of-payment, you buy your ticket at the TVM and get on the train.

Also, it's Moffett Airfield, fyi.

Head-end View wrote:Excuse ??..........(Chuckle!)...Well good buddy, I didn't know I was accountable for my mode of transportation. Actually, I'm very interested in the Calif. freeway system too, so it's good to drive down U.S. 101. But............now that you mention it, taking Caltrain to the San Jose area to hook-up with the light rail might be an interesting alternative. Though it would be more attractive if one could see out the front of Caltrain. I don't think we can if I remember right from last time. But, I will look into it. Thanks for the suggestion.

It's enlightened self interest. For each automobile mile foregone I get 1 extra breath of reasonably fresh air.
Inquiring minds will want to know the outcome. After your trip if you did indeed manage to get from the Bay Area to San Jose without using too much automobile, and was it good enough to do again next time?

I've looked at the websites. It is definitely feasible to go by train. Price of the Caltrain round-trip compares reasonably with price of gas and parking. I'm going to try to make two trips. One by rail, and one by car. The best of both worlds. Ride a different light-rail line each day.

ExCon, I assume you meant the lower-level to see out, since you mentioned bicycles? I rode the upper-level years ago, and I don't remember seeing out.

Head-end View wrote:I've looked at the websites. It is definitely feasible to go by train. Price of the Caltrain round-trip compares reasonably with price of gas and parking. I'm going to try to make two trips. One by rail, and one by car. The best of both worlds. Ride a different light-rail line each day.

ExCon, I assume you meant the lower-level to see out, since you mentioned bicycles? I rode the upper-level years ago, and I don't remember seeing out.

Yes, the cars I rode were gallery cars, as in Chicago. You stood looking out the front window of the lower level; the engineer was at the forward end of the gallery above your right shoulder. Nobody ever bothered me.

Thanks ExCon; cause for optimism! BTW, does anyone know the radio frequency for Caltrain?