Trip Report. Steve introduces Rosalyn to the Coast Starlight and California Zephyr

[Cal]

Please send pictures!
I just watched Simply_Railway's new video of the Zephyr, makes me want to travel on it even more.

 

[Steve4031]

After I drove Rosalyn to San Jose airport I had lunch at In N Out. Then took a nap at the hotel. After checking train times I saw that it was best to drive north to Sonoma airport station to get a round trip ride on the SMART train.
The station consists of a parking lot and a single high level platform. You use the Park Mobile app to pay for parking. 2.35 for the day.
I paid the fare usia clipper card from a previous trip.

 

[Bob Dylan]

After I drove Rosalyn to San Jose airport I had lunch at In N Out. Then took a nap at the hotel. After checking train times I saw that it was best to drive north to Sonoma airport station to get a round trip ride on the SMART train.
The station consists of a parking lot and a single high level platform. You use the Park Mobile app to pay for parking. 2.35 for the day.
I paid the fare usia clipper card from a previous trip.

I'll be using this Train between Larkspur and Santa Rosa when I visit my Brother in Sonoma.

How was the ride?

 

[railiner]

Why were there four rails on those tracks? Replacements awaiting installation? It looked like they were permanent in the photo, maybe just an illusion. I've only seen that many rails on some bridges (guard rails)....

Another possibility is perhaps some sort of 'gauntlet' for keeping freight trains away from platforms?

 

[Steve4031]

The ride is scenic. Small towns, fields, and hills. The train itself goes about 60 mph. It rides smoothly. Sounds like a bus.

the extra rails allows freight trains to pass the high level platforms without damaging them.

 

[jis]

Why were there four rails on those tracks? Replacements awaiting installation? It looked like they were permanent in the photo, maybe just an illusion. I've only seen that many rails on some bridges (guard rails)....

Another possibility is perhaps some sort of 'gauntlet' for keeping freight trains away from platforms?

Gauntlet for freight through station platform tracks. They are four rails only by the platform.

 

[jiml]

After I drove Rosalyn to San Jose airport I had lunch at In N Out.

Oh sure, post an In-N-Out picture!

 

[Ryan]

It amazes me that that place can get burgers so right and manage to produce tries that are such utter garbage!

 

[Bob Dylan]

It amazes me that that place can get burgers so right and manage to produce tries that are such utter garbage!

True this, and their Onion Rings aren't much better!

 

[Steve4031]

True this, and their Onion Rings aren't much better!

Exactly

 

[Steve4031]

This is the Bart connector from the Oakland airport to the Coliseum Bart station. I returned the rental car and took a bus to the airport to get the Bart connector.

 

[Steve4031]

A few more Bart connector photos and my first BART of the day. The BART train is in terrible condition and filthy.

 

[Steve4031]

There is a public restroom at the Berryessa station. Much appreciated. Now heading back into Embarcadero. I’m going to eat lunch at a Chinese restaurant.

 

[Steve4031]

I forgot to mention that there are no direct trains from Berryessa to Embarcadero. I will change to a blue line train at Fruitvale station.

 

[Steve4031]

I had an adventure on the inbound trip to Embarcadero. I had to switch from a Richmond train to one going into San Francisco. I switched at the Bay view station.

while I was waiting for the second traina person walked up to me and tried to sell me “half price” Bart tickets. I told him I have a clipper card. That should have clued him in. Yet he persisted. And stayed sitting near me on the bench.

This annoyed me. I googled how to report a crime on Bart. They have an app for that. While this idiot continued sitting there I downloaded the app and then reported him with a detailed description.

When the train pulled in he boarded in one car, I went to the car behind that car. I figured that would be the end. Moments later the BART police contacted me via app. We texted back and forth via the app. I provided my car number and explained which car the guy was in. The dispatcher advised me that the police would board at the Lake Merrit station.

They did. And as they walked through they found me. I had snapped a picture of the idiot as he boarded. I showed it to the cops. They got my information and then went to the next car after taking a picture of my picture of the idiot. They went back into the other car and nabbed him.

 

[joelkfla]

I forgot to mention that there are no direct trains from Berryessa to Embarcadero. I will change to a blue line train at Fruitvale station.

Weekend schedule.

 

[Cal]

I had an adventure on the inbound trip to Embarcadero. I had to switch from a Richmond train to one going into San Francisco. I switched at the Bay view station.

while I was waiting for the second traina person walked up to me and tried to sell me “half price” Bart tickets. I told him I have a clipper card. That should have clued him in. Yet he persisted. And stayed sitting near me on the bench.

This annoyed me. I googled how to report a crime on Bart. They have an app for that. While this idiot continued sitting there I downloaded the app and then reported him with a detailed description.

When the train pulled in he boarded in one car, I went to the car behind that car. I figured that would be the end. Moments later the BART police contacted me via app. We texted back and forth via the app. I provided my car number and explained which car the guy was in. The dispatcher advised me that the police would board at the Lake Merrit station.

They did. And as they walked through they found me. I had snapped a picture of the idiot as he boarded. I showed it to the cops. They got my information and then went to the next car after taking a picture of my picture of the idiot. They went back into the other car and nabbed him.

That's just amazing right there. Well done.

 

[Steve4031]

That's just amazing right there. Well done.

I wrote a 5 star review in the App Store. This could save someone’s live. Every transit agency should have something like that.

 

[Steve4031]

I went to a Chinese restaurant near the Embarcadero station. Some day I want to go to Hong Kong and China to ride their bullet trains. So I thought I would try it out.

 

[Willbridge]

I wrote a 5 star review in the App Store. This could save someone’s live. Every transit agency should have something like that.

Denver RTD has a text message number for transit security. It is a great thing, as there are half a dozen people tapping and swiping away at many times in buses, trains and platforms so one can't tell which person is reporting a problem.

 

[Barb Stout]

This is the Bart connector from the Oakland airport to the Coliseum Bart station. I returned the rental car and took a bus to the airport to get the Bart connector.

Wow, that's some infrastructure. I'm feeling like a country bumpkin after seeing those.

 

[joelkfla]

Wow, that's some infrastructure. I'm feeling like a country bumpkin after seeing those.

The BART connector is a rare cable-hauled Automated People Mover. It's the only one I know of that stops mid-route (not at a station) just to switch cables.

 

[Steve4031]

The BART connector is a rare cable-hauled Automated People Mover. It's the only one I know of that stops mid-route (not at a station) just to switch cables.

That answered my question about the mid route stop. Was a slow moving operation overall and seemed kind of clunky and inefficient.

 

[Steve4031]

California Zephyr arrived to Emeryville on time. The engineer waved at that the passenger as the train pulled into the station and welcomed us aboard. This was a classy start to the trip. I boarded the 640 car. I left my big suitcase on the lower level luggage rack. The conductor, helped me with my small bag to get up the stairs. Here are some photographs of six pulling into the station.

 

[Steve4031]

The last time few times I took 6 we would switch over to the EB track after Roseville and then a few miles later the tracks would split and the EB main curves and crosses over the WB main. Today we stayed on the westbound main.