tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609536178570975752.post9075136184481712608..comments2024-01-12T00:32:20.149-08:00Comments on The Overhead Wire: Not that SimplePantograph Trolleypolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17833159138533550544noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609536178570975752.post-16617813908498988502008-06-07T11:40:00.000-07:002008-06-07T11:40:00.000-07:00I found that out the hard way missing Caltrain to ...I found that out the hard way missing Caltrain to San Jose. Had to take a cab to the airport. Ouch!Pantograph Trolleypolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17833159138533550544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609536178570975752.post-87784280999894914062008-06-07T06:40:00.000-07:002008-06-07T06:40:00.000-07:00The Millbrae extension was originally slow because...The Millbrae extension was originally slow because of the detour to the airport, and because it goes around via Daly City and Colma, and there's some slow running around the Colma yard. Also, the connection was very bad on weekends: either wait 23 minutes, or trust the BART to not be more than 3 minutes late, which is not at all a safe bet on that line.crzwdjkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06394805356595604336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609536178570975752.post-64443910081422916192008-06-06T22:18:00.000-07:002008-06-06T22:18:00.000-07:00A few years ago, before the BART extension was fin...A few years ago, before the BART extension was finished, I commuted from Berkeley to Stanford and back in about 2 hours each way using BART to Union City and then the Dumbarton Express (and usually included the Stanford shuttle on one end and sometimes AC Transit on the other). Definitely not something I'd recommend as a regular commute. I'm surprised using the Millbrae extension isn't much faster, although the difference between Stanford and Millbrae might account for that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609536178570975752.post-1545106996586346422008-06-06T18:54:00.000-07:002008-06-06T18:54:00.000-07:00BART to San Jose won't make this trip very much fa...BART to San Jose won't make this trip very much faster: it's already 50 minutes from Fremont to Berkeley, plus add in at least another half an hour to get to San Jose, plus whatever time it takes from Sunnyvale to San Jose (at least 14 minutes by Caltrain). And that, by the way, is one of the big problems with the San Jose extension: it goes to San Jose, and does nothing to serve Sunnyvale and Mountain View and such. Anyway, I think another big problem with the whole situation is the lack of coordination of schedules, connections, and fares. The problem is made worse by the fact that two of the agencies that should be the backbone of the network (Caltrain and Capitol Corridor) are both relatively small and weak compared to even the local bus agencies.crzwdjkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06394805356595604336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609536178570975752.post-91801650344793756402008-06-06T10:47:00.000-07:002008-06-06T10:47:00.000-07:00does anyone think that the sunnyvale->berkeley tri...does anyone think that the sunnyvale->berkeley trip would be faster if/when BART to SJ was built?<BR/><BR/>also, i found an express bus (VTA # 120) that leaves from the lockheed martin plant near sunnyvale and goes to the fremont bart station...should get u there in about 1:30<BR/><BR/>arcady's suggestion works too...cap corridor is much faster and they have monthly passes that can lower the cost<BR/><BR/>caltrain metro east, should it ever get built, would be one way to make this trip much fasterFLUBBERhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07642630850939361572noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609536178570975752.post-84922082369449415292008-06-06T10:06:00.000-07:002008-06-06T10:06:00.000-07:00Haha yes what a novel concept. Well of course you...Haha yes what a novel concept. Well of course you all know how to do it in 2 hours, but what about the people who just want to take it once in a while? They aren't as in tune with how things work. I think the guy that did this took a two buses to BART in Freemont or something like that using a trip planner. But also remember that the bullets don't operate all the time. Just during rush hour.Pantograph Trolleypolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17833159138533550544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609536178570975752.post-32902822909829162742008-06-06T08:33:00.000-07:002008-06-06T08:33:00.000-07:00You can get from Sunnyvale to Berkeley in under 2 ...You can get from Sunnyvale to Berkeley in under 2 hours pretty easily if you do part of it by bike.<BR/><BR/>(a) Bike to Great America, catch Amtrak.<BR/><BR/>(b) CalTrain Baby Bullet to SF, bike to BART (faster than either connecting at Millbrae, more reliable than connecting downtown via Muni).<BR/><BR/>But back to your point--we really need the downtown CalTrain extension. It'll be really expensive, but no "low cost alternative" is going to cut it.<BR/><BR/>On the other hand: I think there are a lot of cases where a combination of commuter rail (on existing ry's) for long distance travel + light rail/rapid streetcar for local is better and cheaper than brand new "rapid transit" (imho the "heavy rail" label is stupid). <BR/><BR/>San Jose, for example, could beef up Cap Corridor and ACE for a heckofa lot less $$ than building BART, and spend the difference on a lot of new light rail.Nickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11276619955553290726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609536178570975752.post-48005124582161936872008-06-06T07:57:00.000-07:002008-06-06T07:57:00.000-07:00Also, the ideal transit system would probably invo...Also, the ideal transit system would probably involve a Caltrain express running to the Transbay Terminal, and a revived Key System light rail from there directly to Berkeley.crzwdjkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06394805356595604336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609536178570975752.post-88971108644695040702008-06-06T07:32:00.000-07:002008-06-06T07:32:00.000-07:00Wait wait. So what you're saying is that transit s...Wait wait. So what you're saying is that transit should be planned so that people actually want to use it? What a novel concept. And by the way, Sunnyvale to Berkeley in 2 hours is doable in under 2 hours, during rush hour at least. Take the 8:13 Baby Bullet from Sunnyvale to Millbrae, change to the BART, and you'll be there at 9:42. Or, maybe, take some combination of bus and light rail to Great America and then Amtrak, which is more expensive but also fast, even off peak and on weekends. Really, it would be nice if there were more express Caltrain runs, especially on weekends, as that makes the service MUCH more useful for those of us who need to travel almost the whole length of the line.crzwdjkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06394805356595604336noreply@blogger.com