# Baby Bullet Trains a Hit



## steve_relei (Jun 9, 2004)

Baby Bullet Trains a Hit Here is an article from SFGate.com about the new commuter train service between San Francisco and San Jose.


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## battalion51 (Jun 9, 2004)

The Baby Bullets definitely look like a nice little train. I love the paint job on it, I know the cars are similar to other agencies areound the continent, but something about that design makes the trains look really sleek.


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## engine999 (Jun 9, 2004)

battalion51 said:


> The Baby Bullets definitely look like a nice little train. I love the paint job on it, I know the cars are similar to other agencies areound the continent, but something about that design makes the trains look really sleek.


Those mp36's can't hurt. I think the idea is great. It may even cause economic development, if an employer can have a garunteed workforce able to arrive reliably ontime.


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## Margaret (SP fan) (Aug 4, 2004)

I am a regular commuter on Caltrain. All the "baby bullets" are is heavily-publicized express trains. Yes, people like them, because people like getting places faster. Expresses have always been popular.

Unfortunately, the passengers had no say at all in the interior design  -because Caltrain bought the cars that were going t be used on a commuter train called the "Sounder". I have met very few riders who like the new cars. Many of them really dislike the tri-levels because almost all the seats are arranged in facing pairs. thus forcing passengers to "play kneesie" with strangers.  The seats have cloth upholstery, and have a deep vee between the high backs, which allows whoever is behind you to see what you are reading or doing. No more comfortable Naugahyde-covered walk-over seats with high backs. 

The new expresses are usable only by those who both work and live near one of the 4 stations they stop at. The rest of us have to put up with longer trips. For commuters, the service was much better when the Southern Pacific ran the system. Under the SP, EVERY station had at least one express train that stopped there - even Castro!

The new tri-level cars do sway enough to alarm some riders who ride in the upper level. (They are double-decked in the middle.)


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## AMTRAK-P42 (Aug 4, 2004)

engine999 said:


> battalion51 said:
> 
> 
> > The Baby Bullets definitely look like a nice little train. I love the paint job on it, I know the cars are similar to other agencies areound the continent, but something about that design makes the trains look really sleek.
> ...


Well, actually to be honest the 36's have caused maintenance a lot of problems. They are controlled so predominantly by computers that when something goes wrong, maintenance cant simply find a compartment, open it, and discover the problem. But rather they find a compartment, open it, and find a computer. This is how the guys at maintenance at San Jose explained it to me. The engines themselves are great when they are functioning properly. They load quickly and are very smooth.


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## efin98 (Aug 6, 2004)

Have the expresses helped ease the cramping on the other lines enough to possibly increase the number of expresses?


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## AMTRAK-P42 (Aug 6, 2004)

efin98 said:


> Have the expresses helped ease the cramping on the other lines enough to possibly increase the number of expresses?


I think Cal Train is being a little bit cautious about increasing the number of expresses for some obvious reasons. First of all, right now it is almost a 50/50 chance that when an express is ready to go out on its run, it will start up smoothly, so Cal Train does not want to put on even more pressure for these trains to run on time before they have all the bugs worked out.

Second, they have the expresses running now to fit the business side of things. Bringing people into the city in the morning, and out in the late afternoon. Cal Train will not have its figures for a few months, but if the results reveal an increase in OVERALL rider ship, they could consider increasing the number of bullets.


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## efin98 (Aug 6, 2004)

Sounds like they hit the mark with their trains out there, I don't blame them for taking their time before implimenting more. Does CalTran have to deal with freight service and or Amtrak service in implimenting expresses like the MBTA has had around Boston? There have have been only a few implimented here due to Amtrak and freight on the two heavily used lines(the Attleborough Line with Amtrak and the Fitchburg with Guilford Rail Systems freight).


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## AMTRAK-P42 (Aug 7, 2004)

Fortunately, Cal Train does not have to deal with any Amtrak traffic on its line from San Jose-San Francisco, except for about the last 3/4 of a mile into the depot at San Jose when the line from East Bay joins up with the CP Coast line, but it never causes any problems. In terms of freight traffic, UP rarely sends freights north of San Jose on the coast line, but it does happen. The freights usually will run early morning or evening time and shoot right through up to the south San Francisco yards.


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## gswager (Aug 7, 2004)

Cal-Train track is a "branch" line from San Jose to San Francisco yard, so the freight traffic is light. San Francisco is in the peninsula area.


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## tp49 (Aug 7, 2004)

AMTRAK-P42 said:


> Fortunately, Cal Train does not have to deal with any Amtrak traffic on its line from San Jose-San Francisco, except for about the last 3/4 of a mile into the depot at San Jose when the line from East Bay joins up with the CP Coast line, but it never causes any problems. In terms of freight traffic, UP rarely sends freights north of San Jose on the coast line, but it does happen. The freights usually will run early morning or evening time and shoot right through up to the south San Francisco yards.


The Newark Sub meets the line to the Peninsula at a point just north of Santa Clara Tower (north end of the CalTrain station). There is a railroad museum there and they maintain the tower which is inactive. Last time I went there which was in March or April, they had a model train exhibit there along with tours of the tower. We saw 11, and one of the Capitols coming into San Jose. A fun place to visit on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon.


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