New Hike To Trains At SAC

[Nathanael]

Just a little point of historical note.

The new alignment is pretty much the original alignment. The S curves were put in when SP the built the station in 1926(?) so passengers wouldn't have to do a long walk from the then-new station.

And doesn't that just sum up this change. Reversing a change made in 1926 to improve passenger service -- I think, somehow, that this is not an improvement in passenger service. Bad Sacramento.

 

[tp49]

They should line the walk with ads for lawyers:

Longer walk causing you pain & suffering?
Do you have any health problems at all? If so, they are directly attributable to the longer walk.

Call the law offices of Dewey, Cheatem and Howe today.

1-800-SUE-THEM

Don't give me any ideas :lol:

 

[tp49]

Just a little point of historical note.

The new alignment is pretty much the original alignment. The S curves were put in when SP the built the station in 1926(?) so passengers wouldn't have to do a long walk from the then-new station.

And doesn't that just sum up this change. Reversing a change made in 1926 to improve passenger service -- I think, somehow, that this is not an improvement in passenger service. Bad Sacramento.

Sounds like something that would happen in Sacramento. Sounds eerily like what they did with the hostel on H Street. Started out on the NW corner of 10th and H then the house was moved to the SE corner of 9th and H only to be moved back to the original spot about eight years ago.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

Not to add fuel to the entirely unexpected fire, but more from the Sacramento Bee...

Editorial: Railyard is a step closer to development

"In the past, Sacramento couldn't have two passenger trains at the station at the same time; now it can. Each platform has a power unit so trains no longer have to idle for hours; no more spewing diesel fumes into the air as trains lay over.

"And the old S-curve that limited the length of passenger trains is no more, opening possibilities for longer trains. In the future, for example, we could have trains that run from Sacramento to Roseville."

And...

"The city and Amtrak really need to step up to aid passengers, particularly those riding long-distance trains. Too often, not enough people are at the platform to offer assistance to detraining passengers who have luggage. It's not clear where the elderly and disabled can catch a ride on a cart. Amtrak is hiring additional staff to assist with carts and passengers and the city is working on better signage. Get that done quickly."

That's not all of the editorial, of course, which seems kinda scattershot.

 

[CHamilton]

As someone with limited mobility and stamina, I am concerned about these changes, but I'll make up my mind after I've visited. The un-enclosed walk between Sea-Tac airport terminal and the light rail station is pretty long, too, although Seattle gets triple-digit temperatures much more rarely than Sacramento does.

But one thing puzzles me on the map that was posted: there are two "planned roads" listed -- 5th St. and 6th St. -- which don't appear to exist north of I St. at present. How do these roads fit into the redevelopment project, and who do they benefit? Should we be skeptical that this project will create more car traffic at the expense of rail passengers?

 

[Sactobob]

Whoever wrote that editorial did not do their homework when they said that two trains could not occupy the station at the same time. As a Volunteer Station Host in Sacramento, I have many times seen three trains there boarding and detraining passengers at the same time, plus several additional trains standing by on other tracks ready to depart later. However, with the new track arrangement there is much more flexibily (and predictabily) regarding track assignments, making our Station Hosting jobs far easier.

 

[Aaron]

"And the old S-curve that limited the length of passenger trains is no more, opening possibilities for longer trains. In the future, for example, we could have trains that run from Sacramento to Roseville."

Huh? That's a seriously long platform, then, and erodes any concern about the walk from the station to the tracks. That walk's nothing compared the walk to get to your assigned car. Once that mega train leaves the station, will the redcaps be going with it to ferry passengers down to the dining car?

 

[printman2000]

Seems to me that when the figured out that the rest of the development was not going to happen any time soon, they could have left the old platforms connected and still usable. The freights could use the new route and the passenger trains could use the old.

 

[jmx53]

I saw this video that shows both the old and the new platforms, the tunnel under the new platforms, a portion of the temporary walkway to access the tunnel to the new platforms, the trackwork changeover at the west end of the platforms, the last few trains to use the old platforms, and some of the first few trains to use the new platforms:



Seems like there should be more seating and restrooms close to the new platforms for those people that choose to wait out there instead of inside the station building, but I wouldn't have a problem with walking that distance. In fact from the video the new platforms are even closer than I thought they would be going by reading some of the posts on this thread.

Does anyone know the plans for the permanent walkway? Will it be an underground tunnel all the way to the station building? If so, why couldn't they put in those moving walkways like they have in airport terminals?

 

[Blackwolf]

I was in SAC to check out the Union Pacific's 150th anniversary train (complete with UP844) and saw an interesting little side-edition to the track realignment. Does anyone here know for sure if the switch I saw put into place where there used to be an interlocking for the California State Railroad Museum's Sacramento Northern tracks is permanent?

Also, as a side-note of actually taking a look at the "hike" in daylight (I'd only used it at dawn and dusk until now) I came to the realization: It is a longer walk to go from the Portland sleeper on the Empire Builder to the diner than it is to go from the station to the platforms at SAC. Really not that long at all, and it will be a whole lot shorter still when they get rid of the temporary walkway in a few months. I had heard about the old tunnel being eventually connected with the new one, but I cannot say for absolute sure. The two tunnels sure do line up right to be connected.

 

[June the Coach Rider]

I was in SAC to check out the Union Pacific's 150th anniversary train (complete with UP844) and saw an interesting little side-edition to the track realignment. Does anyone here know for sure if the switch I saw put into place where there used to be an interlocking for the California State Railroad Museum's Sacramento Northern tracks is permanent?

Also, as a side-note of actually taking a look at the "hike" in daylight (I'd only used it at dawn and dusk until now) I came to the realization: It is a longer walk to go from the Portland sleeper on the Empire Builder to the diner than it is to go from the station to the platforms at SAC. Really not that long at all, and it will be a whole lot shorter still when they get rid of the temporary walkway in a few months. I had heard about the old tunnel being eventually connected with the new one, but I cannot say for absolute sure. The two tunnels sure do line up right to be connected.

Having to use a cane to walk, I am going into SAC from PDX to pick up the CZ. Are there vehicles of some type for those of us that cannot walk the ramp uphill?

 

[AlanB]

Having to use a cane to walk, I am going into SAC from PDX to pick up the CZ. Are there vehicles of some type for those of us that cannot walk the ramp uphill?

Yes, the station personnel have golf carts to drive those who need assistance between the train & the station.