New Hike To Trains At SAC

[WhoozOn1st]

The new location of boarding platforms at Sacramento means a longer walk from the station to San Joaquins, Capitol Corridor trains, Coast Starlight, and California Zephyr:

Track move adds a hike to Sacramento train riders' trip

"The platform relocation is part of a $50 million project to make room for development in the railyard. City officials envision a transit-oriented community growing over the next decade or two at the 240-acre site in the northwest corner of downtown."

"The walk from the depot to the new platforms should take about five minutes, project officials said. They've adopted a slogan – 'Don't be late, give it eight' – to make sure people start the walk in ample time."

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

I was looking at those a couple weeks ago and realized you'll walk half way to Roseville before you reach the platforms

 

[The Davy Crockett]

I went through SAC in April on #5 (getting a ride in a PV for the last leg from SAC to EMY! ) and had someone point out where the new platforms were going in. Clearly financial considerations were given a higher priority than the best interests of pax. I just can't help but believe that this new arrangement wil be regretted for years to come.

 

[printman2000]

I find it humorous they there is a Midway Plaza. Guess people might need a break on their hike to the platforms!

 

[rrdude]

Really? 500+ feet? No moving sidewalks? What idiot came up with this plan? I mean, it's almost like you are making it MORE DIFFICULT to choose rail. My mother would die before she could walk 500 feet, with luggage.

Personally, it's no bother for me at all, but how often does one see elderly, or physically challenged taking a "break" in airport concourses' because of the long walk.

Really poor planning IMHO.

 

[MikefromCrete]

Really? 500+ feet? No moving sidewalks? What idiot came up with this plan? I mean, it's almost like you are making it MORE DIFFICULT to choose rail. My mother would die before she could walk 500 feet, with luggage.

Personally, it's no bother for me at all, but how often does one see elderly, or physically challenged taking a "break" in airport concourses' because of the long walk.

Really poor planning IMHO.

I read somewhere that the station recently got a number of new golf carts, presumably to handle the elderly and handicapped, but I agree, very bad planning. Is this just a temporary thing or will it be permanent after all the construction is done? If they have to have a midway resting spot, it's way too long.

 

[tp49]

When they made the decision to realign the track at SAC it was done for two reasons. The first was to eliminate the curves at the east end of the station that limited visibility of trains approaching the station. There was a collision a few years back because of this. The other reason was because there was a plan to move the station closer to the new track alignment to accommodate the arena the city wanted to put in the railyard (the one that probably won't be built.) The bridges that are meant to carry 5th and 6th streets over the tracks have been in place now easily for the past three years.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

Is this just a temporary thing or will it be permanent after all the construction is done?

It sounds like it is going to be this way for a long while. The city does not want to say it is permanent, but I don't think there any active plans to change the new status quo. Reminds me of when I was a child growing up in the DC area in the 1960s and there where still 'temporary' office buildings on The National Mall from the World War. The FIRST World War!

 

[Skypath]

Is this just a temporary thing or will it be permanent after all the construction is done?

It sounds like it is going to be this way for a long while. The city does not want to say it is permanent, but I don't think there any active plans to change the new status quo. Reminds me of when I was a child growing up in the DC area in the 1960s and there where still 'temporary' office buildings on The National Mall from the World War. The FIRST World War!

And here I kept on griping over the "temporary" Concourse C/D over at Dulles Airport. :wacko:

 

[caravanman]

Hi,

Seems a shame to seperate the local tram stop from the Amtrak platforms also. I had got used to walking down H street from the youth hostel and straight onto the platform, or the Ambus, avoiding the station building altogether.

Maybe the plan is to seperate out the station building and re develope that area too?

Ed

 

[fairviewroad]

Good gravy! A 5-minute walk...how are we, as a nation, going to manage this? hboy:

I honestly don't see what the fuss is about. How long of a walk, for instance, do you think

it is to get from your car to your gate at the Sacramento airport? (Not to mention how long

of a walk is it to change flights O'Hare, Denver, Dallas, Houston, etc).

Yeah, I get the fact that older and mobility impaired people will find this challenging. The station

officials say there will be "8 motorized carts" to transport them. That seems like an adequate

amount, assuming they can be summoned easily and quickly. For everyone else...sheesh.

 

[user 1215]

They need a tram to get from the one platform to the other. LOL. Not really LOL, but crazy LOL.

 

[rrdude]

Good gravy! A 5-minute walk...how are we, as a nation, going to manage this? hhboy:

I honestly don't see what the fuss is about. How long of a walk, for instance, do you think

it is to get from your car to your gate at the Sacramento airport? (Not to mention how long

of a walk is it to change flights O'Hare, Denver, Dallas, Houston, etc).

Yeah, I get the fact that older and mobility impaired people will find this challenging. The station

officials say there will be "8 motorized carts" to transport them. That seems like an adequate

amount, assuming they can be summoned easily and quickly. For everyone else...sheesh.

Look, in general, I agree with you. I'm over 50, fatter than I should be, and not in shape as I should be. I travel light (never check bags on train or plane) hardly ever use escalators, or elevators, and ALWAYS use the stairs. Mobility isn't the issue for me, we agree on that, but it is for some, we agree on that.

My bit@%ch is that when they HAD a chance to design this CORRECTLY, and with minimum walking distances, they BLEW IT. Travel is a LOT about convenience, the more convenient, the more people will use it.

 

[fairviewroad]

Look, in general, I agree with you. I'm over 50, fatter than I should be, and not in shape as I should be. I travel light (never check bags on train or plane) hardly ever use escalators, or elevators, and ALWAYS use the stairs. Mobility isn't the issue for me, we agree on that, but it is for some, we agree on that.

My bit@%ch is that when they HAD a chance to design this CORRECTLY, and with minimum walking distances, they BLEW IT. Travel is a LOT about convenience, the more convenient, the more people will use it.

Fair enough, maybe they should have done better. And I bet that some people will probably hear about the new platforms and choose to drive instead. But I think over time

this will be a long-forgotten issue. The one thing I really think they should do is add restrooms out at the platform...hopefully those can be added when the budget allows.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

But I think over time this will be a long-forgotten issue.

I think many people will be reminded of it every time they make the what-seems-to-be-unnecessary-because-of-poor-planning walk.

 

[Bierboy]

500 feet = one tenth of a mile. If you can't trek that far (excluding, as mentioned, elderly, mobility-impaired, etc.), then you should should be doing something other than sitting on a train for hours on end...

 

[The Davy Crockett]

500 feet = one tenth of a mile. If you can't trek that far (excluding, as mentioned, elderly, mobility-impaired, etc.), then you should should be doing something other than sitting on a train for hours on end...

For the record, I'm in good physical shape and love walking and hiking.

For me, the exercise and effort are not the problem at all.

And if others have mobilty issues, through their own fault or not, it is a reality that this will not encourage them to take Amtrak.

 

[Bierboy]

500 feet = one tenth of a mile. If you can't trek that far (excluding, as mentioned, elderly, mobility-impaired, etc.), then you should should be doing something other than sitting on a train for hours on end...

...if others have mobilty issues, through their own fault or not, it is a reality that this will not encourage them to take Amtrak.

Nor will it encourage them to use the airlines, which often require walking MUCH further than 500 feet...

 

[fillyjonk]

Also parents with small children....hauling a kid (shorter legs, can't walk as fast) or having to carry a baby (or push them in a stroller) plus carry ons and the various impedimentia one must have when traveling with a small child...that's not so great.

I wouldn't have a big problem with it as a solo traveler in my 40s but I can see how some people would have a problem with this. Yes, I know they have golf carts but there are enough SNAFUs at travel locations (my dad needed a wheelchair once in an airport and there was no one there to meet him, and it took about fifteen minutes to track down a wheelchair) that I'd hate having to rely on someone showing up with a cart.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

500 feet = one tenth of a mile. If you can't trek that far (excluding, as mentioned, elderly, mobility-impaired, etc.), then you should should be doing something other than sitting on a train for hours on end...

...if others have mobilty issues, through their own fault or not, it is a reality that this will not encourage them to take Amtrak.

Nor will it encourage them to use the airlines, which often require walking MUCH further than 500 feet...

How did flying enter the picture? They are flying to places the Cap Corridor goes to?

Besides, people with mobility issues are just one, of many, facets of this debacle.

I remember when 'the powers that be' decided it would be a good idea to 'repurpose' another capital's train station. They stuck an Amshack to the rear of WAS and used the station as a Bicentenial visitor's center. Do I need to explain why this ultimately was a decision that was regretted?

 

[Bierboy]

Also parents with small children....hauling a kid (shorter legs, can't walk as fast) or having to carry a baby (or push them in a stroller) plus carry ons and the various impedimentia one must have when traveling with a small child...that's not so great...

...and, again, how is this any different than other modes of mass transportation?

 

[Bierboy]

500 feet = one tenth of a mile. If you can't trek that far (excluding, as mentioned, elderly, mobility-impaired, etc.), then you should should be doing something other than sitting on a train for hours on end...

...if others have mobilty issues, through their own fault or not, it is a reality that this will not encourage them to take Amtrak.

Nor will it encourage them to use the airlines, which often require walking MUCH further than 500 feet...

How did flying enter the picture?

You mentioned that this would not encourage people to use Amtrak. I bring it up because air travel is an alternative mass transport. People bitching about walking an extra 500 feet is incredible to me....

 

[fairviewroad]

But I think over time this will be a long-forgotten issue.

I think many people will be reminded of it every time they make the what-seems-to-be-unnecessary-because-of-poor-planning walk.

But the average traveler doesn't know one iota about the planning behind this project. In a few months this will simply be the new normal.

How far do people walk to catch the train in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington, etc? I'm not talking about within the actual station,

I'm talking about from their offices to the train station. I don't think it's unusual at all for people in large cities to walk a mile or more to get to

the station. Or walk 5 blocks to catch a subway, etc. Another 500 feet would be a rounding error. I think we're underestimating people's

ability to adapt.

 

[printman2000]

The ability to walk the distance is really not the issue here. The issue is why would you want to design a station with that kind of inconvienence? If it cannot be helped, so be it. If it is just poor design then that would just be dumb.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

In a few months this will simply be the new normal.

No, because every time one walks the walk there will be a visual reminder: Empty space and the remnants of the former tracks.

How far do people walk to catch the train in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington, etc? I'm not talking about within the actual station, I'm talking about from their offices to the train station. I don't think it's unusual at all for people in large cities to walk a mile or more to get to

the station. Or walk 5 blocks to catch a subway, etc. Another 500 feet would be a rounding error. I think we're underestimating people's

ability to adapt.

That is addressed by rrdude,above.