What is the busiest station west of Chicago?

[DET63]

Which station west of Chicago has the largest number of Amtrak trains (as opposed to commuter trains or passengers) each day? I read somewhere not long ago that it was Martinez, CA, which has Capitol Corridor, San Joaquin, Coast Starlight and California Zephyr service. However, I believe all of these trains also serve Emeryville. The Zephyr doesn't serve Oakland, but all of the other trains do.

Three long-distance services terminate at Los Angeles, but are there as many Surfliner service trains in and out of L.A. Union Station as there are Capitol Corridor and San Joaquin trains through Martinez and Emeryville?

 

[DET63]

Research for Martinez and Emeryville seems to indicate a total of 20 westbound weekday Capitol Corridor and San Joaquin trains. Add the Starlight and the Zephyr, and you have 22 trains each weekday. I believe there are fewer trains on weekends. Assuming an equal number of services in the opposite direction, and Martinez and Emeryville should see 44 trains each day.

 

[jmbgeg]

Which station west of Chicago has the largest number of Amtrak trains (as opposed to commuter trains or passengers) each day? I read somewhere not long ago that it was Martinez, CA, which has Capitol Corridor, San Joaquin, Coast Starlight and California Zephyr service. However, I believe all of these trains also serve Emeryville. The Zephyr doesn't serve Oakland, but all of the other trains do.
Three long-distance services terminate at Los Angeles, but are there as many Surfliner service trains in and out of L.A. Union Station as there are Capitol Corridor and San Joaquin trains through Martinez and Emeryville?

I would have guessed Martinez, Emeryville or Sacramento. Given the volume of boardings and detrainings in these cities, why is the food and beverage service so minimal in these stations? Even PDX has more options.

 

[PetalumaLoco]

Which station west of Chicago has the largest number of Amtrak trains (as opposed to commuter trains or passengers) each day? I read somewhere not long ago that it was Martinez, CA, which has Capitol Corridor, San Joaquin, Coast Starlight and California Zephyr service. However, I believe all of these trains also serve Emeryville. The Zephyr doesn't serve Oakland, but all of the other trains do.
Three long-distance services terminate at Los Angeles, but are there as many Surfliner service trains in and out of L.A. Union Station as there are Capitol Corridor and San Joaquin trains through Martinez and Emeryville?

I would have guessed Martinez, Emeryville or Sacramento. Given the volume of boardings and detrainings in these cities, why is the food and beverage service so minimal in these stations? Even PDX has more options.

Most of Martinez's riders are commuters either on their way to work or home. I wouldn't expect much in dining choices. There is a small snack bar in the station. A sprinkling of restaurants are a few blocks away. It's not Grand Central Station there.

 

[DowneasterPassenger]

In LA Union Station, over by the Amtrak bus boarding area, there is a plaque on the wall that reads in part:

Los Angeles Passenger Terminal 1939-1989...
In it's heyday the terminal...handled 56 trains per day.

But actually, the heyday is now. There are more than 56 trains arriving and departing, if you count all the Amtraks, Metro Rails and Metrolinks as "trains". Someone said the number today is closer to 80.

 

[jmbgeg]

Which station west of Chicago has the largest number of Amtrak trains (as opposed to commuter trains or passengers) each day? I read somewhere not long ago that it was Martinez, CA, which has Capitol Corridor, San Joaquin, Coast Starlight and California Zephyr service. However, I believe all of these trains also serve Emeryville. The Zephyr doesn't serve Oakland, but all of the other trains do.
Three long-distance services terminate at Los Angeles, but are there as many Surfliner service trains in and out of L.A. Union Station as there are Capitol Corridor and San Joaquin trains through Martinez and Emeryville?

I would have guessed Martinez, Emeryville or Sacramento. Given the volume of boardings and detrainings in these cities, why is the food and beverage service so minimal in these stations? Even PDX has more options.

Most of Martinez's riders are commuters either on their way to work or home. I wouldn't expect much in dining choices. There is a small snack bar in the station. A sprinkling of restaurants are a few blocks away. It's not Grand Central Station there.

Good point. Most of the LD passengers are through passengers.

 

[battalion51]

LA definitely makes sense, but what about San Jose. You've got Cal Train, ACE, and Amtrak there IIRC...

 

[DaveKCMO]

i would say it's a toss-up between san jose and LA, but it's probably LA considering the number (and volume) of light rail and metrolink trains.

ACE doesn't count for much

 

[AlanB]

Guys, please remember that the original question specifically stated Amtrak trains. Metrolink, ACE, light rail, and other's don't count as Amtrak trains.

 

[battalion51]

Guys, please remember that the original question specifically stated Amtrak trains. Metrolink, ACE, light rail, and other's don't count as Amtrak trains.

Oops. Darn those pesky details. Now do Amtrak operated trains count? Since Amtrak is the operator for CalTrain. :lol:

 

[DET63]

Guys, please remember that the original question specifically stated Amtrak trains. Metrolink, ACE, light rail, and other's don't count as Amtrak trains.

Oops. Darn those pesky details. Now do Amtrak operated trains count? Since Amtrak is the operator for CalTrain. :lol:

Is it on the Amtrak national timetable? Can you buy a ticket through Amtrak?

 

[PetalumaLoco]

Guys, please remember that the original question specifically stated Amtrak trains. Metrolink, ACE, light rail, and other's don't count as Amtrak trains.

Oops. Darn those pesky details. Now do Amtrak operated trains count? Since Amtrak is the operator for CalTrain. :lol:

Is it on the Amtrak national timetable? Can you buy a ticket through Amtrak?

The California Capital Corridor trains can be bought thru Amtrak. (EMY-MTZ-SAC for example).

 

[battalion51]

Guys, please remember that the original question specifically stated Amtrak trains. Metrolink, ACE, light rail, and other's don't count as Amtrak trains.

Oops. Darn those pesky details. Now do Amtrak operated trains count? Since Amtrak is the operator for CalTrain. :lol:

Is it on the Amtrak national timetable? Can you buy a ticket through Amtrak?

Depends on how technical you want to get. :lol: I see where you're going with this, I'm just having some fun with technicalities.

 

[DET63]

Guys, please remember that the original question specifically stated Amtrak trains. Metrolink, ACE, light rail, and other's don't count as Amtrak trains.

Oops. Darn those pesky details. Now do Amtrak operated trains count? Since Amtrak is the operator for CalTrain. :lol:

Is it on the Amtrak national timetable? Can you buy a ticket through Amtrak?

The California Capital Corridor trains can be bought thru Amtrak. (EMY-MTZ-SAC for example).

Capital Corridor is not CalTrain, though.