Passenger Trains > Oakland Coliseum Station (and Air BART)

First, kudos to shed47 for great reporting on the new Oakland Airport connector:

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?4,3378735
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?4,3517500
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?4,3576649

On every Capitol Corridor joyride since the "Air BART" started revenue service, I've seen it run past me while stopped at the Oakland Coliseum Station. So after chasing the MRVSJ and going to the Albrae Industrial Lead couple of Sundays ago, I decided on a whim to go foam the Oakland Coliseum Station to finish the railfan day. I figured the odds of my getting a meet with an Amtrak train was pretty good.

I'm perched on the elevated walkway that connects between the Oakland Coliseum and the BART station. In the video clip, you can see where the Air BART station is relative to the BART station. For those worried about the neighborhood, the area is calm and quiet when there are no events at the Coliseum, so I was not bothered by anybody.

I nailed down the location of where the Air BART trains meet consistenly (near the Hegenberger Rd. junction with I-880), last clip in the video.

That's all folks.

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Nice video.

Anyword on how Air Bart is doing with Ridership yet?

Jerry Martin
Los Angeles, CA
Central Coast Railroad Festival

I had hoped to try it out but I haven't had any business trips to Oakland since it started. Haven't seen any reports in ridership, hopefully someone has. But the cost is pretty high for what to me seems like a small time savings. I could catch the AC transit #73 bus for cheaper, but I don't remember how frequent it is.

Nice pic and video by the way.


Posted from iPhone



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/03/15 18:45 by atsf121.

Amtrak entered the Coliseum station very slowly. Are those crossover switches for 15 mph?

MEKoch Wrote:
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> Amtrak entered the Coliseum station very slowly.
> Are those crossover switches for 15 mph?

why would they go faster for a station stop ... can't tell from the video whether the switches are #10s or #15s

Posted from Android

The crossover at CP NI912 Coliseum between main 1 & main 2 is good for 40 mph. The station track between CP NI011 66th Ave and CP NI912 Coliseum where the passenger trains stop is 15 mph. It's been too long since I've been over there, but it is possible that trains may also only be a able to get a restricting signal when going inside on the station track. Either way 15 mph is the top speed.

Airport cable car is a good connection. Plus there is no need to wait at a curb loaded with local losers anymore.

ble692 Wrote:
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> The crossover at CP NI912 Coliseum between main 1
> & main 2 is good for 40 mph. The station track
> between CP NI011 66th Ave and CP NI912 Coliseum
> where the passenger trains stop is 15 mph. It's
> been too long since I've been over there, but it
> is possible that trains may also only be a able to
> get a restricting signal when going inside on the
> station track. Either way 15 mph is the top speed.

I had my scanner on and both the eastbound and westbound Amtraks called "restricting" before coming into my view.

For the time I was there, I didn't see more than a dozen people get on or get off the Air BART per train, so for now, the ridership seems low. Hopefully, it'll get busier with time, like the BART connection to SFO, but I agree that $6 is a bit steep. I'll have to ride it next time I fly into or out of Oakland especially on a heavy travel day. I've had countless standing room only trips on the Air BART buses in the past.

Air BART connector has no grade crossings, no stop lights with almost a straight shot to the terminal. No more turns around the block the Air BART buses had to make just to get on Hegenberger Rd. anymore.