Passenger Trains > SMART Speeds Up

Over the last few weeks SMART (Sonoma Marin Rail Transit) (North Bay, California) has started testing PTC and with it has increased train speeds. For the longest time, trains had been limited to 30mph and 15 mph prepared to stop at all grade crossings. Now, most of the grade crossings are in service and full track speed is permitted during PTC testing. This includes 79mph running between Sonoma County Airport Station MP60 and Cotati MP46, with a permanent slow order through downtown Santa Rosa of 25mph.

Other sections of 79mph track include from just south of Pengrove to just north of Petaluma and just south of the Haystack Bridge to Ignacio.

PTC Testing is expected to take up to 2 months.

With the testing in full swing, NWP operations have been curtailed to night time only on the Mainline Subdivision. They are running trains on the Brazos Sub in daylight hours from time to time.