Nostalgia & History > More "vintage" Caltrain

Earlier this week I went to check out the line upgrades on the Caltrain line between San Francisco and San Mateo. San Mateo sure has changed with the new platform (the new "depot" is being offered for use as a restaurant). I couldn't find the old parking structure where the old platform used to be. It looks like the building was either remodeled or replaced.

Anyway, I decided to dig through some of my old Caltrain photos. Here are a few from around 1989...

Here the trains are neatly parked in San Jose, ready for the run to SF. I'm guessing this was a weekend. Look at all those Gyra-Lites and cab roof mounted horns.

---

Another view showing the old water tower that was moved.

---

908 pushes the train out of the station bound for The City. Notice no Shark Tank yet.

What was the responsibility of the guy in the shanty?

---

Gyra-Lites used to be on the cab cars too. Here it's moving northbound at one of the 3 grade crossings in downtown San Bruno. I hear there is a grade seperation project planned for here too.

---

Here's something from the SP days. This was in Redwood City, sometime during the early 80's. Can't tell exactly what locomotives these are, but I'm guessing it's the famous SD9 pair...

---

danf Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I couldn't
> find the old parking structure where the old
> platform used to be. It looks like the building
> was either remodeled or replaced.

Dan the old parking garage was torn down and replace with a movie theater. I feel old because I remember that garage being built when I was a teenager. I watched them tear down the old train station. When they dug up the street out front the rails from the Market Street Railway's "40 Line" were still buried in the street. I believe the SP Station "Cube" under the parking garage was the last SP passenger depot ever built.

---

This is one of my favorite of my CalTrain shots, taken in Aug 1988 when the Lenzen St. Roundhouse was still in use.

A friend and I used to roam around San Jose at night taking photos and honing our skills at low light work. Still really happy with this particular shot.

Nice shots, Dan. I have to agree that the reddot scheme is inferior to the old wave. Still, at least they kept the striped nose and didn't for for the dot on the nose as originally proposed.

Maybe in a couple of years someone can convince CalTrain to try a different scheme again. I will gladly agree to design it. How about a tribute to the railroads of the Bay Area? One in Daylight, one in Warbonnet and one in Zephyr?

Z

---

Here is SP 2472 passing by the new San Mateo depot. It's a big improvement over the hole in the wall depot.

You're probably right. My information lists it opening Oct. 29, 1976. San Francisco opened June 23, 1975, so those two were the last SP era passenger facilities built that I can think of. After 1980 it was all CalTrain/Caltrain.


silagi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> I believe the SP Station "Cube" under the parking garage was
> the last SP passenger depot ever built.

Guy in the shanty was the depot herder. Nobody passed through the depot, either freight or passenger without his consent.

Sierra Pt.

---

This is one of my favorites.

---