Passenger Trains > SF Commute 150th Anniversary

Caltrain presided over the 150th Anniversary of SF Peninsula commute service with a ceremony at Santa Clara, CA with a special train from San Francisco (I think) with the requisite politicians and speeches.

- The special arrives at Santa Clara, MP36 925 (Jackie Speir) doing the honors. Congresswoman Speir, it was noted, was the only person in attendance with a locomotive named for her. A Peerless Stages GM bus from the bus museum in Fremont is in the background, looking great!

- The crowd emerging from the special. Lot's of people for Santa Clara, a well used station but never this crowded!

(No politician photos included!)

Jim B



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/18/14 16:25 by jimB.

---

---

After the speeches,

- The special returns to pick up the crowd on the Northbound platform, with Caltrain Train 430 stopped at the South platform.

- The special departs North with the Jackie pushing. Normalcy returns to Santa Clara!

Jim B

---

---

Great shots! The longest-running passenger train line in the West deserves some kudos. Through all the different operators, SF-SJ, SP, Caltrans, the Joint Powers Board, it's been a lifeline to us along the Peninsula.

And here's a photo from my first visit to Commute Country--Sept 1967, when the FM TrainMasters ruled the Peninsula. For us Southern Californians, who wouldn't see commuter trains for another 25 years in LA, it was a chance to catch some suburban rail action without leaving the Pacific Standard Time zone.

---

Nice. I missed them by about 6 months on my first trip to the Bay Area.

Jim B

One of my favorite all-time railroad routes--but the newer paint scheme is awful. Like Amtrak's Shamu scheme, it is taking a piece of machinery and giving it an "organic" livery. BTW, Peerless Bus Lines between--Oakland and San Jose--was the first chartered long distance bus service in the US, before Trailways and Greyhound. I think it still operates on paper but Greyhound leases the route. Anyone know for sure?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/18/14 21:13 by railwaybaron.

Love those Trainmasters!

Ditto, and their wonderful sound.

lots of handouts for the arriving passengers on this free train, such as eyeglass cleaners and tote bags.