Passenger Trains > 1/14 Start Date Set for LRT Construction to Sacramento

The long-awaited extension of light rail into the Sacramento Amtrak station is expected to begin on 1/14. This will result in the removal of all parking spaces on the track side of the station. Parking will be made available at similar rates in nearby city-owned garages for some period of time. It is expected that the trains on the Folsom/Sunrise line will operate through to Amtrak/Old Sacramento. Folsom will have three express trains each way during commute hours making limited stops, but will otherwise be served by an hourly shuttle to/from Sunrise.

Great news!

That's a bummer about the parking, though. I was shooting night shots in the front parking lot last week, and it is D*A*R*K out there. No streetlights, just four feeble floodlamps stapled to the front of the station.

That will be fabulous having light rail there, I was getting worried when after Sept 2001 the Federal Building got worried about having light rail running next to it 'cause they wouldn't be able to detour everything for blocks around should martial law be declared. Then there was the fuss with the baggage express building, then last summer the city voted to move the station...!?!?...

I'm glad light rail is being pushed through in spite of all these potential nails in the coffin.

Ted in Davis

reindeerflame Wrote:
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> The long-awaited extension of light rail into the
> Sacramento Amtrak station is expected to begin on
> 1/14. This will result in the removal of all
> parking spaces on the track side of the station.
> Parking will be made available at similar rates in
> nearby city-owned garages for some period of time.
> It is expected that the trains on the
> Folsom/Sunrise line will operate through to
> Amtrak/Old Sacramento. Folsom will have three
> express trains each way during commute hours
> making limited stops, but will otherwise be served
> by an hourly shuttle to/from Sunrise.


Are the still planning on moving the station, or did they give up on that idea?

Proposal to move the station building and the tracks is still alive. Who knows when that might happen. Funding is not currently identified.

reindeerflame Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The long-awaited extension of light rail into the
> Sacramento Amtrak station is expected to begin on
> 1/14. This will result in the removal of all
> parking spaces on the track side of the station.
> Parking will be made available at similar rates in
> nearby city-owned garages for some period of time.
> It is expected that the trains on the
> Folsom/Sunrise line will operate through to
> Amtrak/Old Sacramento. Folsom will have three
> express trains each way during commute hours
> making limited stops, but will otherwise be served
> by an hourly shuttle to/from Sunrise.

One of the thing most of these projects forget are the passengers
that they are doing all this for. It seems incomprehensable that
the city of Sacramento would not provide Red Cap service or some
sort of shuttle bus from the parking lot to the station. Anyone
that travels with an average amount of luggage (even people taking
commuter trains carry some luggage) would realize the hardship it
is to walk a couple of blocks carrying or wheeling a couple of
suitcases.

This is also the problem with Bart to the SFO airport. There is
no provision to assist people that might be carrying luggage
for a long flight. So why take Bart?


Howard Dean
Alameda, CA

Last oeprating plan I heard was every half-hour to Folsom. I will double check on that.

When I take BART to SFO, i Take one large suitcase and two carry-ons. I never had a problem. Most people use the elevator to get to the airtrain from the BARt platform. Its not hard.

Travel light! Then BART to SFO is fine.

reindeerflame Wrote:
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> Travel light! Then BART to SFO is fine.


That's easy to say until you've run out of underwear on the
fifth day of your vacation! As Einstein said: Light is Relative.


Howard Dean
Alameda, CA