06-05-01 PHOTOS: Caltran Caltrain I

Here is my first set of photos from my big trip to San Francisco. On my first day I went from SFO to the Caltrain station at Millbrae and from there took the Caltran Caltrain to see a friend in San Jose.

It was a fun ride, although the stops were a little close together and the line had been recently resignaled, (although at least they are using speed signaling now) Caltrain its a pretty good operation easily up to the standards set by the east coast and chicago. At the San Jose terminal I got to see trainsets from ACE, Caltrain and Amtrak all together.

On my return trip I took one of the new express "Baby Bullet" trains (although fortunately my train was not using the new shit Baby Bullet equipment) so I got a nice railfan window express run all the way back. Yes, all the gallery cab cars have a railfan window, however all the cab cars are also "bike" cars so seating is limited.

I took the express all the way back to the 4th and King terminal which is perhaps the only location on the West Coast with pneumatic switch machines.

Anyway, the whole set of photos can be found at:

http://acm.jhu.edu/~sthurmovik/Railpics/06-05-01_CALTRAN_CALTRAIN/-Thumbnails.html

SFO station on BART with a 'C' style car that has a flat front cab.

My southbound local train to San Jose arrives at Millbrae with F40PH-2CAT #900.

MP36PH-2C with gallery car stock. Too bad we don't get to see these in NJT colours :-(

Hmmm, are people on the West Coast more depressed than average?

Amtrak Capitol Corridor train at San Jose.  These F59PHI's may look great, but their 2000's numbering series keeps conflicting with photos of Acela Express cars.

Altamont Commuter Express and Caltrain F40PH-2's lay over side by side in the San Jose yard adjacent to the platforms.

A full house of bi-level cab control cars.  From left to right we have an Amtrak Superliner cab, ACE Bomber Coffin Cab, Caltrain gallery cab and then a Caltrain Coffin Cab.
 

 Speaking of the Altamont Commuter Express here is one I caught headed inbound with F40PH-2C #3105 just south of Santa Clara.

 The preserved CLARA tower at Santa Clara.

 Here's a nice shot at signal 103 with the hills of South San Francisco in the background.

The famous tunnel at CP-TUNNEL.

The famous Southern Pacific Cantilever at 4th and King with a dwarf searchlight giving my train a Slow Clear indication into the 4th and King terminal.

 The terminal interlocking is an air plant with US&S A-5 point machines and quite a few double slip switches.

 Approaching the platforms we pass another searchlight dwarf this time displaying Slow Approach. 

F40PH-2's at 4th and King including #905 and #900 from earlier.