Caltrain Newbie
Posted by Phil Aaronson at 9:23 PM
I've been not-so-subtley suggesting to a friend of mine that he should really consider taking Caltrain for his commute. I've been dropping these hints for, oh, a couple years now. I guess the combination of $50 for a tank of gas and one too many bumper-to-bumper commutes home from San Jose finally pitched him over the edge. This was his first week of commuting on the train. Bravo!
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So starting to take the train is easier said than done - especially in downtown San Jose. While most of my problems will simply be solved by a few more days of riding, the overall experience may send most back to the driver's seat (I should mention that the tipping point was when my gas expense equaled the train fare)
Anyway, although a nice day for a walk, i decided to take the downtown shuttle to the train station to understand the full process. After waiting at the stop for approximately 5 minutes past its expected arrival, I decided to hoof it for fear of missing my Baby Bullet express train - finding it necessary to jog the last 1/4mile (in jeans and a dress shirt). As I crossed the last street, I noticed the shuttle pulling into the station (approximately 8 minutes behind schedule - so I probably chose well). As the biggest transportation hub in downtown San Jose, Diridon station lacks an important element - signs. With several tracks to choose from and only accessible through a series of underground tunnels, the only way to determine if you have chosen the right platform is to go up the ramp, ask somebody who is lingering around, and return underground if necessary. On my first attempt, the fellow passenger I asked was as clueless as I. After asking a Caltrain employee how to avoid this situation, he said the best way was to identify the different trains and their respective tracks prior to entering the train station. It was further explained that the small 2 digit number on the front of the train (which is actually the caboose on a northbound train) corresponds to the last 2 digits of the 3 digit train number on the schedule. Finally, you will need to count the tracks from outside the station and then remember how many ramps to pass prior to ascending to the platform.
Finally, I made it onto the right train - but I was not home free...
Earlier in the day, I wanted to comit myself to trying this train deal for a while, so I bought a ten ride card. Well as soon as the train starts moving, the announcement comes that you must "validate" your ticket prior to boarding - which of course in my haste - I forgot. The nice voice then says that if you have forgotten, please see a conductor immediately to avoid paying a hefty fine. Sounds good - I go through a couple of cars to find the source of the nice voice - I found a different voice. I was antagonistically reprimanded for not punching my ticket in the station and told that next time, I wouldn't be so "lucky" and I should either wait for the next train or pay the fine. I declined any type of further exchange, counting myself "lucky"
I then sat down, relaxed, and enjoyed the 22 minute express ride to Palo Alto - without hitting one traffic jam. I'm glad I bought the ten ride pass - because I'll be back tomorrow...
- The Friend
I learned the lesson about where to find the train number the hard way. I got on the wrong train! See my note about the wrong train blues.
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