Insights into how the High Speed Rail Authority is thinking about Peninsula service were shared at last week’s forum at the Redwood City Library, discussing opportunities for Caltrain to keep up with ridership growth.  The forum included a presentation by Friends of Caltrain on ways that Caltrain can support increased ridership, with Casey Fromson of Caltrain and Guy Preston of High Speed Rail present to answer questions about Caltrain modernization and planning for the blended system with High Speed Rail, where Caltrain and High Speed Rail will share tracks.
One question that came up about the blended system was whether High Speed Rail was still considering a mid-Peninsula station. Â High Speed Rail is planning to serve San Francisco (Transbay, or 4th and King if Transbay isn’t completed yet), Millbrae, and San Jose Diridon station. Â In the earlier round of High Speed Rail planning in ~2010, the High Speed Rail Authority proposed potential stations in Mountain View, Palo Alto, or Redwood City, but all of those cities declined the offer.
At the time, High Speed Rail’s Peninsula station proposals assumed that station access would be similar to airports where the vast majority of travelers arrive by auto, and large parking structures are needed for the long-distance travelers. Â However, since then, according to Guy Preston, the High Speed Rail Authority has been rethinking station access and now would plan for a much higher share of transit access to a mid-Peninsula station, with less parking and car traffic.
Why would a mid-Peninsula city want to have a High Speed Rail station?  One potential benefit would be if the High Speed Trains also had some room for commuters, so people could have more trains to choose from if they commute between Redwood City and San Francisco or San Jose.  Preston said that the High Speed Rail’s business planning did foresee some customers using the High Speed trains for peninsula commuting. However, because High Speed Rail has an obligation to not require a subsidy, its fares would be designed for that business goal, and would likely be more expensive.  This  question and then initial answer will get more attention as the planning for the blended system moves forward over the next couple of years.
This will be an important issue to watch and weigh in on as the planning for the blended system moves forward. How much will space on high speed trains be able to contribute to meet commute demand?  How valuable will it be to High Speed Rail’s ridership to have a mid-Peninsula station, and what conditions, including station access and additional commute service, would make it attractive for a Peninsula community to accept a station?
I understand what they said about cost. It may be similar to what happens with Amtrak and ACE Commuter Rail. From Fremont, you can take ACE for just over $5 now to San Jose and yet Amtrak for the same ride is about $11.
Could you please elaborate on the nature of this “forum” and how anyone representing themselves as “Friends” of Caltrain could possibly be involved in Caltrain capacity discussions outside of the public arena?
The meeting was in the Redwood City Public library, with signs on the door. Groups can hold meetings on all kinds of topics, that’s freedom of assembly.
Was this meeting advertised on the Internet or a in a local newspaper?
Were friends of Caltrain invited to the meeting or was this a San Mateo closed session?
It wasn’t closed. It was publicized to the Friends of Caltrain lists, Facebook, and Twitter, several local lists and Facebook pages. This is the latest in a series that has also been held in Palo Alto, Mountain View, and San Jose.
– Caltrain EMU capacity: 950 seats + standees = maximum 1,500 passengers/train path
– HSR capacity: 450 seats = maximum 450 passengers/train path
Any questions?