|
|
Post by nickv on Jan 8, 2008 9:04:38 GMT -8
NCTD is still figuring that out. The district is advertising "January 2008. It's important that the safety issues are 100% addressed. Trust me. NCTD staff is just as frustrated as we are about it. They take safety very seriously. I'll post the date as soon as I find out. The best source for updates is the NCTD Web site; they're good at keeping their Web site updated. |
|
|
|
Post by nickv on Jan 18, 2008 13:06:03 GMT -8
Update:
Once the NCTD gets the CA Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approval on Monday, trains will open January 27. If the Sprinter doesn't pass the PUC soon, its next possible startup date will be Feb. 10.
The reason for the 2 week blocks is that NCTD bus drivers work in two week cycles.
|
|
|
|
Post by nickv on Jan 21, 2008 21:08:24 GMT -8
Sprinter Update:
Public Utilities Commission inspectors are due to check the train on Wednesday. If all goes well that would enable the transit district to start Sprinter service on January 27. NCTD bus service is proposed to be changed to allow for better connections to/from the Sprinter on February 10.
|
|
snuffy
Junior Member
Posts: 62 
|
Post by snuffy on Jan 24, 2008 22:48:50 GMT -8
Are they going to open this coming Sunday?
|
|
snuffy
Junior Member
Posts: 62
|
Post by snuffy on Jan 25, 2008 17:48:35 GMT -8
Thank you for the info. Yea, may be wise choice to not open rainy day.
|
|
Mac
Full Member
Posts: 192
|
Post by Mac on Jan 25, 2008 20:25:57 GMT -8
I still think that they should have gone with EMUs, but DMUs are fine too.
|
|
|
|
Post by nickv on Jan 25, 2008 20:38:15 GMT -8
Sprinter will NOT open this Sunday,
SPRINTER to Begin Operations on March 9 I just got off the phone with NCTD customer service. The Sprinter will not open Jan 27. The SPRINTER is scheduled to open its doors for public service on Sunday, March 9, 2008. Source: NCTD........................ Here is the official announcement:SPRINTER Revised Start Date Announced
OCEANSIDE, Calif. – January 25, 2008. North County Transit District (NCTD) has selected March 9, 2008 as the start date for public service of the new SPRINTER light rail train. The Transit District and its contracting partners were working in earnest to begin service in January. However, NCTD optimistically underestimated the time it would take to complete all regulatory safety inspections and compliance approvals. The March 9 start date provides adequate time to complete regulatory approvals and allows for a smooth start with plenty of advance public notice. NCTD and its Board of Directors remain committed to delivering safe, convenient, reliable, and user-friendly public transportation services. “We want to begin offering service for passengers on the SPRINTER as soon as possible, but safety certification of the system is our current priority,” says NCTD Executive Director Karen King. “When passengers board the SPRINTER for the first time, we know they’ll be impressed with the convenience and comfort of the train, and we hope it will be worth the wait.” The reasons for this delay are numerous. Diesel Multiple Unit trains, such as the SPRINTER, have never been operated before in California and therefore, both state and federal regulatory agencies have understandably employed a high level of scrutiny during inspections. While the safety certification is underway and is progressing smoothly, NCTD has chosen this start date to comfortably provide time to address their requests. Even with this new start date, there may be some landscaping and other tasks that will need to be completed after operations begin. One technical issue that will not likely be resolved is the eastbound platform at the Escondido Avenue (Vista) station. A modification to adjust the station platforms to more accurately line-up with vehicle doors is presently underway. Passengers will be transported to/from this station for all eastbound trips via bus which will be in place when the SPRINTER service begins on March 9. It is anticipated that the eastbound Escondido Avenue station will be fully functional by late spring 2008. The revised start date will offer the operations contractor for the SPRINTER added time to test the operating schedule to ensure a reliable service for our customers. A March 9 start date provides train operators and dispatchers with additional hands-on training. NCTD moves more than 12 million passengers annually by providing public transportation for North San Diego County. The family of transit services includes the BREEZE bus system, the COASTER commuter rail service, FAST curb-to-curb transportation, LIFT paratransit and the SPRINTER light rail, scheduled to begin operations on March 9, 2008. It is NCTD’s mission to deliver safe, convenient, reliable and user-friendly public transportation services.
|
|
|
|
Post by bluelineshawn on Mar 8, 2008 12:18:00 GMT -8
The sprinter opens tomorrow. Anyone going?
|
|
|
|
Post by nickv on Mar 8, 2008 22:03:15 GMT -8
I will be volunteering the following Saturday at Escondido TC. Unfortunately, I have to excuse myself from opening day due to other obligations.
The weekend trains will be running every hour. I don't know what's up with the $469,126 grant NCTD was supposed to get in January to have the weekend trains run every 30 minutes. I'll keep you all posted when I hear anything new about it.
|
|
|
|
Post by nickv on Mar 12, 2008 22:18:47 GMT -8
SPRINTER Reports Successful First Day of Operations 3/11/2008 - NCTD Nearly 13,000 passengers tried out the new SPRINTER light rail during its first day of service on Sunday, March 9, reports the North County Transit District (NCTD). The first train of the day left Escondido at 4:33 a.m. with more than 100 passengers on board, including dedicated rail enthusiasts, NCTD employees and others interested in becoming a part of rail history. The SPRINTER contract operator, Veolia Transportation, counted 12,921 passengers on 37 trains through out the day. The regular Sunday service calls for hourly trains running in each direction, but the District put an additional train into service about half way through the day due to heavy passenger loads. Although large crowds caused longer dwell times at many of the stations and led to delayed train schedules by the late afternoon, passengers seemed to have enjoyed their first ride on the light rail train. “People were having a fabulous time on opening day and were talking about the many opportunities to ride the SPRINTER in the future,” says NCTD Executive Director Karen King. The SPRINTER is a new passenger rail system that extends 22 miles along the Highway 78 corridor, spanning the cities of Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos and Escondido. A total of 15 stations have been constructed with parking and access to other NCTD public transportation options. The project budget of $484.2 million includes right-of-way acquisition, engineering, design, construction, vehicle purchase and construction of the new 1.7-mile loop which serves the California State University San Marcos campus. NCTD moves more than 12 million passengers annually by providing public transportation for North San Diego County. The family of transit services includes the BREEZE bus system, the COASTER commuter rail service, FAST curb-to-curb transportation, LIFT paratransit and the SPRINTER light rail. It is NCTD’s mission to deliver safe, convenient, reliable and user-friendly public transportation services.
|
|
|
|
Post by nickv on Mar 15, 2008 20:01:12 GMT -8
A Busy First Saturday with the SprinterBetween helping people on how to operate the TVM's, to explaining what the Compass Card machines do (just like the TAP machines), to showing them how to open the doors to the Sprinter, my day as a volunteer Sprinter Ambassador was certainly a joyful experience. The day sort of brought some sights to the Escondido Transit Center that you would normally see riding the Disneyland Railroad: Waving hands and smiles from riders, platform volunteers & workers, and the engineer...Except, this is not a make-believe railroad just for fun; this is for real! Many of those people were going to work or running their daily errands. Several families joined in with several transit riders today to try out the Sprinter for the first time, it being Sprinter's first Saturday of operations. Family cars and suv's filed into the front section of the Escondido parking lot throughout the day, joining and meeting NCTD's regular bus and Sprinter riders. One thing that NCTD didn't plan was another large weekend turnout. The trains were scheduled to run hourly per the weekend timetable. I took a test ride out of Escondido on board the 6:33 AM train to Oceanside. That early Saturday morning trip appeared to fill about 25% of the train... But on the 7:33 AM return trip, the train was already about 50% full by the time it left the Vista Transit Center to Escondido. By the time 10:00 AM rolled around, standing-room-only conditions permitted NCTD to dispatch extra trains resulting in 30 minute headways for the remainder of the day. At the Escondido station from about 8:30 AM - 2:30 PM (the hours I served), all of the trains managed to be right on time. One of the things that several of the passengers enjoyed was the unlimited ride day pass. I told some of them that they could ride the Sprinter to Escondido, and then transfer to a bus that goes up straight up to the Pala Resort area, all for $4.00 per person per day. They were "wow'd". One of the ways NCTD is marketing repeat business with families are toy paper trains that were distributed by the Ambassadors. Those toy paper trains were flying out of the boxes; the children loved them and the box was empty before noon. There was plenty of "Main Street" urban shopping in both Downtown Oceanside and Downtown Escondido for the riders, and a good size pedestrian-friendly suburban shopping plaza with a movie theater in Vista. I was also informed from various sources that two of the popular "work" destinations are the colleges: Palomar College and Cal State San Marcos. The connecting bus lines are also timed with the trains too. The last train out of Escondido departs at 7:33 PM, and the last train from Oceanside departs at 8:33 PM every night.
|
|
|
|
Post by tonyw79sfv on Mar 15, 2008 21:44:34 GMT -8
Sounds like the Sprinter will be doing pretty well. I wonder if there are anyone in Escondido that would make the long commute to LA. I'll want to make the trip to Oceanside sometime to try out the Sprinter.
|
|
|
|
Post by spokker on Mar 16, 2008 13:34:37 GMT -8
It sounds like this train is getting a lot of opposition from local residents. There are rumblings that it was built way over budget, runs too slow, and has eliminated bus lines.
I'm going to try out the Sprinter sometime this week. The trains look "neat" but I don't have to live with it, commute on it, or rely on it. I'm just a "tourist". That being said was the Sprinter the right decision for the region?
|
|
|
|
Post by damiengoodmon on Mar 16, 2008 16:04:19 GMT -8
personally, I'm rooting for the Sprinter. the way I figure it, twenty-five years ago, the city of San Diego introduced the concept of "light rail" to the United States. the San Diego Trolley was not the first, but it certainly attracted attention: a car-loving suburban city in Southern California attempting to try a new form of urban rail. (Edmonton had the disadvantages of being too far north, too small, too far away from Los Angeles and too Canadian) I think the Sprinter may have the potential to do the same for DMU. DMUs aren't perfect, but there are plenty of locations where they might fill in the missing gap between light rail and commuter rail: you might not want to pay for full-scale electrification, but maybe the bi-level Metrolink trains are too big and bulky for your needs with the Harbor Sub, you might be able to set up a Union Station-to-LAX DMU operation pretty quickly (the delays for the Sprinter, from what I understand, were mostly bureaucratic). plus, they just look cool ;D I'd be real interested in seeing the comparative capital and maintenance cost analysis between EMU and DMU for Sprinter. Electrification's capital cost is only about 2-4 mil/mile, using early-mid 2000s numbers. My guess is it's at 5 mil/mile today tops. And Sprinter's delay had to do with a huge design screw up during construction, which drastically contributed to the project going over a hundred million overbudget, and significantly reduced the test time. I don't think we need to add a new mode to our already diverse rail infrastructure. Electrified locomotives to go with our existing Metrolink cars is plenty fine. |
|
|
|
Post by Transit Coalition on Mar 16, 2008 17:44:19 GMT -8
The Sprinter is in the heart of anti-rail territory. Perhaps the only place it might be worse is Orange County. Yes, many of the road warriors live in North San Diego County and building this line really meant the end of the world as they knew it. Five or six years ago, they started a group called "Stop the Loop", spent money to bring in Wendell Cox and put forth all sorts of legal blockades. But, all were pushed aside. Now, the line has finally opened and the locals will get a chance to vote with their ridership. One thing you have to look at with rail lines that grow out of the LOSSAN Corridor, is that they are like rose bushes. The Corridor carries Amtrak, Metrolink and Coaster. And now they have a 22 mile branch that will end up feeding both sides and at a much greater rate than the Express Bus service that was replaced. Yes, just like any major infrastructure project, the budget kept being revised as different situations were revealed. The HOV lanes on the Northbound 405 were at $500 million just a few years ago for 10 miles of road. Now, this project is around $950 million. You have to look at these major infrastructure projects as a multi year investment such as 50 or 100 years. Show me one place where someone is complaining that a road is costing too much. Just look at the Metro Long Range Plan. See the road costs from 2001 to what is now in place for 2008. Drastic increases. But, no one complains. I rode this line back in November and while it has Diesel acceleration, rather than electric, it gets up to 55 mph and handles nicely. The Sprinter only replaced the Express Bus, not the local. And all the other local bus routes were reconfigured to feed into the Sprinter. Was the Sprinter the right decision? Well, the ridership is above what the Express Bus had and should really grow. You really need to compare this to the River Line in New Jersey. The same type of worry happened, where many thought the ridership would be poor. The reality is that the ridership is continuing to grow. I bet that will happen to the Sprinter. The initial ridership numbers are normal for a start up. With the college(s) and people learning to change their commute patterns, the growth will be slow, but steady. |
|
|
|
Post by kenalpern on Mar 16, 2008 18:40:41 GMT -8
I concur with Bart. While I don't tolerate any contractor malfeasance, so much of this is trial and error in a relatively "brave new world" similar to what freeways had to encounter in the 1950's when they were first constructed.
I also think that, like with the Expo Line and Gold Lines, you'll see developments and transportation modes adjust and work with and even complement this train's service. Ridership will likely go up. Do I wish this was EMU instead of DMU? Yes, from a kneejerk level I agree with everything Damien just said, but I also don't know what the comparative costs would be in a world where so many critics pop up out of nowhere when any "cost overrun" occurs.
We still, unfortunately, have a double standard where freeway construction costs can double without a peep, but rail construction costs are decried and rail projects are therefore are asked to cut corners and potentially hurt the ridership and operations of the final product.
Still, I'm glad that the Sprinter slammed its way into reality, and I'm grateful for those politicians who braved the political elements for making sure this was completed.
No one complains about the Blue Line anymore, and the same can be said for virtually every other rail line serving our county and state.
|
|
|
|
Post by spokker on Mar 16, 2008 18:48:08 GMT -8
How bad is traffic on the 78? If I try out the Sprinter tomorrow am I likely to see the freeway jammed from my vantage point on board?
One of my favorite sights on the OC line is looking over Interstate 5 and seeing cars moving at a snail's pace. Why anyone continues to reduce themselves to a salmon swimming up a steam trying to fight their way up the 5 is beyond me. I did it for two years. Never again. I'm sitting on the Metrolink listening to my favorite radio show, half asleep at times.
|
|
|
|
Post by nickv on Mar 16, 2008 21:13:55 GMT -8
If you want to see the Sprinter roll right by traffic congestion, ride it during the PM rush hour. You'll be able to see SR 78 congested as it approaches the I-15 through San Marcos and Escondido. The Westbound SR 78 gets heavy near the I-5 in Oceanside during both the AM and PM rush hours, but that portion of the freeway can't be seen from the train. The Sprinter also crosses under the I-5 freeway in Oceanside; the southbound lanes often load up during both rush hours too. People told me that whenever those freeways load up, an end-to-end trip between DT Escondido and DT Oceanside can take 45 minutes to an hour.
Both of the freeways were also very heavy, but moving fast on Saturday. So be sure to factor stress into the equation.
If you're planning on taking Metrolink to Oceanside, your Metrolink ticket is good for one transfer only departing from the Oceanside Station. You'll need to buy a separate Sprinter ticket ($2 one way / $4 day pass) to return to Oceanside.
|
|
|
|
Post by nickv on Mar 16, 2008 21:43:36 GMT -8
That's no super-commute... That's a mega-commute! Now we're talking no family life during the work week in addition to not getting 8 hours of sleep! Probably won't see that kind of commuting until HSR connects Escondido to LAUS.
A commuter would probably have to wake up sometime after 4:00 AM to get to Escondido to take a 5:33 AM Sprinter train to get to LAUS by twenty 'til 9:00 AM via Metrolink Train 607. The worker would arrive in Downtown LA sometime after 9:00 AM.
If the commuter is done working at about 4:30 PM, he/she would be back at LAUS at around 5:00 PM and take the 5:10 PM Amtrak Train 784 (via Rail2Rail). The train will be in Oceanside around 6:58 PM. The commuter would take the 7:03 PM Sprinter Train back to Escondido. The commuter would then be home after 8:00 PM. After an hour of winding down, lights are out by 9:00 PM. Up again at 4:00 AM....
Other super-commute trips such as a Temecula-LA and a Beaumont-LA commute also cut it close too.
|
|
|
|
Post by damiengoodmon on Mar 16, 2008 22:18:39 GMT -8
I'm a transit nerd, so I want to see a cost analysis to see how SANDAG/the industry is calculating capital and maintenance costs given the construction and commodities markets. I'm also interested in the air quality improvement analysis and requirements along the corridor. This is more or less for my own understanding. But I think it would help answer whether long, but relatively low ridership lines (think Foothill extension) are best built EMU, DMU, commuter rail, light rail, or at all.
And unlike most major infrastructure projects going on now, the bulk of cost overruns weren't due to an increase in labor and materials. The designs were messed up, it put them months behind schedule, reduced their test time, which lead to several unresolved problems delaying CPUC certification. That's the reason opening day was delayed. That's not to say the line should or shouldn't have been built (I don't know anywhere near enough to make a determination), just pointing out the facts for those curious why it took so long to begin service.
|
|
|
|
Post by bobdavis on Mar 24, 2008 21:16:09 GMT -8
I finally got a ride on the Sprinter last Thursday; here are a few observations: It is slow in places, the railway has many curves, and even with the all-new track speeds are restricted to 30 or 35 mph in places. I think top speed is 55 mph. There are single and double track sections; opposing trains are scheduled to meet at the double portions. The line appears to be signalled to allow wrong-main running if necessary and it looks at least some of the signals are controlled at a central location. I rode the 11:03 to Palomar College and the 12:47 from there back to Oceanside. In case anyone wonders how the passenger count is after the free-ride period ended: Eastbound had a nearly full train, westbound was "standing load". An NCTD employee was making notes on the westbound trip; he said they may start running 2-car trains during afternoon rush. Stations (except for Oceanside) have movable platform extenders that can be retracted to allow the freight train to clear during its late-night run.
Side note: I took the Gold Line to LAUS and Surfliners to Oceanside & back.
|
|
|
|
Post by nickv on Mar 30, 2008 20:33:23 GMT -8
For the Record...This sounded too good to be true, and it was. The media goofed.  NCTD staff informed me during my Ambassador shift that Sprinter admission is free through March for volunteers willing to wear their uniforms, not forever. Volunteers who work 12 hours or more per month would be given a monthly transit pass good for the next month.
|
|
|
|
Post by nickv on Apr 30, 2008 17:05:51 GMT -8
|
|
|
|
Post by nickv on Jun 21, 2008 23:18:49 GMT -8
Sprinter trains are still running every hour as of 6/21/2008 on weekends. I'll keep everyone posted when (or if) the Sprinter will have 30 minute service between 10am-6pm on weekends. NCTD is right now in bad financial shape.
|
|
|
|
Post by nickv on Jul 8, 2008 21:50:34 GMT -8
NCTD Rail Service Upgrade -
Sprinter Will Run Every 30 Minutes
on Weekends Starting July 12
Beginning this Saturday, the SPRINTER will run mid-day half hour service on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., thanks in part to a Job Access and Reverse Commute program (JARC) grant, made available through SANDAG, which provides partial funding for the increased service.
All existing train trips will continue to depart Oceanside and Escondido at 33 minutes past the hour. The new trips from 10am-6pm will depart these stations at 3 minutes past the hour.
View the new schedules:
Westbound SPRINTER Schedule
Eastbound SPRINTER Schedule
|
|
|
|
Post by wad on Aug 28, 2008 4:20:51 GMT -8
It's been running for close to 6 months now, but I finally got to test-ride Sprinter.
In short, it seemed like a self-fulfilling prophecy. Sprinter did not see any heavy ridership. This may be because the various schools are not in session, but it looked like people could have easily fit on a bus.
It's also looking very bad right now for NCTD. Recently, it implemented some serious service cuts. The public thinks it happened because of Sprinter. NCTD even addressed this in its newsletter, "In Transit." NCTD said the cuts would have happened even if Sprinter did not open.
I think the trains are amazing looking. The Sprinter DMUs are the sleekest light rail cars in existence. However, the looks belie a noisy diesel engine and slow acceleration. The train even reeks of diesel exhaust near the stops.
Plus, a San Diego transit gendarme ordered me not to take pictures of the train. This did not dampen my entire day, as I had a lot of fun riding San Diego rail. Let me repost what I wrote with my photo on Flickr:
|
|
|
|
Post by spokker on Aug 28, 2008 10:32:34 GMT -8
The Sprinter debacle is so fun to watch. A fat officer telling people not to take pictures is just the icing on the cake.
If we ever needed an example of how not to build a light rail line, here it is.
|
|
|
|
Post by wrcousert on Aug 28, 2008 21:48:01 GMT -8
For the Record...Volunteers who work 12 hours or more per month would be given a monthly transit pass good for the next month. Do any other transit agencies have similar offers? |
|
|
|
Post by nickv on Aug 28, 2008 22:32:25 GMT -8
I doubt it, but I'll check and see. In my opinion, all major transit agencies should have some kind of volunteer program. These programs such as ambassador projects are very well received by the community, the volunteers, and agency staff. It's a win-win program with some modest agency costs for uniforms, benefits, and training time. Above is my NCTD Sprinter Ambassador hat. No, I didn't hand-sell tickets, but explained over and over again that NCTD/regional bus pass holders got to ride the Sprinter at no additional charge using "old" tickets as props. That's how valuable volunteers can be.
We do have a Joint Powers Authority that could really use such programs on weekends and that would be Metrolink. Station Ambassadors are badly needed at some of the core Metrolink stations. Just thinking about what happens at some of these Metrolink stations on weekends makes me want to go out there and show travelers how the system works for them...and I am not exaggerating when I say that; I have seen people literally miss their transit connections at stations like Oceanside due to ignorance of how the system works. Some have even waited for trains that will not take them to their destinations. There are some who have even boarded IEOC Line trains headed to destinations like Santa Barbara! It's that bad... and that may be a subject of a future TTC campaign some day.
Also, NCTD has promised the Ambassadors of future volunteer projects, but with NCTD in a budget crunch, I do not know what is in store for its volunteers at this time. Trained Ambassadors are allowed however to show up a station at any time to volunteer. I've done that a few times whenever Inland temp's got into the 100 degree mark and felt to do something for others in 75 degree Oceanside. |
|
|
|
Post by nickv on Aug 28, 2008 22:50:31 GMT -8
I'm not quite sure if the rules changed, but I was informed back in January that family or "fun" picture taking of the Sprinter or at Stations is okay, commercial photography required a permit, and suspect photography (ie. taking pictures of the security cameras, under the trains, staff, etc) is not permitted at all.
|
|
