Bridge Work to Disrupt San Joaquins

Bridge work being conducted by host railroad BNSF will disrupt some Amtrak San Joaquin Service this weekend.

On Oct. 29, Train 719 will terminate at Stockton. Bus 4119 will provide alternate transportation for Train 719 between Stockton and Oakland-Jack London Square, making intermediate stops at Antioch, Martinez, Richmond and Emeryville.

On Oct. 30, Trains 710, 711 and 712, will originate/terminate at Stockton, operating between Stockton and Bakersfield only.

Buses will provide alternate transportation for Trains 710, 711 and 712, between Martinez and Stockton, excluding Antioch.

Trains 720, 724 and 737 will provide alternate transportation between Oakland and Martinez, making intermediate stops at Emeryville and Richmond.

In a service advisory, Amtrak said passengers traveling to or from Antioch may use other San Joaquins service on this day.

Pacific Surfliner Schedules Being Modified

Amtrak plans to update the schedules of its Pacific Surfliner service in California on Oct. 31 to reflect the closure of a portion of the route near San Clemente.

The track was closed Sept. 30 due to an unstable hillside adjacent to track used by Amtrak, commuter rail carrier Metrolink and BNSF freight trains.

Amtrak is instituting a bus connection between Irvine and Oceanside for southbound train 562, with train 1562 operating between Oceanside and San Diego.

Trains 770, 774, and 784 will now operate to San Juan Capistrano, although passengers continuing to stops between Oceanside and San Diego should still change to buses at Irvine.

Northbound Train 1567 will operate between San Diego and Oceanside, with a bus connection to train 567 in Irvine, while Trains 777, 581, and 591 will originate in San Juan Capistrano instead of Irvine.

Those trains will continue to wait in Irvine for buses connecting from trains operating between San Diego and Irvine.

Although work has begun to stabilize the hillside, that project is not expected to be completed until early next year.

California to Acquire Zero-Emission Trains

California officials have signed a memorandum of understanding for the design of four zero-emission train sets.

Signing the memo were manufacturer Stadler, the California State Transportation Agency, and the California Department of Transportation.

The Stadler four-car trainsets will have hydrogen fuel cells and have been designated as FLIRT H2 trainsets.

The state’s agreement with Stadler has options for 25 more trainsets, which would replace existing diesel locomotive-operated operating push-pull sets used for state-funded Amtrak California services.

Similar equipment is expected to begin commuter rail service in 2024 for the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority.

The orders are part of California’s plans to make all its passenger rail 100 percent emissions-free by 2035.

The first four new zero emission multiple units as Caltrans describes them, will be used in the California Central Valley between Merced and Sacramento beginning in 2027.

Those four HFC trainsets are longer intercity versions of the original Stadler ZEMU and will be built in Salt Lake City.

Stadler and CalSTA say the new trainsets are designed with a 497-mile operating range in between refueling.

California Route Needs Emergency Repairs

Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner trains are being replaced by buses on a portion of the route near San Clemente, California, after it was closed due to unstable track conditions.

The bus bridge is operating between Irvine and Oceanside.

The Orange County Transportation Authority declared an emergency this week and launched an effort to stabilize tracks that were gradually sliding toward the Pacific Ocean due to coastline erosion.

The California Transportation Commission has released $6 million for track stabilization n work.

Workers will drive large metal anchors into about 700 feet of the slope adjacent to the tracks to prevent it from pushing the track further toward the coast.

The project also includes vegetation clearing. The work is expected to take 30 to 45 days to complete.

Aside from Amtrak, the line is used by Metrolink commuter trains. BNSF operates freight service along the route.

College Move-in Days to Disrupt Thruways

Amtrak Thruway bus service in San Luis Obispo, California, will be affected by road closures on Sept. 13 and 14 as students at Cal Poly University return to campus.

In a service advisory, Amtrak said some Thruway buses on those days will be unable to reach the Cal Poly stop or PAC Loop between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. when students will be moving into the school’s residence halls.

Affected on Sept. 13 will be buses 4010, 4015, 4761, 4765, 4770, 4784, 4785, 4794, 6238 and 6241. Affected on Sept. 14 will be Thruway Buses 4010, 4015, 4761, 4765, 4784, 4794, 6238 and 6241.

Amtrak said all Thruway service will run normally at the San Luis Obispo station stop on both days.

Stockton Ticket Office Temporarily Closed

The Amtrak ticket office in Stockton, California, has temporarily closed.

In a service advisory, Amtrak said passengers will continue to have access to boarding platforms and the station.

The advisory did not say why the ticket office closed or when it is expected to reopen.

Passengers are being encouraged to wait in their personal vehicles or to be dropped off rather than waiting for trains outdoors.

Stockton is served by Amtrak’s San Joaquin Service trains

Some Capitol Corridor Trains to be Suspended

Some Amtrak Capitol Corridor service will be suspended Aug. 15 due to workforce shortages.

The Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority, which oversees the service that operates between Sacramento and Oakland, California, said two of the 11 weekday round trips will be suspended through Oct. 2.

A service advisory issued by the Authority said the service cuts are “necessary due to workforce shortages that make it challenging for us to offer our full schedule at this time.”

Affected will be Trains 543 and 549, which depart Sacramento at 1:55 p.m. and 5:55 p.m. respectively. Also affected are Nos. 540 and 548, scheduled to depart Oakland at 4:42 p.m. and 8:12 p.m.

No weekend service or through trains between San Jose and Sacramento or Auburn, California, are being suspended.

Capitol Corridor Managing Director Rob Padgette told Trains magazine that the staff shortages are related to the COVID-19 pandemic and workers taking regular days off.

He said the service suspensions are intended to avoid last-minute cancellations because extra-board crews are unavailable.

Padgette was optimistic that new crew members in training will be able to qualify in time for the Oct. 3 service restoration.

Crossing Issues May Delay Pacific Surfliners, Coast Starlight North of Los Angeles

Amtrak has advised that Pacific Surliner trains and the Los Angeles-Seattle Coast Starlight are being subject to delay due to road crossing complications along the route.

The situation began June 16 and Amtrak did not say what those complications are or how long it will take to resolve them.

In a service advisory, the passenger carrier said delays could stretch to 30 minutes per train.

The affected area is between Camarillo and San Luis Obispo. The service advisory said host railroad Union Pacific is working to address the problems.

Track Work to Disrupt 2 Capitol Corridor Trains

Track work being performed by Union Pacific will affect operations of some Capitol Corridor trains on Feb. 26 and 27.

In a service advisory, Amtrak said Train 736 will terminate at Sacramento on Feb. 26 with alternate transportation to Auburn on Bus 3436 making intermediate stops at Roseville and Rocklin.

Bus 3436 will depart Sacramento at 6:15 p.m., 12 minutes later than the normal scheduled time, and will operate on a later schedule at Roseville, Rocklin and Auburn.

On Feb. 27, Train 729 will originate in Sacramento. Alternate transportation will be provided between Auburn and Sacramento on Bus 3429, making intermediate stops at Rocklin and Roseville.

Bus 3429 will depart Auburn at 7:30 a.m., 25 minutes earlier than the normal schedule time and will operate on an earlier schedule departing Rocklin and Roseville.

Tracks Work to Disrupt Pacific Surfliners

Track work on the route used by Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner trains will result in schedule changes on Feb. 19 and 20. Also affected will be the Los Angeles-Seattle Coast Starlight.

Train 761 will terminate at Los Angeles with passengers accommodated on Bus 4861 from Los Angeles to Oxnard. Train 1761 will operate from Oxnard to San Luis Obispo.

Train 765 will terminate at Los Angeles with Bus 4865 operating in its place from Los Angeles to Oxnard. Train 1765 will operate from Oxnard to Goleta.

Train 777 will terminate at Los Angeles and be replaced by Bus 4877 from Los Angeles to Oxnard. Train 1777 will operate from Oxnard to San Luis Obispo.

Train 785 will terminate at Los Angeles with Bus 4885 operating from Los Angeles to Oxnard and Train 1785 operating from Oxnard to Goleta.

There will be no alternate transportation provided to the missed stations of Glendale, Burbank Airport, Chatsworth, Simi Valley, Moorpark or Camarillo.

Northbound Buses 4861, 4865, 4877, 4885 and Trains 1761, 1765, 1777, 1785 schedules may not match normal station arrival/departure times.

Train 770  will originate at Los Angeles. Train 1770 will operate from Goleta to Oxnard and operate as Bus 4870 from Oxnard to Los Angeles.

Train 774 will operate as Train 1774 from San Luis Obispo to Oxnard, as Bus 4874 from Oxnard to Los Angeles and as Train 774 from Los Angeles to San Diego.

Train 784 will originate at Los Angeles. Train 1784 will operate from Goleta to Oxnard and operate as Bus 4884 from Oxnard to Los Angeles.

Train 794 will operate as Train 1794 between San Luis Obispo and Oxnard and as Bus 4894 from Oxnard to Los Angeles. Connection will be maintained at Los Angeles to Train 594.

No alternative transportation will be provided to missed stations of Glendale, Burbank Airport, Chatsworth, Simi Valley, Moorpark or Camarillo.

The schedules of buses 4870, 4874, 4884, 4894 and Trains 1770, 1774, 1784, 1794 may not match normal station arrival/departure times.

The Coast Starlight on Feb. 19 and 20 will be annulled between Sacramento and Los Angeles.

No alternate transportation will be provided to Davis, Martinez, Emeryville, Oakland Jack London Square, San Jose, Salinas, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Oxnard, Simi Valley, Van Nuys, Burbank and Los Angeles.

Passengers have the option of traveling on some of their journey aboard San Joaquins, Capitol Corridor, Pacific Surfliner and Thruway bus services.