2 trains and a rail replacement bus! CalTrain review!

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ม.ค. 2025

ความคิดเห็น • 111

  • @CrazyDash9
    @CrazyDash9 2 ปีที่แล้ว +38

    If you are wondering about the types of services on Caltrain, they have 3 classifications for their services. There’s local, limited stop, and baby bullet trains. The locals obviously call at all stops and usually take around 1hr 45mins. Limited stop services are a bit more complicated. There are services that call at all stops until Redwood City, and then run express to San Jose, or the opposite way around. Then there’s services that are similar to baby bullet services, but call at a few additional stops. Limited stop services usually take around an 1hr 30mins. Baby bullet services skip most stops and take around an hour. As they say, serving the local community is always important when making good public transportation. And this is why having the limited stop and express trains definitely compensated for more frequent stops. Surprisingly, there’s a decent amount of baby bullet services, and a ton of limited stop services. Hopefully this helps.

    • @ignormies
      @ignormies 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Something else to note is that all three of these service types cost the same (purely zone-based)

    • @CrazyDash9
      @CrazyDash9 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@ignormies huh. Interesting. At that point it makes sense to try to ride the limited stop and express trains for the slightly shorter travel times, as long as you know the train numbering

    • @ignormies
      @ignormies 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@CrazyDash9 Yep definitely. However the baby bullets only run on weekdays _during commute hours_ (3 each way mornings and evenings), and there are _only_ local trains on the weekend, so often the schedule forces you to take a slower train than you want.

  • @kastandlee
    @kastandlee 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    About twenty years ago when I lived in the Bay Area, I was one of the nine appointees to Caltrain's Citizens Advisory Committee, around the time that Caltrain put out the Environmental Impact Statement for the electrification. I have since moved to east of Reno, Nevada. (You passed my house when you were on the California Zephyr, as I live across the street from the railroad in Fernley, Nevada.) I used to commute regularly from Mountain View to San Carlos, and while today I still work for the same company, I'm now a full time work-from-home employee. I do still like to ride the train when possible, and recently my wife and I traveled from Reno to Chicago on Amtrak -- our eighth trip along that route.
    I'm pretty sure that most of the Bombardier coaches were purchased new. They bought more later (the ones in the non-red color scheme) from Metrolink.

  • @ignormies
    @ignormies 2 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    "The ticket office even being closed on the day we visited."
    As someone that commutes using Caltrain every day (albeit not via SF, but Sunnyvale, which has its own ticketing booth), I don't believe the ticketing booths are _ever_ staffed anymore; purely relics of past times. The San Jose station is staffed, but I believe only because it also services Capital Corridor/Amtrak.

    • @robertgambling502
      @robertgambling502 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I guess being a ticket agent is no longer a viable career choice.

  • @gray_v
    @gray_v 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    This brought back memories! I did this exact route back in September 2019. I agree about the station, nothing was open when I went there so had to pop to the Starbucks around the corner. I did enjoy the journey though and it helped me fall in love with California.

  • @weertgilders8172
    @weertgilders8172 2 ปีที่แล้ว +25

    CalTrain is a blessing! As someone that had to travel frequently between Millbrae and SF, BART feels horribly unsafe these days.
    At least CalTrain has toilets and decent staff, and riders generally don’t have the urge to shoot up fentanyl or heroin in front of me…

  • @stewartbrodie1720
    @stewartbrodie1720 2 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    The fare would be slightly cheaper with a Clipper card. It was interesting to see the northern section of the route, even with the grim stations! I've not travelled along that part of the route as I always use BART in and out of San Francisco, transferring at Millbrae - especially with luggage. If transport was joined up better, they could have put you on BART between SSF and Millbrae, giving you a rail rail replacement!

  • @rezaalan3991
    @rezaalan3991 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Great trip. I like how smooth the transfer between 2 trains and rail replacement bus, no waiting time.

  • @aviano72
    @aviano72 2 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Great to see some non UK trips again :)
    Those Caltrain locomotives are just amazing sounding

  • @John_Fugazzi
    @John_Fugazzi 2 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    The San Francisco station is bare bones because Caltrain is almost exclusively a commuter line, busy only twice a day. Being a public entity, they are required to run trains all day, though like your train, there are few riders.

    • @Neville60001
      @Neville60001 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Also, there's no big need to have all stations big big, ornate affairs that are beautifully designed; sometimes, all that's needed is a simple station (our GO Transit rail stations here in Toronto [Ontario} are just as simple as the one in this video.)

  • @robinrussell7965
    @robinrussell7965 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    You are riding on the path of the new California High Speed Rail. When it is finished, it will run from San Jose to San Francisco on those electrified tracks.

  • @jackturner8515
    @jackturner8515 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Before I graduated HS this year I rode Caltrain to/from school every day. That weekend (March 10-12) was a nightmare with the collision in San Bruno. Delays were awful on Friday. Caltrain used to run weekend baby bullets but those were a casualty of the pandemic and construction for electrification so now all weekend trains make all local stops. Cool video of my home rail system!

  • @kaekae4010
    @kaekae4010 2 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    They look great, as he once said, his lines have a lot of potential. Let's hope they continue to improve, especially in passenger numbers.

  • @Transportationspotting
    @Transportationspotting 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Excellent trip report, thank you dylan

  • @bradyreed3457
    @bradyreed3457 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    In the late 1970's-1980's, I used to commute to work from Santa Clara to Palo Alto/California Ave. daily, keeping a bike at both ends. Caltrain service has certainly improved since then!

  • @cheetahjab
    @cheetahjab 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Great trip as always , thanks for sharing!

  • @marklee1194
    @marklee1194 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    The Bombardier Bi-Level coaches are extensively used on the GO Train routes in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area in Canada.

    • @Neville60001
      @Neville60001 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      I was just about to say that, Mark, but you beat me to it. 😉

    • @fcjose31
      @fcjose31 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Bombardier explosivos. th-cam.com/video/tidVta-9V7U/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=ManufacturedFear

    • @stevenmontoya9950
      @stevenmontoya9950 ปีที่แล้ว

      GO Transit lent a Bi-Level trainset to test out in Southern California in preparation for Metrolink service, and they ended up being the first US commuter railroad to order them!

  • @thomasrobinson8336
    @thomasrobinson8336 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Great video used to ride the Bombardier coaches all the time with GO Transit

  • @stevehornsby7727
    @stevehornsby7727 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    I drive this route on Train Sim World 2 so nice to see the actual route for real. 👍

  • @joermnyc
    @joermnyc 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    There’s a “station box” under the Transbay Transit Center for a future extension of this into downtown (and possibly across the bay if funding for a 2nd Transbay tube ever happens.)

  • @stevebrittain4020
    @stevebrittain4020 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    First train reminded me of the train I travelled with Metra from Winfield into Chicago last month.

  • @The4905
    @The4905 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    6:25 just wait until you see East New York station on the LIRR!

    • @declangaming24
      @declangaming24 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Defo from driving this route in TSW East new York does look mad

  • @jamesthompson3099
    @jamesthompson3099 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I live in Illinois now but from about 1952 to 1990 I lived primarily in the Redwood City, Menlo Park, Palo Alto area. Nice to see some familiar names on your video. I am always impressed by the breadth of your travel experience.

  • @dazzlingdaz187
    @dazzlingdaz187 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Great review. Nice of them to have line problems so you could experience both types of train :-)

  • @seanh2286
    @seanh2286 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Nice video, Dylan. Thanks for pointing out the wheelchair spaces, and in each car too! That's more spaces than on most European trains (high-speed, local, or commuter).

  • @luisstransport
    @luisstransport 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Great trip report

  • @JoeyLovesTrains
    @JoeyLovesTrains 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    4:12 Nippon Sharyo????

  • @tonymcdonnly6492
    @tonymcdonnly6492 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Hi Dylan, nice SF train video. I went to Holland and England via the Stena line for my birthday. Your videos helped. I'm going to be an Ex-Pat for Thanksgiving weekend this year going to London for 4 days.

  • @Fan652w
    @Fan652w ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I note that the rail replacement bus was a modern low-floor articulated bus on which a fellow-passenger was able to take their bike. A wheelchair could have also been rolled on without any difficulty. I hope you stressed to the local radio station that this is better than what often happens in the UK. The replacement bus is often a highfloor coach.

  • @richardmoye2569
    @richardmoye2569 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Next time you’re on the US west coast you should check out the Sounder train and the Amtrak cascades line

  • @im_here
    @im_here 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    9:37
    "Bikes can be bought onboard at no extra cost" - well that's a great service xD

  • @basictransportenthusiast4386
    @basictransportenthusiast4386 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    6:23 You should've seen Paul Ave in its last year of operation. The former spot is actually at 6:46 and it was a very grim station. It wasn't used at all in its last year, with a Meer average of 1 passenger every weekday in 2005.

  • @joekelly7505
    @joekelly7505 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    I used to ride the BART from North Berkeley to Powell Street, then walk a mile to 4th & King (used to be 4th & Townsend). I’d then ride a CalTrain to Belmont on he peninsula. I did that 4 days a week round trip. Then for a couple of years I’d ride CalTrain from San Mateo to Santa Clara and catch a bus up Winchester Blvd. to Campbell. This video brings back memories!
    Glad you did your loo check on the newer cars. The ones on the old cars were toxic and evil.

  • @miketravels
    @miketravels 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Where’s all the passengers?

  • @transitcaptain
    @transitcaptain 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    San Francisco to San Jose is not the full route. It goes down to Gilroy

  • @gianlucapinnatrains6474
    @gianlucapinnatrains6474 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Have this on TSW2

  • @declangaming24
    @declangaming24 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    This is like train sim world 3 you have the baby bullets the Locomotives hauling the cab cars along. From driving the 47 miles with the diesel electric the power is good.

  • @hellenrosa8914
    @hellenrosa8914 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Hello, amazing travel, i think you should go to Toronto to Vancouver with Via Rail Canada.

  • @shirleynitka5030
    @shirleynitka5030 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    it gets harder & harder to find you each time. I've never seen a train with a layout like that one. We do have our rail problems. Guess it makes you long for home. I wish we had rail service like yours. That second train looked much nicer than the first one you rode. Surprisingly clean for the States. Was all of that $10? Cheap price if it was.

  • @dannydanny9875
    @dannydanny9875 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Yup, looks like a Basic Amtrak Train! 😛

  • @josephdominguez2814
    @josephdominguez2814 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    6:29 we do not use the word flyover we use underpass. 14:10 do not use the word prayer replacement best we use the word bus Bridge here in the US. Caltrain is not original train it is called commuter rail.

    • @andrewreynolds4949
      @andrewreynolds4949 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      We get what he means, I don’t think it matters. I have seen similar mass transit systems called different things in different parts of the US too

    • @kjhuang
      @kjhuang ปีที่แล้ว

      We do use "flyover", but usually for ramps connecting two different freeways.

  • @noelsworldtraveldiscovery
    @noelsworldtraveldiscovery 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Im watching. 💚🌍

  • @brainwells6634
    @brainwells6634 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Those are METRA commuter rail rail car's in Chicago, IL

    • @Neville60001
      @Neville60001 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      They _were_ METRA rail cars, or they're the same as the ones used by Metra in Chicago.

  • @jpjuliano2008
    @jpjuliano2008 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Caltrain is cool. But parts of the route to San Jose are incredibly bumpy.

  • @TheGlassman63
    @TheGlassman63 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Fearing a little bit for this enjoyable channel that used to be very reliable with new content every Friday. I hope our friend Dylan is okay.

  • @harryelliott4310
    @harryelliott4310 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Trains Station 🚉

  • @trainzandplanes522
    @trainzandplanes522 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I travelled on Caltrain regularly in March 22’. It was a real nightmare, and I just had to ditch it sometimes and my parents would drive me to/and from CSM sometimes,

  • @philipedwards439
    @philipedwards439 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Just a message to express concern that you are OK, we not heard from you in a couple of weeks. Hope you are OK.

  • @quinterofelixchidez
    @quinterofelixchidez 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Cali to Florida video when

  • @allantavener7378
    @allantavener7378 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    A little bit rough riding there at 6:51 on the first train needs a tamper visit, other than that, as you say an unremarkable journey

  • @youngchu1638
    @youngchu1638 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    It's time to extend Caltrain to Southern California (Los Angeles and San Diego) from city of San Francisco. It's really inconvenient to catch Coast Starlight either cross the bay at Emeryville or travel down to San Jose. In other words, one travels to east of the bay Oakland/Emeryville (Coast Starlight) and one travels west of the bay to San Francisco (Caltrain).

    • @lalakerspro
      @lalakerspro 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Caltrain is a commuter train, not a long distance train. Why would it go to LA?

    • @youngchu1638
      @youngchu1638 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@lalakersproI know it is commuter train. The keyword from my post is "extend." It will give more choices and options as more train services between bay area and southern california (just like airlines do). Are you against extention?

    • @kjhuang
      @kjhuang ปีที่แล้ว

      ​​@@youngchu1638 think what you're really arguing for is another Amtrak route to supplement _Coast Starlight_ . One possible way to do this is to extend _Pacific Surfliner_ from San Luis Obispo north to the Bay Area (e.g. Emeryville). But if you want to get from the Bay Area to Los Angeles, another option is _San Joaquins_ , which is faster, cheaper, and more frequent than _Coast Starlight_ . The major downside is having to take a bus from Bakersfield to Los Angeles.

    • @youngchu1638
      @youngchu1638 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@kjhuang As you've represented San Joaquins, it doesn't reach or go all the way down to Los Angeles Union Station, just like I've mentioned about CalTrain needs to expand their network or let Amtrak (especially Surfliner) to extend its route all the way up to Downtown San Francisco (where Amtrak is not available) by using CalTrain network. After CA HSR project gets complete, the San Joaquins route will be able to reach all the way down to Los Angeles Union Station from Sacramento. If there is any kind of inconvenience, people will ditch and look for alternative.

    • @kjhuang
      @kjhuang ปีที่แล้ว

      @@youngchu1638 Yeah extending _Surfliner_ to San Francisco would be a good idea - if Caltrain lets Amtrak share their tracks.

  • @transitcaptain
    @transitcaptain 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Glad to see that you have a California video. I thought you were done with them. I can’t wait for them to be like the trains in Europe But why is it so hard just to electrify railway line?

    • @Neville60001
      @Neville60001 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Somebody explained it to me why quite a while ago, but I can't remember what they said; however, there's a lot of neocon opposition to electrification, so I've heard. But as Dylan said, the electrified service using the Stadler Flirt trainsets starts in 2024.

    • @andrewreynolds4949
      @andrewreynolds4949 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Electrification is expensive. Only a few commuter networks really justify it.

    • @transitcaptain
      @transitcaptain 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@andrewreynolds4949 Plenty of commuter rail roads could justify it if they wanted to but they won’t

    • @Neville60001
      @Neville60001 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@andrewreynolds4949, yet Caltrain is doing it and showing the way for full electrification of American railways, _in spite of_ NIMBY's like you who think that it's too expensive (tell me, how's that big wasteful POS 'stealth' fighter that millions of dollars have been wasted on doing, or will do against any new Russian or Chinese radar/LIDAR system that will be built to see it, lock on to it, and destroy it instantly when said systems get built and come on line?🙄)

    • @andrewreynolds4949
      @andrewreynolds4949 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@transitcaptain A number of them can justify it, but have no money to implement it

  • @SeverityOne
    @SeverityOne 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Somebody care to explain the London Underground joke at around 12:00? Because I don't get it.

    • @Fan652w
      @Fan652w ปีที่แล้ว

      In two places the London Underground goes out about 20 miles to towns outside London. The Metropolitan line goes to Amersham and Chesham, and the Central Line goes to Epping. I THINK Dylan was comparing Milbrae(?) to Amersham, a town also served by 'Chiltern' main line trains.

  • @dannydanny9875
    @dannydanny9875 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    come back soon, it's been 2 weeks! 😞

  • @timfoinc.6879
    @timfoinc.6879 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Everything is durable and resist to accidents and hidden issues .....sealed troubles for united scale!!

  • @masonsmainlineroblox
    @masonsmainlineroblox 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Dylan can I ask when the next UK report will be?

  • @physh
    @physh 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I applaud you for subjecting yourself to the Bay Area's unmitigated disaster that our "disconnected" transit agencies are.

    • @danielcarroll3358
      @danielcarroll3358 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      All 27 of them. But at least you can use a Clipper card on 26 of them.

  • @FIN86fi
    @FIN86fi 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    💯

  • @Andrewjg_89
    @Andrewjg_89 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Rail replacement always happens across the world and not just USA, UK and Europe. And most people are sick of having rail replacements.

    • @s125ish
      @s125ish 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Does it though even in Africa

    • @Andrewjg_89
      @Andrewjg_89 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Ok

  • @pushaanbangera6030
    @pushaanbangera6030 ปีที่แล้ว

    Bro travelled in the Gta San Andreas train

  • @Rt747
    @Rt747 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    👍👍👍👍

  • @dsdonovan
    @dsdonovan 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Bonus points for use of the words "grim" and "threatening" to describe the stations.

  • @Giustiziappenanata
    @Giustiziappenanata หลายเดือนก่อน

    SamTrans

  • @davidthorne7712
    @davidthorne7712 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    What an amazing contrast between the stations at either end, the San Jose one looks like a ‘proper’ station as opposed to temporary port-a-com building that forgotten about

    • @Neville60001
      @Neville60001 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      David, there's no real reason for all commuter train stations to be super-ornate and statuesque liked Union Station in LA or elsewhere; all that you need at many stations is a ticket counter/information station, a few stores, ticket machines, bathrooms, and that's it.

    • @davidthorne7712
      @davidthorne7712 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Hello Neville, what you say might be true for a station in the middle of the suburbs, but 4th & King is a major multi track terminal and interchange station in the downtown area of a very wealthy city.
      According to it’s Wikipedia page there was a more appropriate terminal that was demolished in 1975.
      As Dylan pointed out it was not fully staffed and felt unsafe, so wouldn’t have given confidence in the level of service on your upcoming train journey.

    • @danielcarroll3358
      @danielcarroll3358 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@davidthorne7712 The original plan by the Southern Pacific Railroad was to have the terminal be at 65 Market Street, the headquarters of the railroad. The building was built to meet that purpose but rail never made it there. 3rd/4th and Townsend is not downtown. You still have to hike for 15 minutes or take a bus or tram to get there. 4th and Townsend will most likely be the temporary terminal of the High Speed Line until the tunnel to the Transbay Terminal is built. That is downtown if still a bit of a ways from the financial district.

    • @punchnazis3498
      @punchnazis3498 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      SF used to have a nice old train station as well, that was built in 1914...but in 1975, a time when passenger train use was basically dead in America, it was torn down, and replaced with the sad little train station that you see now.

  • @harrisonsnazel7482
    @harrisonsnazel7482 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    The train looks like amtrack long distance trains

  • @Abnerbandanovotempoinscrito1mi
    @Abnerbandanovotempoinscrito1mi 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Boa tarde Dylans lindo trem metra gostei 2 trens

  • @vegguid
    @vegguid 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Sorry to complain but most of your talking points about the vpn are just plane wrong. I don't have a problem with taking a vpn sponsorship but I do have a problem with the false claims in the video. As it does not make banking safer nor does it make your passwords and personal details safer (Some exception apply but are extremely rare). I would suggest watching Tom Scott's video about vpn's to hear what it actually does.

    • @misterhat5823
      @misterhat5823 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      VPNs are the bottom of the barrel.

    • @vegguid
      @vegguid 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@raystimpson I personally don't have a problem with him taking a VPN sponsorship but I do with what is essentially lying for money. I do realise he almost certainly didn't do it on purpose but I just want to make sure it doesn't happen again

    • @londo776
      @londo776 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Just use an ad blocker and a sponsorship blocker then you won't have to see all that s**

    • @misterhat5823
      @misterhat5823 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@londo776 I do. Mainly because channels like this one tend to put their sponsorships (or Patreon) right in the middle of the video. But, lying for VPNs is still the lowest of low.

  • @harrystokes1412
    @harrystokes1412 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Has your weekly videos gone to one every other week? Americas limited rail system sucks to put it mildly. At the price good deal if you're not in a hurry.

    • @heidirabenau511
      @heidirabenau511 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      He has started to say that he publishes new trip reports on a regular basis instead of every Friday

  • @EpicThe112
    @EpicThe112 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Do you actually play train sim world if so you actually went on a F40PH 2C then a Baby Bullet train this is a DLC for Caltrain and Layer to Oakville Subdivision