I really enjoy SMART! Its fast, comfortable, and the designs of the stations and trains are just very aesthetically nice! In the future I hope they double track the line and add passing tracks to add express trains!
The gauntlet tracks are only present at Downtown Novato station and north, the 4 station south of downtown Novato do not require gauntlet tracks as fright traffic is forbidden. And it will be very difficult for them to double track any further amounts. Of the right of way due to protected environmental wetlands.
There are also plans to extend SMART along the NWP tracks to meet amtrak at suisun city, and thus have it connect with the national rail system. I believe the tracks around 6:50 is where it will split
What an interesting line! It's cool to see more investment into rail in the Bay Area. Nippon Sharyo DMU's are used on this and the UP Express iirc, great video!
Great review! And your positivity is infectious! You're become my favorite rail reviewer in the US. Thank you for all your work! I hope to see more California systems reviewed in our neck of the woods!
I live a few minutes walking distance from Rohnert Park station. Being a senior, I currently get to ride free (a 1 year pilot program), otherwise 50% discount. I enjoy walking and frequently ride SMART to go to other neighborhoods. I am looking forward to the expansions to Windsor and Healdsburg (and someday Cloverdale).
Love SMART, took it to Petaluma a few months back. I'm looking forward to the Healdsburg extension, used to camp around there as a kid and loved the town (though I think the park got burnt a few years back).
I have been in this line from Sonoma Airport to San Rafael (the original segment) and the later Larkspur extension. Early next year a new stop at Windsor will open taking the lines up to 48 miles. I plan to revisit the line myself then as the long awaited North Petaluma station opens.
Haha! Thank you! I agree with you that the signage between the ferry and SMART is abysmal and wish they would improve it! Aside from that, I was pleasantly surprised to see you reviewing our little system here. I'm used to you doing things like Amtrak.
I was actually kinda shocked at 3:18 to see that one van which was sitting underneat the crossing gate. In europe, if the gate has a malfunction the train has to stop in sight and the engineer has to remove the disturbence before continuing. On the mainlines, trains are stopped automatically by a computersystem assisting the engineer. In germany it is called PZB (roughly translates to selective train interference). Anyways, that was a great video which I really enjoyed. Such local commuter trips appeal to me because they are much easier and cheaper to replicate than your (also really great) trips on Amtrank long distance. Keep that sweet content running my good man (as long as school schedules allow for it).
Good news since this was posted. SMART now has shuttle service between the SMART station and ferry in Larkspur. As of my writing this, it the shuttle runs Thursdays to Sundays with expectations to expand service to 7 days as people use it more. This is the same shuttle service SMART uses to and from the airport in Santa Rosa, so the same app can be used to order an on-demand trip.
Hey, that's my line. Well not my line personally, but I see it almost every morning. Unfortunately though, I see it at a standstill cause it's crossing in front of me 😂
They really need to find a way to connect it to another system. I personally think they should tunnel Caltrain to the north bay after the DTX and connect it to SMART.
Hey, I had a family member that lived in San Rafael for over 60 years and throughout my time going there to visit, I have never heard somebody pronounce the town name like that.
@@HenryWichman video creator is not from the Bay Area, apparently he's from texas lol. It's like San Francisco, nobody uses the Spanish pronunciation, "sahn-fraun-see-sco" instead we say "san-fran-cisco". 🙂 Or Sepulveda road in Los Angeles, the Spanish way would be "sep-ull-veh-duh" but everybody says "seh-pull-ve-duh". One of those things, you have to be from the area. 🙂 Seattle has a lot of places like that. Like I know how to pronounce "puyallup" because I was on the crew of the USS Florida SSBN-728, whose homeport was Bangor Naval Submarine Base across Puget Sound from Seattle. 🙂 Hard to figure out how to say that if you have not lived in the Seattle area lol. 🙂
Fun fact: this is one of only three American rail services that use DMUs not made by Stadler. The other two are the NCTD Sprinter and WES Commuter Rail
Thank you for a delightful, informative video. I hope that SMART can extend its tracks to the ferry launch in Larkspur; a half mile is rather long for many Americans who require convenience and some who loathe exercise. Secondly, extending the service to Richmond and San Francisco (via the Golden Gate) would be a dream come true. By the way, I am watching from the Netherlands where we have largely superb transport. Albeit a Dutchman, I grew up in the Bay Area in the '60s and '70s; hence, I know the North Bay fairly well.
Since you left 50 years ago the idea of putting a train on the Golden Gate Bridge or Richmond Bridge would still never work. That's where ferries came in since you left.
Good morning and a happy Friday to you, LTR. I come to you this week with a pending question. I'm going to be taking a winter vacation from work at the railroad this year in December and just recently booked a business class ticket for Amtrak's Capitol Limited to Chicago, on my way to revisit one of my old hometowns of Des Moines, Iowa. Does it come with all of the same perks that a business class fare on my Regional out of Trenton would or is it a bit different for that of Superliner consist trains?
Hey there! The Capitol Limited does not offer Business class, so what's likely happening is you have business class to DC, and then will change trains to the CL, wherein you'll be riding in Coach. Long distance coach offers a ton more space than business on the NEC, so you'll be more than comfortable heading to Chicago, though you don't get free drinks link in business class. Hope this helps!
That was never the plan, it would've cost too much money. The whole project was done on a shoestring budget, they still haven't even completed the right of way that was promised in the original proposal.
afaik, and I grew up in the Bay Area (albeit in the South Bay/Silicon Valley), it's "san-ruh-fell". Much like how "San Francisco" is pronounced in an Americanized way rather than the Spanish way. 🙂
Youth and Seniors Ride Free SMART is offering free fare for youth and seniors. This new fare structure is a pilot program effective through June 30, 2025. Beginning April 1, 2024, youth (ages 0-18) and seniors (ages 65+), may board any SMART train, any day of the week and ride fare free. Youth and seniors are not required to have a Clipper card or to use the SMART eTickets app. Train Conductors will check fares as usual; seniors and youth may be asked for proof of age (State ID, license, or Student ID). If a Clipper Card is used the fare charged will be $0 (zero).
I am all for bringing back rail traffic in whatever form that it takes The problem is, it's just so expensive They're was, I don't know if it's still current A plan to extend the smart train all the way up to cloverville that might be a good idea But I don't think you're gonna Have the customer support to justify the billions of dollars in extending the smart train
I know this would be a long term hundreds of millions expense. But when they likely replace the Richmond bridge in the next 25 years. SMART should get a track from San Rafael to Oakland via Richmond TC. That connects it to BART, AC Transit, and Amtrak California. Paired with Link21 it could eventually access downtown SF.
I think it would make more sense for BART to cross the bridge and share a transfer station with Marin. One of BART’s lines from Richmond could instead go west, parallel to 580
@@emiliocarver2061 BART will most likely build a new standard gauge EMU/DMU line like the eBART in the East Bay along the Capitol Corridor ROW. So it actually does make sense to make the new Richmond Bridge standard gauge. This way all the Bay Area rail agencies will be able to use it - SMART, Caltrain, the new wBART, and maybe even Amtrak California. Same with the new Transbay tunnel. If BART is eventually building a new standard gauge line in the East Bay then they don't need to worry about the track gauge.
@@TohaBgood2 l'm very glad the ROW was saved and utilized. Have ridden it and it is beautiful.There is potential for improvement and expansion. Presently however the frequency needs to be later and the speed is slow with no express trains and the connections at each end to the ferry and the airport are awkward and far from optimal. Subsequently l believe there has been improvement to the connections recently. Now if freight could run for income.
@@davidjackson7281 You hate all transit. No matter what these systems do you'll still hate it. And if they do implement everything you're asking for then you'll just complaint that it's too expensive. Move to Texas. You'll love it there. They never build any transit.
@@TohaBgood2 nonono don't send them here Wait, they don't even seem to hate transit. Those were valid critiques. Wanting improvements doesn't equal hate.
The decision not to electrify it is strange though - similar interurban services (on different alignments) were electrified over a century ago, on the Petaluma and Santa Rosa and the North Shore Railroad up to Point Reyes Station.
Did you notice that there is a complete lack of passengers on the Smarttrain? That is normal on the Smart Train. SmartTrain is a complete waste of $750 million, and far more than a billion if you account for the $500 million of land. Currently trains run on the half hour and rarely carry as much a a single bus in capacity. There is a parallel bus route funded by Gold Gate tolls that carry more riders. It is clear that improving bus service on the corridor would have been vastly more productive and aa real asset . The Petaluma to Novato rail right of way could have been been paved and converted to a bus way with connection to 101 for a trivial 8 figure sum, Because rush hour in Marin Sonoma is one way. the problem with single tracking for for this segment for a busway is not a problem. This segment is known locally as the Novato Narrows and for more than 2 decades at rush hour developed a 15 minute delay South in the morning North in the evening. So concomitantly the state highway department is throwing another half billion at that. It is a tremendous bone for construction business in the area but the 15 year build process Instead the 4 lane highway 101 has been in process of being widen. If the Narrows was intentionally left and the money poured into really good bus service all the way from Sonoma to the city you could have done it for dramatically less money, you would be removing 1,000 cars from not only the Narrows segment of 101 but all the way through Marin. Not e that 101 which is 8 lanes through Marin has rush hour for 2 hours every week day. A killer Sonoma to SF bus link would allow the Marin to SF Golden Gate Transit service more opportunity to have express links to SF also. It would be a virtuous circle. The necessary subsidies for operation even with state, federal and Golden Gate Bridge Tolls added in will need an extension of the 0.5% sales tax which is not going to happen so if you want to ride the Smart Train get out here before 2029 because it will be rolling its last when any one of the 4 legs of subsidy that it stands on now ends. By the way it is quite nice, I can take my bike, which means I can bike to the station, ride the train and bike across the GG and come back for the whooping cost now of zero, other than the $100 of sales tax and I do do that. Not enough to get my moneys worth. Presumably the diesel trains sets will be transferred to the south SF peninsula commuter service in 2030. As far as the connection to Amtrak at Suisan, that isa good one. LOL. That would likely carry as many a one dozen hardy adventurers yearly! Well for a system that connects to the Santa Rosa Airport by a one mile walk which does not even have sidewalks and connects to the ferry to SF at Larkspur bya quarter of a mile, it does have a pedestrian walk way and bridge over Sir Francis Drake Blvd. an additional set of lost Europeans trying to use American trains as if the trains were in their home counrty might be important. BtW if I ever fee particularly suicidal I will take the bike train ferry connection to the Embarcadero to be abe to claim that I rode a bike in the City.
The major flaw with your unimaginitive idea is uncomfortable buses suck big time. Why do you think the ferries are so successful? You know the train is so much better. A commute express train would be an improvement. Ridership is steadily improving as are the end of the line connections now with shuttles to the ferry and airport. Freight revenue could eventually subsidize a portion of the the passenger service as it once did in the previous century.There are a lot of Hwy 37 commuters so an extention may eventually have merit.
I find the idea of selling food on a commuter train very funny. I mean, I'm sure there's a reason nowhere else does this, but it's fun to imagine buying breakfast on the way to work.
A lot of Bay Area commuter systems do offer food. This is sort of "a thing" here and people expect it to be there. I have a lot of friends who always have their breakfast on the ferry or on the train. Our commuter ferries, the Capitol Corridor, and the ACE all have food options and even beer and alcohol available. Caltrain has food vendors at all the major stations and allows both food and drinks, including alcohol, onboard. SMART is just matching what the other similar regional commuter systems in the region are doing.
It’s a Bay Area thing. The reason why it’s done is because of how long the commutes are. And also the fact that other than Caltrain (who doesn’t have food in trains.) All of the Bay Area commuter lines are not currently constrained by consist length. The ferry networks also have food. I think it is a great idea
SMART is basically the consolation prize for not getting BART. But this is not as much about budget and more about political shenanigans. When BART was being build they were going to build BART tracks on the lower deck of the Golden Gate Bridge. But the independent Golden Gate Bridge authority was afraid of losing customers so they blocked that project under false technical pretenses. And then San Mateo pulled out of the original BART district (they sort of rejoined later). This led to Marin not being able to be included due to the massive increase in taxes that they would have had to pass. So BART asked them to leave the project. Marin Co. left the BART district but only after being promised publicly that they could joint at a later date. So BART to Marin county might still happen one day, by hook or crook. But my guess is that this will happen via the consolidation of all the Bay Area rail transit under the MTC regional transit authority. So SMART will just become part of an amalgamated Bay Area rail system comprised of BART, Caltrain, Muni Metro, VTA Light Rail, ACE, and maybe even the Capitol Corridor (in some form). If they do end up putting rail on the new Richmond Bridge then SMART will probably be connected to BART and the Capitol Corridor and integrate into the regional rail system.
@@TohaBgood2I doubt that their will ever be full integration of the Bay Area transit networks. But I could definitely foresee that MTC organizes some form of a free transfer that waves the extra zone fee from a transfer. The governance of one giant agency comes with many flaws. Just look at SEPTA who keeps overinvesting in suburban counties and avoids improving their core frequency and subways. The one merger that I do think we need though is a new commuter agency of Vally Link, ACE, Capital Corridor, Valley Rail, and San Joaquins combined on clipper.
@@TysonIke Those are very goods points you bring up. l too see more cons than pros for consolidation which is not necessarily needed to get all on a clipper card or other compatible payment systems. Capitol Corridor plans to make payment by credit /debit cards available in the near future. Free transfers would be a huge improvement and increase ridership everywhere. Combining some agencies may have merit but not merging all. lt will be very interesting to see whether there will be any integration when CAHSR operates which l support 199%.
What a Ripoff for Marin and Sonoma County. These trains are rarely half full. Rider projections were a fallacy. This is a ATM for county supervvisors. Also the trains are Deisel. How envirometal
They are very environmentally friendly tier four biodiesel comfortable level boarding trains. Ridership is steadily rising and service keeps improving. These two counties have the know how to know how.
I really enjoy SMART! Its fast, comfortable, and the designs of the stations and trains are just very aesthetically nice! In the future I hope they double track the line and add passing tracks to add express trains!
Same! And I know all about it too!
They do have gauntlet tracks at almost all stations but that's as much passing as it allows.
The gauntlet tracks are only present at Downtown Novato station and north, the 4 station south of downtown Novato do not require gauntlet tracks as fright traffic is forbidden. And it will be very difficult for them to double track any further amounts. Of the right of way due to protected environmental wetlands.
@@TheGreatPOD That's very interesting information. Thanx. Glad to see the ridership increasing.
There are also plans to extend SMART along the NWP tracks to meet amtrak at suisun city, and thus have it connect with the national rail system.
I believe the tracks around 6:50 is where it will split
Darn it! You beat me to it!
Darn it! Ya beat me to it!
lt would be great if they could secure the billion to do it.
Great example of how commuter rail can use existing infrastructure and not cost huge amounts to,operate.
Hey Mr. Noah! I have a whole TH-cam channel with this company! They even gave me a tour of their yard!
Thanks for exellent video. I couldn't imagine a train not serving SF directly would be successful. As usual your picture quality is perfect.
What an interesting line! It's cool to see more investment into rail in the Bay Area. Nippon Sharyo DMU's are used on this and the UP Express iirc, great video!
Great review! And your positivity is infectious! You're become my favorite rail reviewer in the US. Thank you for all your work! I hope to see more California systems reviewed in our neck of the woods!
I live a few minutes walking distance from Rohnert Park station. Being a senior, I currently get to ride free (a 1 year pilot program), otherwise 50% discount. I enjoy walking and frequently ride SMART to go to other neighborhoods. I am looking forward to the expansions to Windsor and Healdsburg (and someday Cloverdale).
Love SMART, took it to Petaluma a few months back. I'm looking forward to the Healdsburg extension, used to camp around there as a kid and loved the town (though I think the park got burnt a few years back).
To Healdsburg maybe in a decade or so. To Cloverdale with a small population probably not for a long long time.
Another excellent video Noah!
I have been in this line from Sonoma Airport to San Rafael (the original segment) and the later Larkspur extension. Early next year a new stop at Windsor will open taking the lines up to 48 miles. I plan to revisit the line myself then as the long awaited North Petaluma station opens.
Nice video 😊
Haha! Thank you! I agree with you that the signage between the ferry and SMART is abysmal and wish they would improve it!
Aside from that, I was pleasantly surprised to see you reviewing our little system here. I'm used to you doing things like Amtrak.
I was actually kinda shocked at 3:18 to see that one van which was sitting underneat the crossing gate. In europe, if the gate has a malfunction the train has to stop in sight and the engineer has to remove the disturbence before continuing. On the mainlines, trains are stopped automatically by a computersystem assisting the engineer. In germany it is called PZB (roughly translates to selective train interference).
Anyways, that was a great video which I really enjoyed. Such local commuter trips appeal to me because they are much easier and cheaper to replicate than your (also really great) trips on Amtrank long distance. Keep that sweet content running my good man (as long as school schedules allow for it).
We have that in the US too called PTC, but this train wasnt to fast, and the guy wasnt on the tracks so no big deal
hehehehe I get what you did with the title!
SMART should reinstate the snack bar it would make the experience more fun.
Having tray tables and reclining seats on a commuter train is incredible.
That little detail about the gauntlet track was really helpful! I love when you include little engineering tidbits like that in your videos!
Good news since this was posted. SMART now has shuttle service between the SMART station and ferry in Larkspur. As of my writing this, it the shuttle runs Thursdays to Sundays with expectations to expand service to 7 days as people use it more. This is the same shuttle service SMART uses to and from the airport in Santa Rosa, so the same app can be used to order an on-demand trip.
Hey, that's my line. Well not my line personally, but I see it almost every morning. Unfortunately though, I see it at a standstill cause it's crossing in front of me 😂
Very nice professionally done video. The Larkspur connection looks not ideal.
They really need to find a way to connect it to another system. I personally think they should tunnel Caltrain to the north bay after the DTX and connect it to SMART.
The new Richmond Bridge is already planned to have rail so SMART will be connected to BART and the Capitol Corridor when that is built.
@@TohaBgood2 do you have a source for that? I’ve looked for it but it’s not confirmed.
@@TohaBgood2 Dream on.
DTX 2040-2050 if ever. SF to Marin will never be by train only by ferry.
@@davidjackson7281 You keep trying to push your doomer nonsense and California transit keeps proving you wrong.
Oh hey you’re in my neck of the woods!!
Hey I live in Marin I take this all the time and I think it’s grate I hope you enjoy it too
Hey, I had a family member that lived in San Rafael for over 60 years and throughout my time going there to visit, I have never heard somebody pronounce the town name like that.
"Where hell is San Rafael?" Radio station ktim's 70's tag line.
@@davidjackson7281 4:14 minutes in as he’s going across the road
@@HenryWichman video creator is not from the Bay Area, apparently he's from texas lol. It's like San Francisco, nobody uses the Spanish pronunciation, "sahn-fraun-see-sco" instead we say "san-fran-cisco". 🙂
Or Sepulveda road in Los Angeles, the Spanish way would be "sep-ull-veh-duh" but everybody says "seh-pull-ve-duh". One of those things, you have to be from the area. 🙂
Seattle has a lot of places like that. Like I know how to pronounce "puyallup" because I was on the crew of the USS Florida SSBN-728, whose homeport was Bangor Naval Submarine Base across Puget Sound from Seattle. 🙂 Hard to figure out how to say that if you have not lived in the Seattle area lol. 🙂
@@neutrino78x oh fair
SMART allows alcohol consumption onboard, making it a fun option for beer garden hopping in Petaluma and Santa Rosa among locals
Hello! Love your vids, could you make a video on the Sudbury-White River Via Rail service that still uses Budd RDCs?
Not exactly. The UP express has a more traditional cabcar end and the lack of a café thing
Fun fact: this is one of only three American rail services that use DMUs not made by Stadler. The other two are the NCTD Sprinter and WES Commuter Rail
I wish bus 95 to Bodega Bay had some frequency to it instead of once a day 🙂
Thank you for a delightful, informative video. I hope that SMART can extend its tracks to the ferry launch in Larkspur; a half mile is rather long for many Americans who require convenience and some who loathe exercise. Secondly, extending the service to Richmond and San Francisco (via the Golden Gate) would be a dream come true. By the way, I am watching from the Netherlands where we have largely superb transport. Albeit a Dutchman, I grew up in the Bay Area in the '60s and '70s; hence, I know the North Bay fairly well.
Since you left 50 years ago the idea of putting a train on the Golden Gate Bridge or Richmond Bridge would still never work. That's where ferries came in since you left.
5:23 Fantastic bathrooms. What an odd phrase.
That looks like the train driver in front of you walking up to the other cab to drive it north.
nice
Good morning and a happy Friday to you, LTR. I come to you this week with a pending question. I'm going to be taking a winter vacation from work at the railroad this year in December and just recently booked a business class ticket for Amtrak's Capitol Limited to Chicago, on my way to revisit one of my old hometowns of Des Moines, Iowa. Does it come with all of the same perks that a business class fare on my Regional out of Trenton would or is it a bit different for that of Superliner consist trains?
Hey there! The Capitol Limited does not offer Business class, so what's likely happening is you have business class to DC, and then will change trains to the CL, wherein you'll be riding in Coach. Long distance coach offers a ton more space than business on the NEC, so you'll be more than comfortable heading to Chicago, though you don't get free drinks link in business class. Hope this helps!
@@LonestarTrips More than a lot. Thanks a bunch 🙂
@@jessicaburdell7779 Of course! Safe travels, and enjoy the ride!
If it was really done right, the train would pull up right next to the ferry.
That was never the plan, it would've cost too much money. The whole project was done on a shoestring budget, they still haven't even completed the right of way that was promised in the original proposal.
afaik, and I grew up in the Bay Area (albeit in the South Bay/Silicon Valley), it's "san-ruh-fell". Much like how "San Francisco" is pronounced in an Americanized way rather than the Spanish way. 🙂
Youth and Seniors Ride Free
SMART is offering free fare for youth and seniors. This new fare structure is a pilot program effective through June 30, 2025.
Beginning April 1, 2024, youth (ages 0-18) and seniors (ages 65+), may board any SMART train, any day of the week and ride fare free. Youth and seniors are not required to have a Clipper card or to use the SMART eTickets app. Train Conductors will check fares as usual; seniors and youth may be asked for proof of age (State ID, license, or Student ID). If a Clipper Card is used the fare charged will be $0 (zero).
Locals say San Ra-fell, not Rafael... I know how it's spelled, but it's not what anyone says
Huh, interesting. Thanks for the info!
@@LonestarTrips Just turn on your Texas accent for these rural California town names. That's basically how we say them 😁
Cen you make video ebavt santa fe 3751
3:19 LMFAOO
The smart train look like Toronto Ontario Union pearson train
Are those diesel locomotives?
Diesel Multiple Units*
@@TheRandCrews thanks
I am all for bringing back rail traffic in whatever form that it takes The problem is, it's just so expensive
They're was, I don't know if it's still current A plan to extend the smart train all the way up to cloverville that might be a good idea But I don't think you're gonna Have the customer support to justify the billions of dollars in extending the smart train
I know this would be a long term hundreds of millions expense. But when they likely replace the Richmond bridge in the next 25 years. SMART should get a track from San Rafael to Oakland via Richmond TC. That connects it to BART, AC Transit, and Amtrak California. Paired with Link21 it could eventually access downtown SF.
I think it would make more sense for BART to cross the bridge and share a transfer station with Marin. One of BART’s lines from Richmond could instead go west, parallel to 580
As far as I know this is already the plan, but the NIMBYs are trying to kill rail on the new Richmond Bridge.
@@emiliocarver2061 BART will most likely build a new standard gauge EMU/DMU line like the eBART in the East Bay along the Capitol Corridor ROW. So it actually does make sense to make the new Richmond Bridge standard gauge. This way all the Bay Area rail agencies will be able to use it - SMART, Caltrain, the new wBART, and maybe even Amtrak California.
Same with the new Transbay tunnel. If BART is eventually building a new standard gauge line in the East Bay then they don't need to worry about the track gauge.
@@TohaBgood2 I haven’t heard anything about this, what can I do to stop them?
@@TohaBgood2 I wonder if a gauntlet track would be a good idea. I’m sure it would be expensive however
I live in Marin and I have use this train before I like
it's kinda like the modern equivalent to an interurban
Yep! It's basically an interurban and I love it! We need a looooooot more of these all over California!
@@TohaBgood2 l'm very glad the ROW was saved and utilized. Have ridden it and it is beautiful.There is potential for improvement and expansion. Presently however the frequency needs to be later and the speed is slow with no express trains and the connections at each end to the ferry and the airport are awkward and far from optimal. Subsequently l believe there has been improvement to the connections recently. Now if freight could run for income.
@@davidjackson7281 You hate all transit. No matter what these systems do you'll still hate it. And if they do implement everything you're asking for then you'll just complaint that it's too expensive.
Move to Texas. You'll love it there. They never build any transit.
@@TohaBgood2 nonono don't send them here
Wait, they don't even seem to hate transit. Those were valid critiques. Wanting improvements doesn't equal hate.
The decision not to electrify it is strange though - similar interurban services (on different alignments) were electrified over a century ago, on the Petaluma and Santa Rosa and the North Shore Railroad up to Point Reyes Station.
I flim SMARTTRAIN
San Ra-Fell
Did you notice that there is a complete lack of passengers on the Smarttrain? That is normal on the Smart Train. SmartTrain is a complete waste of $750 million, and far more than a billion if you account for the $500 million of land.
Currently trains run on the half hour and rarely carry as much a a single bus in capacity. There is a parallel bus route funded by Gold Gate tolls that carry more riders. It is clear that improving bus service on the corridor would have been vastly more productive and aa real asset .
The Petaluma to Novato rail right of way could have been been paved and converted to a bus way with connection to 101 for a trivial 8 figure sum, Because rush hour in Marin Sonoma is one way. the problem with single tracking for for this segment for a busway is not a problem. This segment is known locally as the Novato Narrows and for more than 2 decades at rush hour developed a 15 minute delay South in the morning North in the evening. So concomitantly the state highway department is throwing another half billion at that. It is a tremendous bone for construction business in the area but the 15 year build process
Instead the 4 lane highway 101 has been in process of being widen.
If the Narrows was intentionally left and the money poured into really good bus service all the way from Sonoma to the city you could have done it for dramatically less money, you would be removing 1,000 cars from not only the Narrows segment of 101 but all the way through Marin. Not e that 101 which is 8 lanes through Marin has rush hour for 2 hours every week day. A killer Sonoma to SF bus link would allow the Marin to SF Golden Gate Transit service more opportunity to have express links to SF also. It would be a virtuous circle.
The necessary subsidies for operation even with state, federal and Golden Gate Bridge Tolls added in will need an extension of the 0.5% sales tax which is not going to happen so if you want to ride the Smart Train get out here before 2029 because it will be rolling its last when any one of the 4 legs of subsidy that it stands on now ends.
By the way it is quite nice, I can take my bike, which means I can bike to the station, ride the train and bike across the GG and come back for the whooping cost now of zero, other than the $100 of sales tax and I do do that. Not enough to get my moneys worth.
Presumably the diesel trains sets will be transferred to the south SF peninsula commuter service in 2030.
As far as the connection to Amtrak at Suisan, that isa good one. LOL. That would likely carry as many a one dozen hardy adventurers yearly!
Well for a system that connects to the Santa Rosa Airport by a one mile walk which does not even have sidewalks and connects to the ferry to SF at Larkspur bya quarter of a mile, it does have a pedestrian walk way and bridge over Sir Francis Drake Blvd. an additional set of lost Europeans trying to use American trains as if the trains were in their home counrty might be important. BtW if I ever fee particularly suicidal I will take the bike train ferry connection to the Embarcadero to be abe to claim that I rode a bike in the City.
The major flaw with your unimaginitive idea is uncomfortable buses suck big time. Why do you think the ferries are so successful? You know the train is so much better. A commute express train would be an improvement.
Ridership is steadily improving as are the end of the line connections now with shuttles to the ferry and airport. Freight revenue could eventually subsidize a portion of the the passenger service as it once did in the previous century.There are a lot of Hwy 37 commuters so an extention may eventually have merit.
I find the idea of selling food on a commuter train very funny. I mean, I'm sure there's a reason nowhere else does this, but it's fun to imagine buying breakfast on the way to work.
A lot of Bay Area commuter systems do offer food. This is sort of "a thing" here and people expect it to be there. I have a lot of friends who always have their breakfast on the ferry or on the train. Our commuter ferries, the Capitol Corridor, and the ACE all have food options and even beer and alcohol available. Caltrain has food vendors at all the major stations and allows both food and drinks, including alcohol, onboard.
SMART is just matching what the other similar regional commuter systems in the region are doing.
It’s a Bay Area thing. The reason why it’s done is because of how long the commutes are. And also the fact that other than Caltrain (who doesn’t have food in trains.) All of the Bay Area commuter lines are not currently constrained by consist length. The ferry networks also have food. I think it is a great idea
"San Rafael" = "San Ra-fell"
Subscribe
Will this train do any good going to San Francisco?
from Larkspur you take the ferry, yo!
This area was supposed to get BART, but budget happened
SMART is basically the consolation prize for not getting BART. But this is not as much about budget and more about political shenanigans.
When BART was being build they were going to build BART tracks on the lower deck of the Golden Gate Bridge. But the independent Golden Gate Bridge authority was afraid of losing customers so they blocked that project under false technical pretenses. And then San Mateo pulled out of the original BART district (they sort of rejoined later). This led to Marin not being able to be included due to the massive increase in taxes that they would have had to pass. So BART asked them to leave the project. Marin Co. left the BART district but only after being promised publicly that they could joint at a later date.
So BART to Marin county might still happen one day, by hook or crook. But my guess is that this will happen via the consolidation of all the Bay Area rail transit under the MTC regional transit authority. So SMART will just become part of an amalgamated Bay Area rail system comprised of BART, Caltrain, Muni Metro, VTA Light Rail, ACE, and maybe even the Capitol Corridor (in some form). If they do end up putting rail on the new Richmond Bridge then SMART will probably be connected to BART and the Capitol Corridor and integrate into the regional rail system.
@@TohaBgood2I doubt that their will ever be full integration of the Bay Area transit networks. But I could definitely foresee that MTC organizes some form of a free transfer that waves the extra zone fee from a transfer. The governance of one giant agency comes with many flaws. Just look at SEPTA who keeps overinvesting in suburban counties and avoids improving their core frequency and subways. The one merger that I do think we need though is a new commuter agency of Vally Link, ACE, Capital Corridor, Valley Rail, and San Joaquins combined on clipper.
@@TysonIke Those are very goods points you bring up. l too see more cons than pros for consolidation which is not necessarily needed to get all on a clipper card or other compatible payment systems. Capitol Corridor plans to make payment by credit /debit cards available in the near future. Free transfers would be a huge improvement and increase ridership everywhere. Combining some agencies may have merit but not merging all. lt will be very interesting to see whether there will be any integration when CAHSR operates which l support 199%.
Are we just not going to talk about the crossing gate on that van
Nyuk nyuk!
3:19 what the actual fuck
Seats are too narrow
It’s a commuter train, the seats don’t have to be super wide.
The seats are great and extremely well padded, on par with United First Class seats and Amtrak long-distance ones.
Except when a hippo next to you makes it so you have to sit on one cheek almost in the aisle.
Perhaps for those over 300 lbs.
Please stop saying Rafael you are mispronouncing it.
👍
What a Ripoff for Marin and Sonoma County. These trains are rarely half full. Rider projections were a fallacy. This is a ATM for county supervvisors. Also the trains are Deisel. How envirometal
They are very environmentally friendly tier four biodiesel comfortable level boarding trains. Ridership is steadily rising and service keeps improving. These two counties have the know how to know how.