ACERider Press Clippings

ACE Fremont Argus 2002 January 30   Fourth train expected in 2002   Protracted negotiations with Union Pacific Railroad delayed addition of a fourth train, executive director Stacey Mortensen said. 'The new train definitely will hit the tracks this year', she said. The ACE authority wants to nail down perpetual access, or the right to continue using the tracks. The fourth train can be added almost immediately upon agreement, because the authority will remove a few cars off each of the current trains to make up the fourth.

Fremont Fremont Argus 2002 January 18   Shopping center planned near Centerville station threatens ACE parking   Fremont resident Carl Gatsch, who occasionally takes the ACE to work, 'I know a lot of people park on the streets, in the dirt lot next to the station and even in the empty spaces at the shopping center when the train station spaces fill up'. 'Ridership is going up on these trains and the city is bringing in businesses that will attract more people', said Fremont resident Michelle Vargas, who takes ACE to work in San Jose. 'I hope (Fremont) is planning for that growth and realizes the potential problems it faces.'

Pleasanton Tri Valley Herald 2002 January 17   Pleasanton Council wants new Bernal property plan   318 acre site at Bernal in Pleasanton may include housing, new ACE station and new parks.

Fremont Fremont Argus 2002 January 14   Fremont Revelopment Agency to consider Centerville Station project   Plans show Centerville Station Shopping Center in six new buildings, the largest of which is a 52,000-square-foot Ralphs supermarket.

Fremont Fremont Argus 2001 Dec. 28   City Council approved design of Fremont south platform plaza   Bill Ball Plaza in honor of the former Fremont mayor will provide refuge for train passengers and pedestrians and will serve as a venue for public events like farmers markets and music shows at the Centerville train station. "It is intended to be sort of a town square for downtown Centerville and basically provide a retreat for people who use downtown," said Project Manager Roger Ravenstad.

Alviso SJ Mercury 2001 July 20   Alviso buyout documents withheld   The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rejected a Freedom of Information Act request asking for appraisals and other documents for a plan by the government to buy up to 19,000 acres of industrial salt ponds ringing the South Bay. Details will remain secret of a federal proposal to spend as much as $300 million in what would be the most expensive public land purchase for wildlife habitat in Bay Area history. Several hundred acres of the property contain toxic bittern -- liquids 10 times as salty as the ocean and illegal to release into the bay under the Clean Water Act. Cargill has said it will remove the bittern before a sale. It is unclear whether there are other toxics issues. `Appraisals are the Achilles' heels of public land purchases', said Florence LaRiviere, co-founder of the Citizens Committee to Complete the Refuge, in Palo Alto. ``We don't find out until way too late to comment. As a result, we don't have any control over whether the public monies are being spent in an appropriate way.''

Alviso SJ Mercury 2001 July 19   Alviso wetlands threatened by buyout   Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., proposed that Cargill would sell 13,000 to 15,000 acres of industrial salt ponds it operates in the South Bay to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for roughly $100 million,ed. The land would be added to the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

Tracy TriValley Herald 2001 July 08   Tracy Plans intermodal ACE Station   Tracy City Council allocated more than $880,000 for a Downtown Tracy intermodal ACERail staion project to cover site acquisition, environmental review, planning and design. Envisioned as a transportation hub that will provide links for people who want to travel outside city limits, or just get around town, it accommodate all manner of transportation, from trains to bicycles and carpools to buses and taxis. In addition to a ticket office and passenger waiting area, the station will feature a public plaza, a small retail/concession area, bicycle racks, storage lockers and vehicle parking. The station is expected to add to the city's downtown revitalization effort, bolstering businesses by increasing the flow of traffic in the area.

Stations Fremont Argus 2001 May 31   Union City plans joint BART-Amtrak transit station   A regional transportation hub that would include BART, AC Transit, the Dumbarton Express and Union City Transit is the topic of a report that will be reviewed tonight by the Planning Commission. The intermodal station also could include Altamont Commuter Express and Capital Corridor trains, Silicon Valley Commuter Rail, Dumbarton Rail and a high-speed rail. Simon Martin-Vegue Winkelstein Moris, the architectural firm that designed the Caltrain station in San Francisco, was hired in October 2000 to design the intermodal area with a double-loop bus roundabout with 19 bus stops, a transit plaza in front of BART, a plaza between BART and 11th Street, a community commons between 11th Street and the former Southern Pacific Railroad and a road that would encircle the station area.

Fares Fremont Argus 2001 May 27   ACERiders comment on Fare Hike   `We've had a lot of opposition from the riders', ACE Director of Administrative Services Vickie Mello said Friday. `Some who have indicated that they may get a raise this year are telling us it will now amount to nothing'. She said she doesn't believe the increase, if approved, will have a lasting effect on ACE ridership. Neither does Mike O'Dorney. Until becoming a victim of high-tech industry lay-offs last week, he has ridden ACE since 1998. 'ACE is like anything else -- the price goes up', he said. 'It's kind of fair and it's kind of expected. When ACE first cranked up, I was still getting gas for under a buck'. But even he doesn't expect the increase to go unnoticed. Along with some of his fellow commuters, O'Dorney is putting together a laundry list of things the group would like to see ACE improve with the extra funds.

Fares Contra Costa Times 2001 May 22   ACE Board comment on proposed fare increase   Board member Phil Pennino, chairman of the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission, said revenue could also be boosted if ACE does more marketing to fill empty seats. Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty said ACE is still `the best deal in town'.

Fares SJ Mercury 2001 May 22   ACE Fares to be increased 10%   The ACE board approved the first price hike in ACE's history, which would raise fares ten epr cent. Under the preliminary decision, which could become final after a one-month public comment period, a monthly round-trip pass from Manteca or Pleasanton to Santa Clara would rise from $147 to $162, effective July 1. Fare box revenue this year covers $4.2 million of ACE's $8.5 million operating costs; the rest is covered by contributions from San Joaquin, Alameda and Santa Clara counties. Next fiscal year, ACE operating costs are expected to increase to $10.3 million, in part reflecting a full year's cost of running a third train that started in early March.

Media Tri Valley Herald 2001 May 21   Media request: when was the last time you rode a train ?   Has Amtrak lost its appeal? When was the last time you rode a passenger train? Let us know. Dave Boitano - City Editor Tri Valley Herald, ANG Newspapers, Phone: (925) 416-4887. Fax: (925) 416-4850 Email: dboitano@angnewspapers.com

tBART Tri Valley Herald 2001 May 21   tBART budget not cut by state   The money earmarked for tBART and eBART will actually go to each county's respective Congestion Management Authorities rather than BART. Backers of the baby BART system, including Livermore Mayor Cathie Brown, say it's a realistic proposal with a good chance of success in the near future. She said recently that she hopes the tBART line in particular does not suffer any delays as a result of the revised transportation budget. `We need the money. It is not frivolous spending. Davis has committed to this project to study infrastructure issues. The quality of life in this Valley depends on this money', she said.

Planning Contra Costa Times 2001 May 20   MTC Wishlist includes more ACE trains   Alameda County, which has the top two congested highways in the Bay Area, is considering new interchanges on Interstate 580 in Livermore, track improvements for the Altamont Commuter Express and Vasco Road improvements.

Planning Fremont Argus 2001 May 18   VTA proposes more ACE trains, BART   The VTA's study is scheduled to take nine months to complete before a preferred transportation option is selected, known as the Preferred Investment Strategy. From there, the VTA will begin its EIR process on that selected option, VTA spokeswoman Anne-Catherine Vinickas said. Of the 11 options, two are BART extension options, four are light rail, three are commuter train and two are express bus service options.

Santa Clara Fremont Argus 2001 May 18   Tasman East Light rail connects ACE to Milpitas   MILPITAS -- Local commuters looking to avoid the heavy traffic on Highway 237 have a new option: light rail from Milpitas to the Great America Station in Santa Clara. On Thursday, the city of Milpitas celebrated the grand opening of a new light rail extension connecting the Interstate 880/Milpitas Park & Ride, at Tasman Drive and Alder Drive, with the Great America Station. The light rail will now take passengers 1.9 miles out to the Tasman West light rail, where they can connect with the Great America Station, a major Silicon Valley hub. `Milpitas understands its vital role in the Silicon Valley', Mayor Henry Manayan said Thursday. `Transportation is a huge part of that'.

Marketing Fremont Argus 2001 May 15   Lawrence Livermore Labs recruits for staff on ACE train   Spiros Dimolitsas, director of engineering at the lab, put a sign on his car, and some lab employees wore promotional T-shirts aboard the Altamont Commuter Express train on their way to work. If you haven't heard: Lawrence Livermore Laboratory is hiring. Eager to fill engineering and computer jobs created by retirement and other attrition, lab officials are hosting a job fair.

Safety Fremont Argus 2001 May 10   Capitol Corridor fatality in San Leandro   To honor the memory of a San Leandro student killed by a Capitol Corridor train, John Muir Middle School has started the Jeffrey Simpson Memorial Book Collection. Simpson was a sixth-grader who was struck 2001 March 01 by an Amtrak Capitol train on Davis Street on his way to school. Russ Tomlin, the school's librarian, said Simpson's family wanted a memorial at John Muir that was reading-oriented.

Manteca Tri Valley Herald 2001 May 09   Manteca wants more ACE trains   Manteca Councilman John Harris was skeptical that widening the CA-99 freeway would be enough to keep up with the area's increasing traffic and congestion, as intended. `It seems like the moment we expand the lanes, they are immediately filled,' he said. He urged Caltrans to look more closely at mass transit for the Valley and pointed to successes like the Altamont Commuter Express which links the Central Valley to Silicon Valley and the Bay Area.

San Joaquin Tri Valley Herald 2001 May 05   Dial-a-ride comes to San Joaquin   STOCKTON -- The San Joaquin Regional Transit District has started a countywide dial-a-ride service to give residents access to public transportation 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Riders may also take the new general public dial-a-ride to the Stockton, Lathrop/Manteca and Tracy Altamont Commuter Express stations. For more information, call 1-800-469-8674.

Tracy Tri Valley Herald 2001 May 04   New Tracy Bus misses ACE by a mile   A revamped Tracy bus system will go into effect in June with the start of fixed-route bus service to such city landmarks as the West Valley Mall, the Tracy Library and City Hall. The 60-minute route is `not only quick, but within a two- to three-block walk of most of the major institutions in town,' said Paul Jewell, a consultant with the firm that designed the route. The bus will swing within a half-mile of the Altamont Commuter Express train station in south Tracy, but won't get any closer, much to the consternation of several City Council members. 'I can't get beyond the fact that we're not serving the ACE station,' said Councilman Brent Ives. `I'm not going to let go of that, so you might as well get ready for that.'

Parking SJ Mercury 2001 May 02   Parking in Santa Clara is worth seven dollars   `The seven dollar fee is not out of line with what the market will bear and what other venues charge', says Arthur Troyer, executive director of the Fairgrounds Management Corp.

High Speed Rail Fremont Argus 2001 April 29   High Speed Rail proposed for Niles Canyon   If the bullet train makes its way through California, it will stoip in Fremont, Union City or Newark. `We're looking at three potential locations that could be a stop for the bullet train in the area,' said Dan Leavitt, deputy director for the High Speed Rail Authority's Bay Area to Merced alignment group. `It's an important area to the plan'. The Fremont BART station, the intermodal transfer station to be build near Union City BART and a one of several potential stations along the Mulford line through Newark are being examined.

Fremont Fremont Argus 2001 April 27   Fremont Niles Station Relocation OK'ed, but on hold   `Let's move the depot, and let's not delay this any more,' said Bill Wullenjohn, who spearheaded the effort to restore the Centerville depot. A Niles property owner, and the son of a man known as the `unofficial mayor of Niles', Allen Lopez has a stake in improving the district's downtown. Lopez spoke in favor of the Niles plan earlier this week at a City Council meeting. The plan calls for increasing building densities, easing parking standards, providing a train stop and adding a town plaza along Niles Boulevard. Niles residents and railroad buffs urged the council to take one more step -- relocating the historic 1904 train depot to downtown Niles. Instead of making the move a priority, the plan only reserves a spot where the depot could go if funds for the .2 million project are available. The two highest priorities should be developing the town center and building a train stop with a pedestrian crossing, Councilmember Bob Wasserman said.

tBART Contra Costa Times 2001 April 24   BART proposes ACE to BART connection, tBART for Livermore   The tBART concept, unveiled by BART General Manager Thomas Margro at Livermore. Light rail service could be in place in three to five years at a cost of million, officials said. Livermore Mayor Cathie Brown said she's ecstatic about the light-rail idea, especially if the trains run through downtown Livermore. `light rail connecting to ACE (Altamont Commuter Express) and BART is a real alternative solution to the congestion we're experiencing', Brown said.

Fremont Fremont Argus 2001 April 19   Fremont is the second most common destination for ACE riders   Eight percent of the total number of Altamont Commuter Express riders heading west ending their journey in Fremont, the city has the second highest destination percentage, after San Jose, according to the Annual Passenger Survey 2000. `Exact reasons are hard to say, but large companies such as Sun Microsystems play a major role,' said Ceali Lein, an operations analyst for ACE. `Sometimes it's easier than driving', said Mark Rich, an employee at Sun Microsystems who rides the ACE train regularly from his home in Tracy.

Fremont Fremont Argus 2001 April 19   Redevelopment planned for Fremont, south of ACE station   `Chain retailers could be our salvation', Fremont has a good opportunity to attract `upscale' retailers like Banana Republic, Crate and Barrel, and Restoration Hardware, said consultant David Zehnder of Economic & Planning Systems, who has also advised officials in Union City and Milpitas. Fremont's downtown has a lot going for it -- demographics, transportation and existing retail -- but it is very suburban and lacks an icon, said panelist David Neale of Core Development Inc.

Ridership Fremont Argus 2001 April 17   ACE Ridership grows despite late trains   Despite many train delays n autumn 2000 the number of people riding the Altamont Commuter Express steadily increased, according to performance reports. But the trains, which run from Stockton to San Jose with a stop in Fremont, are back on track and arriving on time more readily. ACE trains were on time only 62.5 percent of the time in September 2000, 68.18 percent in October and 78.33 percent in November, according to the report. But since December, trains have reached their destinations punctually more than 90 percent of the time. The average daily number of passengers rose from 2,626 in July of 2000 to 3,827 in November of the same year.

Ridership Contra Costa Times 2001 April 17   ACE Ridership growth leads Bay Area   Annual public transit ridership figures revealed a 6.2 percent increase from 1999 to 2000, nearly twice the national average of 3.5 percent. Rail posted some the biggest jumps because of added trains, including the popular Altamont Commuter Express with a 66 percent hike and the Capitol Corridor with a 51 percent increase. Why does Mark Altenberg of Berkeley ride the Capitol Corridor train to his Silicon Valley job each weekday? `Just drive down Interstate 880 one morning, and you'll see why', Altenberg said. `I would go crazy if I had to drive'. For Yolanda Doleman, relief is spelled `ACE', like thousands of Bay Area workers who find affordable housing in the Central Valley.

Funding Tri Valley Herald 2001 April 12   San Joaquin Officials Seek Federal Funds   About 40 representatives from San Joquin county cities, transportation and business organizations trekked to Washington, D.C., last week to schmooze with members of Congress, hoping to advance their interests. `It's a full agenda that we had back there,' Lathrop City Manager Pam Carder said about the experience. The group sought to garner million in federal funds for an ACE maintenance facility. Another objective was to get million to help pay for the railroad overpass that will be built near Lathrop Road and McKinley Avenue in Lathrop. A similar trip last year helped obtain .4 million in federal money for area projects ranging from an additional Altamont Commuter Express train to extending the runway at the Stockton Metropolitan Airport and a tutoring and mentoring program for children. Almost two thirds of the money went toward ACE.

Planning Tri Valley Herald 2001 April 12   Frustrated Commuters Request Alternatives   `The Bay Area's transportation needs are growing much faster than sources of revenue,' explained a cardboard display at the meeting. `We face a potential billion gap between identified needs and available resources over the next 25 years.' When asked to rank their biggest challenges in getting around, attendees most marked `too much congestion on freeways' and `transit does not go where I need to go.' Those complaints were followed by `It's too hard/dangerous to get around on a bike.'

Planning Contra Costa Times 2001 Apr. 12   Government hearing hears demand for more ACE trains   Valley residents and elected officials aired their wish lists during a transportation workshop in Pleasanton sponsored by the Alameda County Congestion Management Agency and the Bay Area Metropolitan Transportation Commission. Mike O'Dorney of Danville wants more frequent Altamont Commuter Express trains to Silicon Valley. O'Dorney, said that trains should run more frequently and that there should be more contingency transit options for people who miss the last train home. Other speakers wanted a more complete network of bicycle routes.

Fare Enforcement Palo Alto Daily News 2001 Apr 04   Caltrain does not collect fares from many passengers   Caltrain's census shows an average of 35,609 people boarded each weekday during the first week of February, 1,909 more riders than tickets. Stations from San Francisco down to Palo Alto have vending machines. Alternately, passengers may buy tickets from conductors, but conductors often don't make it to every passenger to fares, Caltrains Spokeswoman Rita Haskin said.

Planning tBART SF Chronicle 2001 Apr. 03   BART officials presented an extension plan to Livermore ACE   Called tBART, the system would be similar to light rail but powered be powered by diesel engines turning traction motors, require new tracks from Dublin to run along 580, and cross the freeway to get into downtown Livermore, and cost about million. The three-car train would run every 15 to 20 minutes and connect BART with the Altamont Commuter Express system. Each t-BART train would cost million to million.

Sunol Fremont Argus 2001 Apr. 02   Niles Canyon trains boards on Sundays in Sunol   The Sunol Southern Pacific Railroad depot, built in the 1880s, but closed since 1940s, re-opened, to serve the Pacific Locomotive Association's Niles Canyon Railway which operates on Sundays.

Planning SJ Mercury 2001 Apr. 02   Caltrans Director Morales trains, rides ACE   Caltrans Director Jeff Morales, 41, responsible for California's 15,000 miles of roads and freeways, rode the debut train #05 to Silicon Valley. Before coming to California, he held a top post at the Chicago Transit Authority for two years, overseeing that city's elevated trains, subways and buses. ``I must admit,'' said Stacey Mortensen, rail program manager for the Altamont Commuter Express, ``it is surprising to listen to the director of Caltrans talk about smart growth and transit-oriented development.''

Planning Tri-Valley Herald 2001 Mar. 24   Local officials meet public and discuss more trains   State and local officials gathered this week to collect public comments and drum up support for various transportation projects in the Valley. ``We're looking to relieve traffic congestion in the area, and we need citizen input and support,'' said state Sen. Tom Torlakson, Topics included transit and safety enhancements planned for Vasco Road, construction of car pool lanes on Interstate 580 between Livermore and Pleasanton, and implementing a fourth daily train on the Altamont Commuter Express. Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty, who is on the ACE board, said he is happy with the project so far, but that the train has become too popular for its capacity. In addition to overcrowding on the trains, he cited problems such as inadequate parking at the stations and the need for maintenance facilities and track improvements.

Pleasanton Parking Tri-Valley Herald 2001 Mar. 24   Neighbors Complain about on street parking new ACE station   The temporary Altamont Commuter Express passenger loading platform in has a 300-car parking lot at the fairgrounds; about 350 passengers board in Pleasanton, and some 40 vehicles end up parked on the west side of Pleasanton Avenue instead of the parking lot. Drivers park on the street even when there is space in the lot so they can avoid the evening traffic jam after the return train. A temporary solution is to open a second gate, on West Angela Street, in and out of the parking lot was approved by the City Council. There were reservations about opening the West Angela gate because drivers might cut through the neighborhood

Great America San Jose Mercury 2001 Mar. 19   New parking lot construction begins at Great America   Work began to extend Stars and Stripes Drive and add an additional 209 parking spaces, including seven disabled and 10 motorcycle parking spaces. Work will last until 2001 September.

Third Train Contra Costa Times 2001 Mar. 13   Third Train Scheduled Too Late for Some   Commuters say the new 6:45 p.m. departure is not convenient, complaining that the newly added third evening ACE train leaves San Jose too late. Officials also are hearing from a contingent of riders that wants a mid-afternoon return train, as once was planned. During its first week of service, train #06 was less than half full with an average of just more than 200 riders. Allen Strand of San Ramon likes the later train. ``They need it. In the last two to three months, I've missed the last train because of 5 p.m. meetings. And there are times I had to leave meetings early just to get the stupid train home.

Fourth Train Fremont Argus 2001 Mar. 12   Fourth Train on Track for November 2001   The ACE system is on track to add a fourth commuter train by the end of the year, after seeing ridership skyrocket last week. The system already was carrying 700 more people per day than it had seats, said Stacey Mortensen, executive director of ACE. The third train added a capacity of 560 seats. Getting the fourth train on-track should be easier, as the negotiations for track time already have been completed with Union Pacific Railroad and Caltrain.

Schedule Conta Costa Times 2001 Mar. 06   New ACE train standing room only on first day   On the inaugural day of service, dignitaries and workers shared the cars on the rail connection between San Jose and Stockton Many Tri-Valley workers said the third train is perfect for them because it stops in Livermore and Pleasanton late enough to get them to work closer to a regular, 8 a.m. start time. ``It helps with quality of life, and I'll be able to spend time with the kids in the morning,'' said Michael Wineberg, a Tracy resident who works in San Ramon. A total of 663 passengers boarded the third train, which had a capacity of 560 but will be able to carry 700 after a fifth car is added soon. The turnaround train normally carried 300 to 350 passengers.

Comment San Jose Mecury 2001 Mar. 06   Editorial: ACE is a success   One of Silicon Valley's mass transit success stories, the Altamont Commuter Express, just got better. From its inaugural run in April 1998, ACE has shown that mass transit does work when workers, businesses, elected officials and transit agencies pull together. We're confident the new train will fill up quickly with commuters who agree.

Schedule SF Chronicle 2001 Mar. 03   Third Round Trip Added to relieve standing-room-only crowds   Third daily round-trip train between the San Joaquin Valley and the Silicon Valley added, is expected to relieve standing-room-only crowds -- as well as attract new riders. ACE has been popular among commuters since service began on Oct. 19, 1998, and is preparing to launch a fourth daily round-trip in the fall.

Santa Clara San Jose Mercury News 2001 Mar. 04   Santa Clara next stop for ACE commuter rail line   The opening of a new Santa Clara stop on Monday, coupled with the addition of a third train, may ease the daily grind for riders who ride the Altamont Commuter Express between the Central Valley and Silicon Valley. ACE has 2,200 riders, which puts the rail line at 138 percent capacity. That has resulted in a standing-room only commute on the two trains already in service. That's good news to ACE commuters like Mike O'Dorney, who commutes from Danville to Mountain View. O'Dorney said the new station will allow him to catch Caltrain in Santa Clara, eliminating the need for him to transfer at San Jose's Diridon Station.

Fremont San Jose Mercury News 2001 Mar. 04   Fremont-Centerville Businesses dream of vibrant town center   Old-timers who have spent more than a decade struggling to transform the old Fremont community's downtown from an abandoned auto row into an elegant downtown -- a latter-day Pleasanton, Los Gatos or Willow Glen with book stores, coffeehouses and restaurants with white tablecloths. that would attract strollers, families, lovers and hey, maybe even poets and artists. Old-timers, such as Lisa Banaag of the Depot Cafe, or Dirk Lorenz at Fremont Flowers, Gary King at Tri-City Properties or Greg Ross at Centerville Presbyterian, would be the real unofficial mayors, he suggested.

Highways Contra Costa Times 2001 Mar. 03   Gridlock Relief on Sunol Grade requires freeway lanes, ACE   ``Adding a lane helps everyone,'' said Caltrans project manager Emily Landin-Lowe. A horrid commuter crawl that now takes 45 minutes or longer is expected to be reduced initially to 12 minutes in the car pool lane and to between 23 and 36 minutes in the three non-car pool lanes. The new lane will be available for express bus service, which Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty called an integral part of of reducing congestion. ``With expansion plans for ACE ... I think we'll be in good shape.''

Safety San Mateo Times 2001 Feb. 21   Letter: injured pedestrians are their own fault   For the life of me, I do not understand how anyone can get hit by a train unless they are deaf and blind. Trains make substantial noise as they move along, and they have lights and horns. The sight of tracks should be a hint for someone to look both ways.

Parking Contra Costa Times 2001 Feb. 18   Pleasanton Neighbors complain about ACE parking   Those who live near the Altamont Commuter Express parking lot are finding their residential spaces taken by commuters. 'It's an invasion,' West Angela Street resident June Blanchette said of all the ACE riders who park in her neighborhood. Many attempt to avoid what she conceded are nasty traffic backups getting in and out of the ACE parking lot on Pleasanton Avenue across from the fairgrounds.

Schedule Fremont Argus 2001 Feb. 17   Additional train replaces Fremont turnaround run   ACE officials say ridership is so high that a third train will begin service to and from San Jose on March 5. 'We are pretty much running standing-room-only,' said Jonathan Garzoli, the ACE manager of contracts administration. The new train, which will replace the turnaround train, will start at the Manteca/Lathrop station at 6:52 a.m., arriving in Fremont at 8:15. It will arrive at the Great America station at 8:36, and the Santa Clara Caltrain station at 8:46 before stopping in San Jose at 8:56.

Schedule San Francisco Chronicle 2001 Feb. 13   Altamont Line Getting Third and Fourth Trains   'This is really bringing ACE of age,' said Scott Haggerty, an Alameda County supervisor and member of the ACE Authority, a three-county agency that oversees the commuter rail service. 'We've been waiting a long time to bring on extra trains.' The imminent arrival of more trains was welcome news for ACE riders, too. 'I can hardly imagine any transit system that has more need for additional service than ACE,' said Michael Graff, a software engineer who has ridden ACE since its start. 'Getting on in Fremont, that train is packed, just packed.'

Schedule Contra Costa Times 2001 Feb. 13   Another 2 trains on track for ACE   The third train's morning schedule will be geared to meet the needs of Tri-Valley workers by getting commuters to Livermore and Pleasanton later than the two existing Stockton-to-San Jose trains, and closer to an 8 a.m. start-of-work time. The third and fourth runs will start and end at the Lathrop-Manteca station rather than in Stockton.

Route Oakland Tribune 2001 Feb. 10   Plan envisions 'baby BART' connecting North Bay cities   Called eBART, the train would cost about million and be ready to roll in about three years -- if there's money for it, BART Spokesman Mike Healy said Friday. ``It's strictly a concept at this point,'' he said. As envisioned, the train route would include the North Concord BART station, Martinez, the Baypoint-Pittsburg BART station, downtown Pittsburg, downtown Antioch, Brentwood and probably Tracy.

New Route SF Chronicle 2001 Feb. 09   BART Considers Speedy Light Trains to Antioch, Brentwood   BART may deliver relief to gridlocked eastern Contra Costa not by building a billion-dollar extension from Pittsburg to Antioch but by running light, speedy trains on existing railroad tracks to Antioch, Brentwood, Tracy. Costa, and eventually to Tracy.

New Route Contra Costa Times 2001 Feb. 09   Far East County BART link proposed   According to Brentwood Mayor Mike McPoland, plans are being considered to connect the far East County communities with the Pittsburg and North Concord BART stations. The proposed system, dubbed eBART, calls for lightweight, diesel trains that would run on existing freight tracks of the Union Pacific-owned Mococo line. The commuter trains would run at maximum speeds of 75 mph, as often as every 20 to 30 minutes during peak commute times. Stations would be located in Pittsburg, Antioch and Brentwood, with possible extension as far east as Tracy in the future.

Letters Palo Alto Daily News 2001 Feb. 09   Caltrain's million pork barrel   Caltrain is a railroad, and its proper business is to transport its customers; its problem is that the politicians and bureaucrats responsible for developing and managing it, having not the slightest interest in running a dumb old railroad, have turned it instead into a big beautiful money trough to dump government largess onto the balance sheets of cronies who build parking lots, station additions, underpasses, and other things that do little or nothing to improve the ludicrously incompetent way the railroad transfers warm bodies from point A to point B.

Schedule San Jose Mercury News 2000 Oct. 09   Third Train Coming Soon   You should have a third train by the end of the year. Transit officials thought they had an agreement in June to start running three daily trains. But Union Pacific, worried that the extra train would affect its freight service, balked.

People San Jose Mercury 2000 Oct. 08   Obituary: Bob Cabral, ACERail founder   San Joaquin County Supervisor Bob Cabral, known as the father of the popular ACE commuter trains that run from Stockton to San Jose, died of a heart attack Wednesday. Mr. Cabral, a supervisor since 1993, was the first chair of the Joint Powers Board that governs the Altamont Commuter Express trains that were launched in 1998. ``We called him the father of the ACE train because it was his initiative and drive that brought this into being,'' said San Jose City Councilwoman and joint powers member Charlotte Powers.