Published Tuesday, March 6, 2001, in the Contra Costa Times
Commuters crowd third ACE train
On the inaugural day of service, dignitaries and workers shared the
cars on the rail connection between San Jose and Stockton
By Bonita Brewer
Times Staff Writer
TRACY -- Paula Stanton got a double commute bonus from the Altamont
Commuter Express: an extra hour of sleep and some nice scenery during
the post-daybreak trip Monday.
"I like to start my day easy," Stanton said happily after boarding in
Tracy en route to her San Ramon job shortly after 7 a.m. -- still
early but not nearly as grueling as before. "I'm not a morning
person."
Monday was the first day of service for a third round-trip ACE train,
which has a later schedule than the other two Stockton-to-San Jose
runs.
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.
"For me, it's perfect," said Scott Guinn of Tracy, who works at
PeopleSoft in Pleasanton. "I was getting to work at 7 a.m."
Others, also excited about the later schedule, took ACE for the first
time Monday after battling ever-worsening Interstate 580 congestion
over Altamont Pass.
"I've been waiting until the train could get me to work and back
without having to spend 12 hours in Pleasanton," said Darlyne
Demeduk, a city employee.
"I knit, and I can't wait to enjoy my time on the train," she
said. "I'm going to make a lot of sweaters. It's hard to knit when
you drive."
Demeduk said the average time it takes her to drive to work has
nearly doubled to 58 minutes during the past 10 years.
Bonnie Boney, who lives near Manteca, said she'll be able to take the
later train all the way to Mountain View because her optical business
doesn't open until 9:30 a.m.
"This is so nice," Boney said as the train rolled quietly and
smoothly over the Altamont hills. "The sun is up, and you can see
what's going on. You can see the landscape now."
Several riders said the later train will make their lives a lot more
manageable.
"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.
The new train replaces a "turnaround" service from San Jose to
Pleasanton and back. It nearly filled up in Pleasanton after many
Central Valley passengers debarked there for Tri-Valley jobs. By the
time the train left the Fremont station, it had standing room only.
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.
A total of 2,381 riders boarded the three trains Monday morning,
according to officials. On a typical Monday, the two through trains
and the turnaround have transported about 2,000 people. Ridership
tends to be higher on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
A fourth round-trip train will begin service later this year. A fifth
train is slated for late 2003, but funding has not been secured.
Caltrans Director Jeff Morales was among state and local officials
who rode ACE on Monday morning to celebrate both the start of the
third train and the opening of a new stop in downtown Santa Clara.
For the past two years, Gov. Gray Davis has earmarked $50 million for
rail cars and track improvements, Morales said. ACE has come a long
way considering the service didn't exist until fall 1998, he said.
"This is a real success story," Morales said.
Carl Guardino of the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group said the
service is important to keep both the economy and commuters moving.
"The ACE is living proof that even in car-crazy California, commuters
will replace stalled cars for rail cars when we provide this kind of
service," Guardino said.
Bonita Brewer covers Tri-Valley growth and transportation. Reach her
at 925-847-2120 or bbrewer@cctimes.com.
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