Resurrecting abandoned rail in Northern California

It's called SMART and since voters passed the bond measure soon construction will begin to put an abandoned rail line to use again for a 70 mile stretch north of San Francisco.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• faircompanies.com
• train
• smart train

[NixonNow72]

Wow, this is really exciting. I travel that corridor all the time, but had no idea the rails were about to be reactivated. Can you give us some history on the line; when was it last used for passenger or freight service? Will the railbeds require substantial upgrading? What sections, if any, are being worked on? What is the overall plan, to open it in phases? Thanks...

Rob

[kirstendirksen]

@NixonNow72 According to the SMART website... "The first segment, 37 miles from downtown San Rafael with Railroad Square in Santa Rosa, will connect the two largest cities in the North Bay and all of the cities in between. Construction on this segment is scheduled to begin in 2011, with passenger train service scheduled to begin in late 2014. Future segments, ultimately completing the project from Larkspur to Cloverdale, will be built as additional revenues become available."

[LCRV1]

I heard the line was now repaired to the south and Trains were actually running again. Can you tell us how it is working now...thank you!!!

[kirstendirksen]

@LCRV1 Construction on SMART was scheduled to begin this year, but passenger service isn't scheduled to begin until 2014. Though since the funds weren't available to build it all, it will be built in stages and building will continue after 2014 as funds become available.

[lukebccb]

Is that old Northwestern Pacific rail in the video?



[kirstendirksen]

@lukebccb You're right, it is. I filmed at both the Santa Rosa and Windsor stations back in 2008. They're supposed to start work on the SMART train this year (2011) and have it running by 2014.

[bertharogan]

Excellent. The Green movement is slowly catching on, and I am glad to see it is happening on the rail line there.

[metalbynumber]

Over here in Massachusetts they have no money and use to put trains on abandoned lines. They rip up the tracks and make bike/walking paths out of them (rails to trails).

[colliecandle]

Don't bother with the expense and hassle of replacing rail! Just get a ballast cleaner/profiler and grinder! You may not be able to use a top line speed, but WHY the rush? 50mph would get you there safely and people can see the countryside instead of a high speed blur!! First and foremost, railways are a public SERVICE - profit is not necessarily paramount! Provision of RELIABLE, SAFE and clean transport will pay for itself over time.

[murdockpsb]

If you look back to maps of almost any city from 1910-1950, you'll be amazed at the network of streetcars, interurbans, and railroads running through (as well as connecting towns between major cities. Honestly, it's horrible how so much of our infrastructure (aside from highways) has been lost.

Kudos to you for bringing back another small piece of rail transportation back. I really wish more efforts like these were being made nationwide.

[dougks2008]

this is brilliant. i drove by that rail station all the time to go up to my uncle's place in tomales and wondered what was going to happen to it.

[MrIowahawkeyes12]

Yes it is