San Diego Sprinter

My buddy asked me to give him a lift to work in Oceanside last week, so we made a morning of it and checked out the new Sprinter Commuter Light rail Line between Oceanside and Escondido in North San Diego County, California. The trains are Siemens Desiro DMUs (Diesel Multiple Units) manufactured in Germany and shipped to the USA.

The horns are bogus (gotta be G here folks, sorry) but I have high hopes someone at NCTD will realize it and equip them with at least the Electronic K5LAs which have become popular among commuter agencies if not something real.

The trains were testing at 15 minute intervals, but regular service will be at 30 minute or one hour headways. We had approval from an NCTD official to be out, but were still confronted by armed Security Officers who wanted to make sure we weren't doing anything unwanted. Once they realized who we were and got their fill of gawking they moved on and left us alone.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• san
• diego
• north
• county
• NCTD
• transit
• Sprinter
• siemens
• desiro
• DMU
• Diesel
• Multiple
• Unit
• LRV
• Light
• rail
• Coaster
• Escondido

[POOH875]

was that really a horn at 2:52 please tell me that wasn't a horn

[Jaanfo]

I'll only say it because you asked...

It wasn't a horn, it was a goose being strangled.

[seatrainlink]

Are these tracks shared with freight or other heavy rail trains?

[Jaanfo]

At night the BNSF Escondido Local works the subdivision between CP Railroad (The Wye in Oceanside) and Escondido. In San Marcos it does not operate on the CSUSM loop, but a bypass track (The original Escondido Sub)

[twistedchinaman]

Oh lordy those horns sound terrible.

[trainmaster55]

Wow that 3rd set of gates was cool!!!

[trainwatcher17]

Thats rare! How could that crossing be broken!?

[TH7596]

yup i been there, its in escondido, but why it says san diego sprinter if it goes no where near the city of san diego

[AlexNDW]

The BR 642 Desiro ( SPRINTER) is a typical Train in Germany.

The first Desiro train drove in Germany and is a best Train.

Made in Germany, nice Train :)

[Stadtbahwagen922]

Cool NEN Siemens Desiro!

[DuckStateORX]

That sounded like a prius horn.

[simpletimes222]

What kinda horn is that? I know you Americans talk about British horns but this is awful. We have Desiros here to but they look completely different (the Class 444 for example).

[MrSlartie]

this train does not look as good as the NS SLT in the netherlands

[AlexNDW]

Nice Video.

We here in Germany we have the "Sprinters" too!

We have more than 200 of this Siemens Desiro Classic.

This moment is really funny: 2:51

Good video :)

Nice sweety Horns!

We have in Germany too.

[sw8741]

yup......sounds like a prissy eurotrash train with that silly ass horn. i'm not even there and i feel like throwing rocks at the damn thing!