Mountain View - Winchester (VTA)

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Mountain View - Winchester is a light rail route operated by Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. The Mountain View - Winchester route is one of three existing VTA light rail routes. The other two light rail routes are the Alum Rock - Santa Teresa line and Ohlone/Chynoweth - Almaden line.


Contents

[edit] Route Description

The Mountain View - Winchester line starts from the Downtown Mountain View station (Mountain View, California), travels toward the east, passing under U.S. Route 101 at Ellis Avenue, following Mathilda Avenue to Java Drive, crossing California State Highway 237 and turning East on Tasman Drive. At First Street, it turns south and shares tracks of the Alum Rock - Santa Teresa line to downtown San Jose. After the Convention Center stop, it leaves the shared portion of the tracks and heads south west to the Winchester station in southern Campbell, with a stop at Caltrain and Amtrak's Diridon Station. The whole route takes approximately one hour and fifteen minutes.

[edit] Owl Service

From February 2000 to April 14, 2003, VTA operated all night train service with light rail vehicles (commonly known as "owl service") on a 70 minute frequency between Mountain View and Baypointe. VTA light rail was the only light rail service in the United States to operate 24 hours a day. The owl service was curtailed in 2003 as a result of mounting deficits.

[edit] Construction History

The route that the Mountain View - Winchester line now runs on is constructed in three different expansion projects: the original Guadelupé line, the Tasman West extension, and the Vasona extension.

[edit] Guadelupé Line

The trackway between Woz Way in Downtown San Jose and Old Ironsides station is part of Guadelupé line, the first light rail line constructed in Santa Clara county. Guadalupé line opened for revenue service on December 10, 1987 originally running from Old Ironsides station to Civic Center station in San Jose. Champion station was not part of the original line; it was added as intermediate stop as part of the Tasman West project. [1] [2]

Service on this line was gradually expanded south from Civic Center station as follows:

[edit] Tasman West Extension

The Tasman West extension project added to the line as follows:

Baypointe station is no longer served by this line due to a line reconfiguration implemented in August 2005.
  • After the completion of Tasman West extension and before the completion of Tasman East/Capitol and Vasona extensions, VTA split the light rail system into two main lines: one line runs between Baypointe and Downtown Mountain View, the other between Baypointe and Santa Teresa. Passengers transferred between the two lines at the new Baypointe station.[7]

Tasman West extension was constructed with funds from 1996 Measure B sales tax measure.

[edit] Vasona Extension

Mountain View - Winchester contains the entire Vasona extension from San Fernando station to the southern line terminal, Winchester station. Vasona extension opened for revenue service on October 1, 2005. It was originally scheduled to open two months earlier on August 1 but delayed due to a dispute between Federal Railroad Administration and VTA on whether a specical waiver is needed on Vasona extension, since the Union Pacific freight rail line that parallels most of Vasona extension is still actively used. Finally, a waiver was obtained on the condition that all light rail vehicles need to sound horn at crossings until "Quiet Zone" improvements are implemented. Vasona extension was also constructed with funds from 1996 Measure B sales tax measure.

[edit] Possible Future Expansion

A Vasona extension Phase 2 was designed but not constructed because a funding source can not be identified. Phase 2 would extend the light rail line westwards to Vasona Junction in eastern Los Gatos. It is expected that Mountain View – Winchester would extend to terminate at Vasona Junction if Phase 2 is built.

[edit] Station Stops

A schematic map of the VTA LRT system; the Mountain View - Winchester line is on the left in green.
Enlarge
A schematic map of the VTA LRT system; the Mountain View - Winchester line is on the left in green.

Transfer to Alum Rock - Santa Teresa Route anywhere between Tasman and Convention Center

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Robinson, Bert et al. "All Aboard - It's Off and Rolling." San Jose Mercury News. 11 December 1987. Sec A:1.
  2. ^ Grant, Joanne. "Mishap Won't Delay Light Rail." San Jose Mercury News. 6 November 1987. Sec B:3.
  3. ^ Sweeney, Frank. "Downtown S.J. Trollys Start Friday." San Jose Mercury News. 13 July 1988. Sec B:1.
  4. ^ _______. "Light Rail to Willow Glen Opening Friday." San Jose Mercury News. 16 August 1990. Sec B:3.
  5. ^ Guido, Michelle. "The Trolly Finally Makes it's Way South in Debut Today." San Jose Mercury News. 25 April 1991. Sec A:1.
  6. ^ Barnacle, Betty. "Light Rail Opens New Stop; First Station on Tasman Line to Serve North S.J. High-Tech Firms." San Jose Mercury News. 24 March 1997. Sec B:1.
  7. ^ Diaz, Sam. "Ready for a Rail Good Time: Major Link for Transit Takes it's First Step." San Jose Mercury News. 18 December 1999. Sec B:1.
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