Caltrain Adds Rail Cars To Help Ease Overcrowded Commutes
SAN JOSE (KCBS)— Good news for Caltrain commuters who will have a little more elbow room during their commute. Starting Monday, a sixth train car was added to help overcrowding on some of the system's bombardier trains.
KCBS' Matt Bigler boarded Monday's 5:45 a.m. bombardier train from Diridon Station with one of those sixth cars that adds 150 seats, plus more standing room.
Earlier this year Caltrain purchased 16 used rail cars, some of which are equipped with extra bicycle space. Right now only four of the newly-purchased cars are in service; the other 12 still require more extensive work to be refurbished. The cars are expected to go into service over the next year.
"I've been commuting on and off since 1998 here to Stanford and it's amazing. People get on, they do their laptop, they talk and kind of get their morning started, so it's great," said Karen Slagar who starts her commute in San Jose.
Edward Saum from Caltrain's Bicycle Advisory Committee said the new cars are needed very badly since, according to him, ridership has increased almost 75 percent since 2010.