SMART train front view Novato to Petaluma

[bikkuri bahn]

Interesting video of this stretch of track. Not the use of gauntlet tracks to prevent freight trains from impacting the high platform stations. No. California hills are quite green from the heavy rains of the past season.

[Kiha66]

Very interesting!  I go to school about 20 miles from there, and I've been watching them upgrade the line for the past few years.  Glad to know they finally got it running, hopefully it'll connect to the ferry terminal soon. 

[cteno4]

Wow that's light traffic on 101!

 

Jeff

[serotta1972]

Taking a ride on the SMART Train from San Rafael to Sonoma Airport and back.

[serotta1972]

More pics to follow.

[serotta1972]

Nice train ride to Santa Rosa, it was fairly smooth but notice a lot of movement at higher speeds and also on turns.  Maybe I've just been spoiled after riding Japanese trains on their well maintained track and of course state of the art trains.  This a major improvement to what we currently have in the Bay Area.  They operate as 2 car trains and it's a fairly short ride from end to end and yet they have a snack bar which in IMHO could've been used for more seating.  It was nice seeing other parts of Marin and outside of the 101 Highway.

 

 

[serotta1972]

Fairly comfortable seating except for the last seat as its almost at 90 degrees.

[kvp]

Are there any route plans, including which tracks are usable by freight and which aren't? I'm asking as the Sonoma terminus looks to be unusable by freight trains and the new buffer stops cut off whatever little remaines from the old NWP tracks south of the station. If this part of the line is passenger only, then where do the freights come from which need the special platform arrangements further up the line?

Edited January 16, 2018 by kvp

[Kiha66]

Sadly the NWP trackage south is almost all lost, the bike path-ers were quick to cut the line as soon as they had the chance.  The current hope is to try to extend one more station to connect with the ferry at larkspur, but the bike path group paved the rail tunnel as well as cut the bridge south two or three years ago.  No freight is possible south of the connection at hwy 37, but to the north the stations have gauntlet tracks to allow more clearance for the (hoped for) freight trains.