Comments on: Bike Capacity to Increase on Capitol Corridor Trains http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/09/10/bike-capacity-to-increase-on-capitol-corridor-trains/ Covering San Francisco's livable streets movement Sun, 21 Mar 2010 18:33:52 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: michael b http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/09/10/bike-capacity-to-increase-on-capitol-corridor-trains/comment-page-1/#comment-35711 michael b Wed, 16 Sep 2009 02:59:27 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=41541#comment-35711 way to go Cap Corridor! we love to take our bikes from SF to Davis or Sacto for weekend rides. The American River Bike Trail--one of the country's oldest--starts near the Sacto station and goes all the way to Folsom--no roads! way to go Cap Corridor! we love to take our bikes from SF to Davis or Sacto for weekend rides. The American River Bike Trail--one of the country's oldest--starts near the Sacto station and goes all the way to Folsom--no roads!

]]> By: Sprague http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/09/10/bike-capacity-to-increase-on-capitol-corridor-trains/comment-page-1/#comment-35071 Sprague Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:18:51 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=41541#comment-35071 The accomodating attitude of train conductors towards passengers with bikes is great. Amtrak's San Joaquin trains have a similar approach and, as reflected in another comment, bicycles may be stored in the luggage compartments of Amtrak's Thruway buses, too. Especially for multiple rides, Amtrak is a well priced service, too. Since Amtrak California serves many smaller cities with fairly poor public transit networks, the convenience of being able to take one's bike aboard makes the Amtrak transportation option a pretty viable way to go. We're lucky to have it! The accomodating attitude of train conductors towards passengers with bikes is great. Amtrak's San Joaquin trains have a similar approach and, as reflected in another comment, bicycles may be stored in the luggage compartments of Amtrak's Thruway buses, too. Especially for multiple rides, Amtrak is a well priced service, too.

Since Amtrak California serves many smaller cities with fairly poor public transit networks, the convenience of being able to take one's bike aboard makes the Amtrak transportation option a pretty viable way to go. We're lucky to have it!

]]> By: patrick http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/09/10/bike-capacity-to-increase-on-capitol-corridor-trains/comment-page-1/#comment-34831 patrick Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:33:31 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=41541#comment-34831 Caltrain almost always has excess seating capacity. Until the trains are regularly full your points are invalid. If the trains were regularly at capacity I would agree it makes sense to charge for bikes, until then, it would only discourage riders, thus costing Caltrain in the long run. Caltrain almost always has excess seating capacity. Until the trains are regularly full your points are invalid. If the trains were regularly at capacity I would agree it makes sense to charge for bikes, until then, it would only discourage riders, thus costing Caltrain in the long run.

]]> By: relentlesscactus http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/09/10/bike-capacity-to-increase-on-capitol-corridor-trains/comment-page-1/#comment-34751 relentlesscactus Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:42:54 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=41541#comment-34751 bikerider-- you can drop the comparison to Caltrain, where the number of bikes is massively greater than then the Capitol Corridor. The fact is, bikes provide no revenue and the number have exploded. This keeps paying passengers off the trains. In Europe, several contries charge for bicycles, why not, they take up space. All agencies seem to ignore that a train car is massively expensive and more cars are needed with more bikes. It is much cheaper for the agencies to build and provide bike storage lockers on each end of a trip, lining the streets and every available space with lockers. Compare that to a couple of million for a new train car. Cheap, and no flying bikes in an accident or a greasy bike brushing against commuters or blocking a wheelchair. bikerider--

you can drop the comparison to Caltrain, where the number of bikes is massively greater than then the Capitol Corridor. The fact is, bikes provide no revenue and the number have exploded. This keeps paying passengers off the trains. In Europe, several contries charge for bicycles, why not, they take up space.

All agencies seem to ignore that a train car is massively expensive and more cars are needed with more bikes. It is much cheaper for the agencies to build and provide bike storage lockers on each end of a trip, lining the streets and every available space with lockers. Compare that to a couple of million for a new train car. Cheap, and no flying bikes in an accident or a greasy bike brushing against commuters or blocking a wheelchair.

]]> By: Justin http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/09/10/bike-capacity-to-increase-on-capitol-corridor-trains/comment-page-1/#comment-34721 Justin Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:21:30 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=41541#comment-34721 Phenomenal! Riding back one evening from my CSA farm near Davis with some friends with bikes I had to put my bicycle in the wheel-chair accessible restroom for the entire time. :) Would be great if the Amtrak CA lines (San Joaquin and Surfliner) now follow suit and add capacity. With these trains, and the bike-friendly thruway buses you can pretty much get to anywhere in California in one day, two days max. Phenomenal!

Riding back one evening from my CSA farm near Davis with some friends with bikes I had to put my bicycle in the wheel-chair accessible restroom for the entire time. :)

Would be great if the Amtrak CA lines (San Joaquin and Surfliner) now follow suit and add capacity. With these trains, and the bike-friendly thruway buses you can pretty much get to anywhere in California in one day, two days max.

]]> By: bikerider http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/09/10/bike-capacity-to-increase-on-capitol-corridor-trains/comment-page-1/#comment-34661 bikerider Fri, 11 Sep 2009 04:40:04 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=41541#comment-34661 Let's also note that Capitol Corridor did this without any complaining or lobbying by its riders. Just staff doing its job to respond to needs of its customers -- unlike Caltrain where staff is always scheming new ways to discourage bicycle access. Let's also note that Capitol Corridor did this without any complaining or lobbying by its riders. Just staff doing its job to respond to needs of its customers -- unlike Caltrain where staff is always scheming new ways to discourage bicycle access.

]]> By: Yokota Fritz http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/09/10/bike-capacity-to-increase-on-capitol-corridor-trains/comment-page-1/#comment-34641 Yokota Fritz Fri, 11 Sep 2009 03:06:23 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=41541#comment-34641 That's very cool. I've been on the Capitols Corridor a handful of times with bike, and yeah everybody is able to jam their bikes on board. That's very cool. I've been on the Capitols Corridor a handful of times with bike, and yeah everybody is able to jam their bikes on board.

]]> By: Daniel Jacobson http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/09/10/bike-capacity-to-increase-on-capitol-corridor-trains/comment-page-1/#comment-34621 Daniel Jacobson Fri, 11 Sep 2009 01:23:13 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=41541#comment-34621 The Capitol Corridor has so much potential to become a major player in Northern California transportation. It's great to see them taking a big step to increase bike capacity. The Capitol Corridor has so much potential to become a major player in Northern California transportation. It's great to see them taking a big step to increase bike capacity.

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