Recent article in the San Diego Herald-Tribune said that freight service on the Escondido branch will continue (on a reduced schedule) while the line is being upgraded for Sprinter service.
BNSF will have a weekend window to run trains.
Posted by RRCHINA (Member # 1514) on :
Mr. Palmer will you please explain what SPRINTER SERVICE is. I am guessing it is a commuter train to connect with the Surfliners at Oceanside but we rail fans who do not live in CA need assistance in understanding all that is mentioned on posts relating to events there.
This thought is also for the consideration by others who post CA items. Thanks.
Posted by SteveD (Member # 43) on :
Mike Palmer, I wish to communicate with you about your "Abandoned Railroads" website, but since you chose to exclude a e-addy either here or there, would you please contact me off line to open the dialogue?
Posted by MPALMER (Member # 125) on :
(1) RR China you are correct, the Sprinter is a proposed commuter service to be implemented on the Oceanside to Escondido branch. It will be run by the same commuter agency that runs the "Coaster", which is a commuter service on the Oceanside-San Diego portion of the surf line. I believe the funding for the Coaster is approved but no construction upgrades have started yet.
[This message has been edited by MPALMER (edited 04-21-2004).]
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
Have seen a few items on this. My understanding is that they are buying German built diesel cars, can not remember the manufacturer right now (Siemens?). Was that the only option in their thinking? Why not the Colorado Rail Car? At least with that you do not have to have the absolute separation from freight that you do with the German DMU's. (The German cars do not meet American safety standards for passenger carrying vehicles to be operated on a railroad.) They probably meet the standards for exclusive passenger usage transit lines. The Colorado Railcars meet all FRA standards. Which is interesting because some of the European manufactures claimed that it could not be done with a reasonable weight diesel car.