San Joaquins

Infobox Amtrak
name = San Joaquins
map_filename =
map_size =
numbers = 701-718
route = Oakland, CA
Sacramento, CA
Stockton, CA
Merced, CA
Fresno, CA
Bakersfield, CA
distance = 318 miles (512 km) to Oakland
280 miles (451 km) to Sacramento.
start = 1974
end = present
owners = UP, BNSF

The "San Joaquins" are passenger trains operated by Amtrak California in California's Central Valley. Their two routes run 318 miles (512 km) from Jack London Square in Oakland and 280 miles (451 km) from Sacramento Valley Rail Station in Sacramento to Truxton Avenue Station in Bakersfield. From Bakersfield, Thruway Motorcoach bus service continues to Los Angeles; trains cannot continue the rest of the way because the only line between Bakersfield and Los Angeles (via the Tehachapi Loop) is the world's busiest single-track main line.

The "San Joaquins" have existed since 1974. Their service has increased from one round trip per day to four round trips to Oakland, plus two round trips to Sacramento. The two routes meet at the BNSF Railway's junction with the Union Pacific Railroad in Stockton.

The "San Joaquins" operate up the Central Valley over the BNSF Railway Bakersfield Subdivision from Bakersfield to Calwa, four miles (6 km) south of Fresno. From Calwa the BNSF Stockton Subdivision continues to Port Chicago, west of Antioch. At Port Chicago, the "San Joaquins" switch to the Union Pacific Railroad Tracy Subdivision to Martinez, and then continues on the Martinez Subdivision to Richmond and Emeryville. After Emeryville, the short distance to the Oakland-Jack London Square station is over Union Pacific's Niles Subdivision. Trains to Sacramento run over the Union Pacific Fresno and Martinez Subdivisions from Stockton to Sacramento.__TOC__

Rolling stock

The "San Joaquins" are equipped with Amtrak California Fleet: bi-level high-capacity passenger cars, of several types: coach-baggage, dining and cafe car, coach, cab car, and cab-baggage. A cab car is a regular coach with a set of engineer's controls and headlights on one end, allowing the train to be operated in either direction without turning the whole consist. A cab-baggage is the same thing, but with space on the car's lower level for checked luggage storage.

Two types of locomotives are used on the "San Joaquins". The first, and most common, is the EMD F59PHI, road numbers CDTX 2001-2015. The other, less common type is the GE P32-8WH (Dash 8), road numbers CDTX 2051-2052. These locomotives are owned by the California Department of Transportation (CDTX), and operated by Amtrak. However, other locomotives can occasionally be seen on the "San Joaquins", including Amtrak Dash 8s and P42DCs. Amtrak California locomotives and cars have a paint scheme unique to California, so they are easily recognizable.

A typical "San Joaquin" consist is as follows:
*F59PHI (locomotive)
*Coach-Baggage Car
*Coach
*Cafe
*Cab Car

or

*F59PHI
*Coach
*Coach
*Cafe
*Cab-Baggage

However, during some holiday seasons, the number of cars is increased.

History

In the past, the "Golden Gate" line was a direct competitor to the "San Joaquin Daylight". The "Golden Gate"'s scheduled 9-hour and 25-minute transit time bested that of the "Daylight" (and busing partner Pacific Greyhound) by some 20 to 30 minutes. After a series of public hearings and legal challenges were concluded, the first all-new, six-car consists entered revenue service on July 1, 1938. The "Golden Gate" was all but eliminated on April 11, 1965; service was ended once and for all on April 28, 1968, leaving the "San Joaquins" running the same route from Port Chicago to Bakersfield.

Proposed high-speed rail line

Studies are underway and a $9 billion ballot initiative is due for voter approval in 2008 to approve a high speed rail link between Northern and Southern California. The route would run through the San Joaquin Valley.

References

External links

* [http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/am2Route/Vertical_Route_Page&c=am2Route&cid=1081442673773&ssid=132 Amtrak - "San Joaquins"]