The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

Photograph by George Sakkestad

The train's an inexpensive and hassle-free way to make a day trip.

All Aboard

The train leads to all sorts of great places

By Pam Marino

The chubby 2-year-old boy is excitedly pointing. "The choo-choo train coming dat way!" he tells another young boy. He is wide-eyed, waiting for CalTrain number 51 at the Sunnyvale Station. He lies down on the ground--on the other side of the white safety line, much to his mother's dismay--to get a better view of the tracks.

But when the bells start clanging and the red "TRAIN COMING" signs start flashing, the boy is back by his mother's side. Later, when he gets off the train, he is all smiles, waving goodbye. His day is made.

In the eyes of a 2-year-old, the train is as exciting as it gets, and even though the adults in this valley are concerned with more "high-tech" ways of getting around, like luxury cars wired for the Internet, there is something about this traditionally "low-tech" form of travel that inspires a pure form of excitement at any age.

"I don't know what it is about trains that excites all of us," says John Dietrich, a big kid who belongs to the South Bay Historical Railroad Society. "Maybe it's the massiveness of them."

Whatever the reason, riding the train on the Peninsula is a lot of fun, but not a lot of money. A train trip to San Francisco can cost less than what it costs to park the car there.

On weekends riders can buy a pass for $8, good from Saturday morning until Sunday evening (or for an entire three-day holiday weekend), and travel anywhere the train goes, from San Jose to San Francisco. On weekdays during off-peak hours, tickets can be only a few dollars, depending on the destination. Peak-hour prices are still a bargain, and kids under age 11, seniors and disabled passengers ride at a discount. One child, age 4 or younger, can ride free per fare-paying adult. A rate hike is scheduled in July; call 1-800-660-4287 for the latest fare and schedule information.

Parking at train stations costs 50 cents; bring two quarters for the machines. At the Sunnyvale Station there is free parking in a lot on Evelyn Avenue on the opposite side of the Mathilda overpass.

Almost every station along the CalTrain tracks is a destination in itself. Traveling north from the Sunnyvale Station, located at the intersection of Evelyn Avenue and South Francis Street, many of the towns have interesting shops and restaurants within walking distance of their stations.

From the Palo Alto Station, for example, both downtown Palo Alto and Stanford Shopping Center are nearby. A free shuttle from the station goes to the shopping center, as well as to the hospital and the university. There are also interesting downtowns within walking distance of the Menlo Park, Redwood City, San Carlos, Hillsdale, San Mateo, Burlingame, Broadway and San Bruno stations.

In San Francisco the tracks end at the CalTrain terminal, at the corner of Fourth and Townsend streets. From there the Muni can take visitors to any of the major attractions. It costs $1 to ride on the Muni, $2 on cable cars. A day pass, which allows unlimited rides on all Muni vehicles, is $6. The Muni also sells "passports," which offer unlimited riding plus discounts at several attractions, including the museums at Golden Gate Park. A one-day passport costs $6. Call Muni at 415/673-6864 for the latest fare and scheduling information.

Despite the stops along the way, the train ride to San Francisco is quick, about as fast as the drive would be. And the scenery, especially through Palo Alto and Atherton, is pretty, as riders pass by trees and gardens along the way.

South of Sunnyvale, the Santa Clara Station is the perfect destination for train enthusiasts on Saturdays. Dietrich and the other volunteers in the South Bay Historical Railroad Society operate a free museum inside the station, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Inside the museum, the society has working antique signal devices, as well as a rotary headlight from an engine, called a Mars Light, lanterns and two different scale model railroads (HO and N). The model railroads are still under construction so they are not always running, but Dietrich said people come back often to check their progress. There is also a library for anyone who wants to research local railroad history. The station itself is a historical building; it was built in 1863 and is the oldest continuously operated depot west of the Mississippi.

Santa Clara University is within walking distance, along with Mission Santa Clara. Dietrich tells people to make a day of it by bringing a picnic to enjoy on the campus. He said some people eat their lunch right at the depot because they enjoy watching the trains as they enter and leave the station. For more information, call the museum at 243-3969.

Beyond the Santa Clara Station are three stations in San Jose. Riders who travel to the third stop, the Tamien Station, can connect with San Jose's 20-mile light rail system that operates between south San Jose and the Great America industrial area of Santa Clara. The cost of light rail is the same as local Transit Authority buses; regular service costs $1.10 for adults, 55 cents for children between the ages of 5 and 17, and 35 cents for seniors over age 65 and disabled people. A regular day pass is only $2.20 for adults, $1.10 for children and 70 cents for seniors and the disabled. Call 321-2300 for the latest fare and schedule information.

From the Tamien Station, light rail can take riders right into downtown San Jose, past museums and other attractions. For the complete rail experience, passengers can enjoy the historic trolley that San Jose operates between the Convention Center and the Civic Center, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., every day between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Tickets, good for two hours, are 50 cents.

This summer, try logging off the Internet and hopping on the old-fashioned tracks. And have fun on the "choo-choo train."

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, May 28, 1997.
©1997 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.