Altamont Commuter Express
Encyclopedia
The Altamont Commuter Express (also known as ACE, pronounced "ace") is a regional rail
service in California
connecting Stockton
with San Jose
.
It is named for Altamont Pass
, through which it travels. The service started on October 19, 1998, with two trains daily in each direction (weekdays only), and as of November 2009 runs three trains daily in each direction. There are ten stops along its 86 miles (138.4 km) route; travel time is about 2 hours and 10 minutes end-to-end. The tracks are owned by Union Pacific. ACE uses Bombardier BiLevel Coach
es and MPI F40PH-3C
locomotives. It is managed by the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission and operations are contracted to Herzog Transit Services.
Average weekday ridership is 3,700. ACE has explored the possibility of expanding on two lines—a Modesto
-Sacramento
line, and a Stockton
-Pittsburg
line.
residents traveling to work at firms in Santa Clara County. Today ACE serves a more diverse ridership, but trains continue to leave Stockton each morning and return from San Jose after noon. The trains achieved enormous popularity at first and survived a severe drop in ridership due to the dot-com recession
of 2002. Struggles with freight traffic interference and track reconstruction did not prevent addition of a fourth train, and there have been plans to add another round-trip train. The operation is funded primarily by local sales taxes, with additional support from state and federal sources.
Service commenced under the governance of the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission Joint Powers Authority formed in 1997 by Alameda, San Joaquin, and Santa Clara counties. The present Rail Commission has of one member each from the San Joaquin and Alameda county boards of supervisors, one BART representative, and representatives of five cities. Cost sharing for capital projects, excluding stations, during the initial 36 months of service was determined by the ACE Authority on a case by case basis and approved by each of the member agencies. The initial purchase of rolling stock, construction of stations, and other start-up costs, amounting to some $48 million, were covered primarily by a San Joaquin County transportation sales tax approved several years earlier, along with state and federal funding. Cooperative services agreements with the Alameda County Congestion Agency and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority spell out funding of operations, maintenance and capital improvements. Currently, station improvements are the responsibility of the county in which the station is located. ACE pays the owner of the right of way, Union Pacific Railroad, about $1.5 million per year for the rights to run passenger service on the tracks; it also uses about four miles (6 km) of Caltrain track in San Jose.
In Fiscal Year 2006-7 the 675 thousand ACE trips generated fare-box revenues of some $4 million, about 30% of the $13.3 million operating and administrative cost. Most of the annual operating costs are underwritten by San Joaquin, Alameda, and Santa Clara counties in proportion to the boardings and alightings in each county. San Joaquin County funds its $2.32 million contribution from a half-cent transportation sales tax (30% of the tax adopted in 1990 and renewed in 2006 is allocated to bus, bicycle, rail, and pedestrian programs. The Alameda County Congestion Management Authority pays its $1.8 million share from its half-cent transportation sales tax (1.2% of its Measure B budget). Santa Clara County’s $2.6 million share is paid by the Valley Transportation Authority, operator of the county’s light rail and bus system, which also contributes about $1.5 million for shuttle services that take ACE commuters from train stops to job sites. Miscellaneous revenues, of some $2.5 million are supplied from federal and state grants, including Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality funds. Each county absorbs its own administrative costs, estimated at $2.4 million annually.
tracks through the rail yards in Santa Clara, California
. As the train passes under De La Cruz Ave it leaves the Peninsula tracks and heads north. The train passes over Central Expressway just west of De La Cruz near the end of the runway of San Jose International Airport
. The train then passes over U.S. Route 101 and proceeds along Lafayette St. It passes to the east of Paramount's Great America
, a large substation, and the San Francisco 49ers
training facility before stopping at the Great America station under the Tasman Dr. overpass.
, passing just east of its abandoned marina. The train then heads out into the mudflats and sloughs of the bay. In the middle of the flats, the train passes through the sunken ghost town of Drawbridge
. Next along the route are Cargill
's (formerly Leslie's) salt evaporation ponds on both sides of the track where the train turns to the northwest. The train then passes a landfill before entering Newark, California
. At Baine Avenue, the train makes a 90o right turn a few hundred yards from the point where the track from the historic Dumbarton rail bridge connects in. The journey continues northeast along Baine Avenue and crosses I-880. Just after crossing Fremont Boulevard, it arrives at the Fremont Amtrak station. A historic sign remains on the portion of the station to the south of the tracks. It refers to the city of Centerville, predating the city of Fremont
, and includes the distance to both Ogden, Utah
and San Francisco
, with the distance to San Francisco calculated via the historic bridge.
The train leaves the Fremont station and turns east-northeast to head towards Niles Canyon. It crosses under the BART
tracks and heads along Alameda Creek, but it does not interconnect with BART. It then turns north to enter Niles Canyon
. The narrow canyon contains two rail lines (One is now partially abandoned), Highway 84, Alameda Creek
, and the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct
. The other rail line in the canyon was the route of the 1869 Sacramento-to-San Francisco Bay extension of the historic First Transcontinental Railroad
and is now used by the Niles Canyon Railway
. The train passes through a 3/4 mile long tunnel which cuts off one of the canyon's horseshoes. This tunnel was modified from its original configuration to accommodate intermodal double-stack freight trains. However, this left the track in poor condition, causing the train to reduce speeds from 45 mi/h to 25 mi/h in the summer, and down to 10 mi/h during the rainy season. The San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission plans to rehabilitate the tunnel as part of their 10-year service improvement plan. Eventually the train emerges into Sunol
and heads north alongside I-680
. It then passes through the center of Castlewood Country Club before pulling into the station in Pleasanton
.
as it crosses Kitty Hawk Rd., and turns more northwest as it crosses Murrietta Blvd. It then stops in downtown Livermore. It then passes under First Street (formerly highway 84) and stops under Vasco Road near the northwest corner of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
.
. It then parallels Altamont Pass Rd. The path of the original 1869 Sacramento-to-San Francisco Bay extension of the First Transcontinental Railroad
can be seen on the right, and then on the left for several miles. The track is not there, but the bed and some markers remain. The train, now following tracks built for the Feather River Route
, makes numerous turns as it ascends the Altamont Pass. A large quarry and several wind farms are visible. The route eventually turns south and then passes under westbound 580 and over eastbound 580. The entrances for a pair of short tunnels on the older route under the summit remain just east of the path. The train then descends from the pass in a southeasterly route before crossing under 580 a third time and over the California Aqueduct
and the Delta-Mendota Canal
before reaching the valley floor. The train then brushes Tracy
, following Linne Rd. at the very southern edge of the city.
. It then passes under Highway 120
and stops along the border between Lathrop
and Manteca
.
. The train frequently reaches top speeds just over 80 mph (129 km/h) on these relatively straight, flat routes.
Regional rail
Commuter rail, also called suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates between a city center, and the middle to outer suburbs beyond 15km and commuter towns or other locations that draw large numbers of commuters—people who travel on a daily basis...
service in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
connecting Stockton
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
with San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
.
It is named for Altamont Pass
Altamont Pass
Altamont Pass, formerly Livermore Pass, is a mountain pass in the Diablo Range between Livermore in the Livermore Valley and Tracy in the San Joaquin Valley in Northern California...
, through which it travels. The service started on October 19, 1998, with two trains daily in each direction (weekdays only), and as of November 2009 runs three trains daily in each direction. There are ten stops along its 86 miles (138.4 km) route; travel time is about 2 hours and 10 minutes end-to-end. The tracks are owned by Union Pacific. ACE uses Bombardier BiLevel Coach
Bombardier BiLevel Coach
Bombardier BiLevel coaches are bilevel passenger cars designed to carry up to 360 passengers for regional railways. These carriages are easily identifiable; they are double-decked and are shaped like elongated octagons.-History:...
es and MPI F40PH-3C
EMD F40PH
-Amtrak NPCU Conversions:In later years, as Amtrak's F40PH fleet was being replaced by the newer GE Genesis-series locomotives, Amtrak converted a number of the retired units—generally ones with major mechanical problems limiting their value in the resale or lease marketplace—into "Non-Power...
locomotives. It is managed by the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission and operations are contracted to Herzog Transit Services.
Average weekday ridership is 3,700. ACE has explored the possibility of expanding on two lines—a Modesto
Modesto, California
Modesto is a city in, and is the county seat of, Stanislaus County, California. With a population of approximately 201,165 at the 2010 census, Modesto ranks as the 18th largest city in the state of California....
-Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
line, and a Stockton
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
-Pittsburg
Pittsburg, California
Pittsburg is a city located in eastern Contra Costa County, California, the outer portion of the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 63,264 at the 2010 census....
line.
History and funding
The Altamont Commuter Express was established to serve San Joaquin CountySan Joaquin County, California
San Joaquin County is a county located in Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, just east of the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 685,306. The county seat is Stockton.-History:...
residents traveling to work at firms in Santa Clara County. Today ACE serves a more diverse ridership, but trains continue to leave Stockton each morning and return from San Jose after noon. The trains achieved enormous popularity at first and survived a severe drop in ridership due to the dot-com recession
Dot-com bubble
The dot-com bubble was a speculative bubble covering roughly 1995–2000 during which stock markets in industrialized nations saw their equity value rise rapidly from growth in the more...
of 2002. Struggles with freight traffic interference and track reconstruction did not prevent addition of a fourth train, and there have been plans to add another round-trip train. The operation is funded primarily by local sales taxes, with additional support from state and federal sources.
Service commenced under the governance of the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission Joint Powers Authority formed in 1997 by Alameda, San Joaquin, and Santa Clara counties. The present Rail Commission has of one member each from the San Joaquin and Alameda county boards of supervisors, one BART representative, and representatives of five cities. Cost sharing for capital projects, excluding stations, during the initial 36 months of service was determined by the ACE Authority on a case by case basis and approved by each of the member agencies. The initial purchase of rolling stock, construction of stations, and other start-up costs, amounting to some $48 million, were covered primarily by a San Joaquin County transportation sales tax approved several years earlier, along with state and federal funding. Cooperative services agreements with the Alameda County Congestion Agency and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority spell out funding of operations, maintenance and capital improvements. Currently, station improvements are the responsibility of the county in which the station is located. ACE pays the owner of the right of way, Union Pacific Railroad, about $1.5 million per year for the rights to run passenger service on the tracks; it also uses about four miles (6 km) of Caltrain track in San Jose.
In Fiscal Year 2006-7 the 675 thousand ACE trips generated fare-box revenues of some $4 million, about 30% of the $13.3 million operating and administrative cost. Most of the annual operating costs are underwritten by San Joaquin, Alameda, and Santa Clara counties in proportion to the boardings and alightings in each county. San Joaquin County funds its $2.32 million contribution from a half-cent transportation sales tax (30% of the tax adopted in 1990 and renewed in 2006 is allocated to bus, bicycle, rail, and pedestrian programs. The Alameda County Congestion Management Authority pays its $1.8 million share from its half-cent transportation sales tax (1.2% of its Measure B budget). Santa Clara County’s $2.6 million share is paid by the Valley Transportation Authority, operator of the county’s light rail and bus system, which also contributes about $1.5 million for shuttle services that take ACE commuters from train stops to job sites. Miscellaneous revenues, of some $2.5 million are supplied from federal and state grants, including Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality funds. Each county absorbs its own administrative costs, estimated at $2.4 million annually.
Station stops
- Robert J. Cabral Station, Stockton
- Lathrop/MantecaLathrop/Manteca (ACE station)Lathrop/Manteca Station is a rail station in southern Lathrop, California on the edge of the San Francisco Bay Area.The station is served by commuter Altamont Commuter Express trains between San Jose Diridon Station and Stockton...
- TracyTracy (ACE station)Tracy Station is a rail station in southern Tracy, California on the edge of the San Francisco Bay Area.The station is served by commuter Altamont Commuter Express trains between San Jose Diridon Station and Stockton...
- Vasco RoadVasco Road (ACE station)Vasco Road Station is current ACE and future BART rail station on Vasco Road in eastern Livermore, California.-Service:The station mainly serves the workers of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratory and the surrounding industrial and office parks in eastern Livermore in...
(East Livermore) - LivermoreLivermore (ACE station)Livermore Station is current ACE and future BART rail station in downtown Livermore, California.-Rail service:The station is served by commuter Altamont Commuter Express trains between San Jose's Diridon Station and Stockton's Cabral Station. The majority of passengers at this station are...
- PleasantonPleasanton (ACE station)Pleasanton Station is a rail station in Pleasanton, California. The station is served by Altamont Commuter Express trains between San Jose Diridon Station and Stockton...
- Fremont-Centerville
- Great America (Santa Clara North)
- Santa Clara service has been suspended during the Union Pacific track work. ACE is providing shuttle buses during this time. ACE riders may also ride Caltrain for free from Diridon to Santa Clara. Track work was supposed to end in late 2006 or 2007, but it was delayed for reasons unknown. Caltrain is currently building a new platform at this station to eliminate the "hold-out" rule. This will allow ACE to resume service & even allow Capitol CorridorCapitol CorridorThe Capitol Corridor is a 168-mile passenger train route operated by Amtrak in California. Because it is fully supported by the state, the Capitol Corridor operates under Amtrak California. It runs from the San Francisco Bay Area to Sacramento, roughly parallel to Interstate 80...
trains to stop here - Diridon StationDiridon StationDiridon Station is the central passenger rail depot for San Jose, California. It also serves as a transit hub for Santa Clara County and the Silicon Valley...
, San Jose
Connecting transit
- AmtrakAmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
(Capitol CorridorCapitol CorridorThe Capitol Corridor is a 168-mile passenger train route operated by Amtrak in California. Because it is fully supported by the state, the Capitol Corridor operates under Amtrak California. It runs from the San Francisco Bay Area to Sacramento, roughly parallel to Interstate 80...
, Coast StarlightCoast StarlightThe Coast Starlight is a passenger train operated by Amtrak on the West Coast of the United States. It runs from King Street Station in Seattle, Washington, to Union Station in Los Angeles, California. The train's name was formed as a merging of two of Southern Pacific's train names, the Coast...
, and San JoaquinsSan JoaquinsThe San Joaquin is a passenger train operated by Amtrak as part of the Amtrak California network in California's Central Valley. Twelve trains a day run between its southern terminus at Bakersfield and Stockton, where the route splits to Oakland or Sacramento...
) - Santa Clara Valley Transportation AuthoritySanta Clara Valley Transportation AuthorityThe Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority is a special-purpose district responsible for public transit services, congestion management, specific highway improvement projects, and countywide transportation planning for Santa Clara County, California, United States...
- AC TransitAC TransitAC Transit is an Oakland-based regional public transit agency serving the western half of Alameda County and parts of western Contra Costa County in the western, Bay-side area of the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area...
- WHEELSWHEELS (California)WHEELS is a bus service that provides public transportation in the Tri-Valley Region of the San Francisco Bay Area, in the United States...
(Livermore-Amador Valley Transit Authority) - County ConnectionCounty ConnectionThe County Connection is a Concord-based public transit agency operating fixed-route bus and ADA paratransit service in and around central Contra Costa County in the San Francisco Bay Area...
- Modesto Area ExpressModesto Area ExpressModesto Area Express, better known by the acronym MAX, is the primary bus agency for Modesto, a Northern California city with over 200,000 inhabitants...
- San Joaquin Regional Transit DistrictSan Joaquin Regional Transit DistrictSan Joaquin Regional Transit District is a transit district that provides bus service to the city of Stockton, California and the surrounding communities of Lodi, Ripon, Thornton, French Camp, Lathrop, Manteca, and Tracy.San Joaquin RTD operates 36 fixed routes to the Stockton metropolitan area,...
- CaltrainCaltrainCaltrain is a California commuter rail line on the San Francisco Peninsula and in the Santa Clara Valley in the United States. The northern terminus of the rail line is in San Francisco, at 4th and King streets; its southern terminus is in Gilroy...
- Monterey-Salinas Transit
- Tri-Delta TransitTri-Delta TransitTri Delta Transit, also known as Eastern Contra Costa Transit Authority, is the local public transportation provider for the eastern area of Contra Costa County in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, U.S.A.. It provides local bus service in the communities of Bay Point, Pittsburg, Antioch,...
San Jose to Great America
The northbound leaves San Jose's Diridon station and heads north on the main peninsula CaltrainCaltrain
Caltrain is a California commuter rail line on the San Francisco Peninsula and in the Santa Clara Valley in the United States. The northern terminus of the rail line is in San Francisco, at 4th and King streets; its southern terminus is in Gilroy...
tracks through the rail yards in Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara , founded in 1777 and incorporated in 1852, is a city in Santa Clara County, in the U.S. state of California. The city is the site of the eighth of 21 California missions, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, and was named after the mission. The Mission and Mission Gardens are located on the...
. As the train passes under De La Cruz Ave it leaves the Peninsula tracks and heads north. The train passes over Central Expressway just west of De La Cruz near the end of the runway of San Jose International Airport
San Jose International Airport
Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport is a city-owned public-use airport serving the city of San Jose in Santa Clara County, California, United States. It is named for San Jose native Norman Yoshio Mineta, who was Transportation Secretary in the Cabinet of George W...
. The train then passes over U.S. Route 101 and proceeds along Lafayette St. It passes to the east of Paramount's Great America
Paramount's Great America
California's Great America is an amusement park located in Santa Clara, California that is owned and operated by JMA Ventures. It is one of four major amusement parks that operate around the San Francisco Bay Area. The other three are Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, the Santa Cruz Beach...
, a large substation, and the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
training facility before stopping at the Great America station under the Tasman Dr. overpass.
Great America to Fremont
The train proceeds north along Lafayette Dr. passing through a golf course and under Highway 237. It then turns north through the Alviso district of San JoseAlviso, San Jose, California
Alviso is a small community in San Jose, Santa Clara County, California. It is located approximately south of Drawbridge, at the north end of San José where it meets the southern end of the San Francisco Bay and borders the nearby city of Milpitas....
, passing just east of its abandoned marina. The train then heads out into the mudflats and sloughs of the bay. In the middle of the flats, the train passes through the sunken ghost town of Drawbridge
Drawbridge, California
Drawbridge is a ghost town with an abandoned railroad station located at the southern end of the San Francisco Bay on Station Island, now a part of the city of Fremont, California, United States. It is located on the Union Pacific Railroad south of downtown Fremont, at an elevation of 7 feet...
. Next along the route are Cargill
Cargill
Cargill, Incorporated is a privately held, multinational corporation based in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Founded in 1865, it is now the largest privately held corporation in the United States in terms of revenue. If it were a public company, it would rank, as of 2011, number 13 on the Fortune 500,...
's (formerly Leslie's) salt evaporation ponds on both sides of the track where the train turns to the northwest. The train then passes a landfill before entering Newark, California
Newark, California
Newark is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It was incorporated as a city in September 1955. Newark is an enclave, completely surrounded by the city of Fremont. Its population was 42,573 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
. At Baine Avenue, the train makes a 90o right turn a few hundred yards from the point where the track from the historic Dumbarton rail bridge connects in. The journey continues northeast along Baine Avenue and crosses I-880. Just after crossing Fremont Boulevard, it arrives at the Fremont Amtrak station. A historic sign remains on the portion of the station to the south of the tracks. It refers to the city of Centerville, predating the city of Fremont
Fremont, California
Fremont is a city in Alameda County, California. It was incorporated on January 23, 1956, from the merger of five smaller communities: Centerville, Niles, Irvington, Mission San Jose, and Warm Springs...
, and includes the distance to both Ogden, Utah
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
and San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, with the distance to San Francisco calculated via the historic bridge.
Fremont to Pleasanton
Bay Area Rapid Transit
Bay Area Rapid Transit is a rapid transit system serving the San Francisco Bay Area. The heavy-rail public transit and subway system connects San Francisco with cities in the East Bay and suburbs in northern San Mateo County. BART operates five lines on of track with 44 stations in four counties...
tracks and heads along Alameda Creek, but it does not interconnect with BART. It then turns north to enter Niles Canyon
Niles Canyon
Niles Canyon is a canyon in the San Francisco Bay Area formed by Alameda Creek. The canyon is largely in an unincorporated area of Alameda County, while the western portion of the canyon lies within the city limits of Fremont and Union City...
. The narrow canyon contains two rail lines (One is now partially abandoned), Highway 84, Alameda Creek
Alameda Creek
Alameda Creek is a large perennial stream in the San Francisco Bay Area. The creek runs for from a lake northeast of Packard Ridge to the eastern shore San Francisco Bay by way of Niles Canyon and a flood control channel.-History:...
, and the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct
Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct
The Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct is a conveyance of Tuolumne River water runoff from federal lands in Yosemite National Park to San Francisco and its client municipalities in the greater San Francisco Bay Area...
. The other rail line in the canyon was the route of the 1869 Sacramento-to-San Francisco Bay extension of the historic First Transcontinental Railroad
First Transcontinental Railroad
The First Transcontinental Railroad was a railroad line built in the United States of America between 1863 and 1869 by the Central Pacific Railroad of California and the Union Pacific Railroad that connected its statutory Eastern terminus at Council Bluffs, Iowa/Omaha, Nebraska The First...
and is now used by the Niles Canyon Railway
Niles Canyon Railway
The Niles Canyon Railway is a heritage railway running through Niles Canyon, between Sunol and the Niles district of Fremont in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area, in California, USA. The railway is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Niles Canyon Transcontinental...
. The train passes through a 3/4 mile long tunnel which cuts off one of the canyon's horseshoes. This tunnel was modified from its original configuration to accommodate intermodal double-stack freight trains. However, this left the track in poor condition, causing the train to reduce speeds from 45 mi/h to 25 mi/h in the summer, and down to 10 mi/h during the rainy season. The San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission plans to rehabilitate the tunnel as part of their 10-year service improvement plan. Eventually the train emerges into Sunol
Sunol, California
Sunol is an unincorporated census-designated place in Alameda County, California, United States. The population was 913 at the 2010 census....
and heads north alongside I-680
Interstate 680 (California)
Interstate 680 is a north–south Interstate Highway in Northern California. It curves around the eastern cities of the San Francisco Bay Area from San Jose to Interstate 80 at Cordelia, bypassing cities along the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay such as Oakland and Richmond while serving...
. It then passes through the center of Castlewood Country Club before pulling into the station in Pleasanton
Pleasanton, California
Pleasanton is a city in Alameda County, California, incorporated in 1894. It is a suburb in the San Francisco Bay Area located about east of Oakland, and west of Livermore. The population was 70,285 at the 2010 census. In 2005 and 2007, Pleasanton was ranked the wealthiest middle-sized city in...
.
Pleasanton to Livermore
The train leaves the Pleasanton station and turns east-northeast, paralleling Stanley Blvd. It travels along Stanley Blvd. between Heron Pond and the old quarries. It enters LivermoreLivermore, California
Livermore is a city in Alameda County. The population as of 2010 was 80,968. Livermore is located on the eastern edge of California's San Francisco Bay Area....
as it crosses Kitty Hawk Rd., and turns more northwest as it crosses Murrietta Blvd. It then stops in downtown Livermore. It then passes under First Street (formerly highway 84) and stops under Vasco Road near the northwest corner of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory , just outside Livermore, California, is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center founded by the University of California in 1952...
.
Livermore to Tracy
The train then turns north at the edge of the hills and passes I-580Interstate 580 (California)
Interstate 580 is an 80-mile east–west Interstate Highway in Northern California. The heavily traveled spur route of Interstate 80 runs from San Rafael in the San Francisco Bay Area to Interstate 5 near Tracy in the Central Valley...
. It then parallels Altamont Pass Rd. The path of the original 1869 Sacramento-to-San Francisco Bay extension of the First Transcontinental Railroad
First Transcontinental Railroad
The First Transcontinental Railroad was a railroad line built in the United States of America between 1863 and 1869 by the Central Pacific Railroad of California and the Union Pacific Railroad that connected its statutory Eastern terminus at Council Bluffs, Iowa/Omaha, Nebraska The First...
can be seen on the right, and then on the left for several miles. The track is not there, but the bed and some markers remain. The train, now following tracks built for the Feather River Route
Feather River Route
The Feather River Route is a rail line that was built and operated by the Western Pacific Railroad. It was constructed between 1906 and 1909, and connects the cities of Oakland, California, and Salt Lake City, Utah...
, makes numerous turns as it ascends the Altamont Pass. A large quarry and several wind farms are visible. The route eventually turns south and then passes under westbound 580 and over eastbound 580. The entrances for a pair of short tunnels on the older route under the summit remain just east of the path. The train then descends from the pass in a southeasterly route before crossing under 580 a third time and over the California Aqueduct
California Aqueduct
The Governor Edmund G. Brown California Aqueduct is a system of canals, tunnels, and pipelines that conveys water collected from the Sierra Nevada Mountains and valleys of Northern- and Central California to Southern California. The Department of Water Resources operates and maintains the...
and the Delta-Mendota Canal
Delta-Mendota Canal
The Delta–Mendota Canal is a aqueduct in central California. It is part of the Central Valley Project and its purpose is to replace the water in the San Joaquin River that is diverted into Madera Canal and Friant-Kern Canal at Friant Dam. The canal begins at the C.W. Bill Jones Pumping Plant ,...
before reaching the valley floor. The train then brushes Tracy
Tracy, California
Tracy is the second most populated city in San Joaquin County, California, United States and an exurb of the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 82,922 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, following Linne Rd. at the very southern edge of the city.
Tracy to Lathrop/Manteca
The train passes under Interstate 5 before crossing the San Joaquin RiverSan Joaquin River
The San Joaquin River is the largest river of Central California in the United States. At over long, the river starts in the high Sierra Nevada, and flows through a rich agricultural region known as the San Joaquin Valley before reaching Suisun Bay, San Francisco Bay, and the Pacific Ocean...
. It then passes under Highway 120
California State Route 120
State Route 120 , in northern California, runs between the Central Valley near Manteca, through Yosemite National Park, and ends at U.S. Route 6 in Mono County.-Route description:...
and stops along the border between Lathrop
Lathrop, California
Lathrop is a city located in . At the 2010 census Lathrop’s population was 18,023, and has a projected “build out” population of 70,000. The city is located in Northern California at the intersection of I-5 and 120 freeways.-Geography:...
and Manteca
Manteca, California
Manteca is a city in , USA. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 67,096.- History :Manteca is a city in the Central Valley of California, 76 miles east of San Francisco. It was founded in 1861 by Joshua Cowell. Cowell claimed around and built houses on what is now the corner of Main...
.
Lathrop/Manteca to Stockton
It then proceeds north past Sharpe Army Depot and into the final station in the southeast portion of downtown StocktonStockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
. The train frequently reaches top speeds just over 80 mph (129 km/h) on these relatively straight, flat routes.
Tickets and fares
ACE tickets are available at select stations and on ACE's website. They are available in one way, round trip, 20 trip, weekly, and monthly passes. Fares are distance-based, ranging up to $11.75 for a one-way adult ticket (as of November 2011).Altamont Corridor Express
In association with the California High Speed Rail Authority, plans are being generated to upgrade the current system to provide faster, more regular service, renaming the route the Altamont Corridor Express. Components of the project include electrification of the route, and possible extension to the city of Modesto. This line would provide connections at both ends to the planned high speed rail.Fleet
- 24 Bombardier BiLevel Coaches
- 6 MPI F40PH-2C locomotives, #3101 to #3106 (3106 is an F40PH-3C)
Model Number Notes F40PH-3C 3101-3106 None Bombardier BiLevel Coach Bombardier BiLevel CoachBombardier BiLevel coaches are bilevel passenger cars designed to carry up to 360 passengers for regional railways. These carriages are easily identifiable; they are double-decked and are shaped like elongated octagons.-History:...
3201-3216 None Bombardier BiLevel Bombardier BiLevel CoachBombardier BiLevel coaches are bilevel passenger cars designed to carry up to 360 passengers for regional railways. These carriages are easily identifiable; they are double-decked and are shaped like elongated octagons.-History:...
Cab CarControl car (rail)A control car is a generic term for a non-powered railroad vehicle that can control operation of a train from the end opposite to the position of the locomotive...
3301-3308 None
Rail/shuttle connections
- San JoseDiridon StationDiridon Station is the central passenger rail depot for San Jose, California. It also serves as a transit hub for Santa Clara County and the Silicon Valley...
- CaltrainCaltrainCaltrain is a California commuter rail line on the San Francisco Peninsula and in the Santa Clara Valley in the United States. The northern terminus of the rail line is in San Francisco, at 4th and King streets; its southern terminus is in Gilroy...
, Capitol CorridorCapitol CorridorThe Capitol Corridor is a 168-mile passenger train route operated by Amtrak in California. Because it is fully supported by the state, the Capitol Corridor operates under Amtrak California. It runs from the San Francisco Bay Area to Sacramento, roughly parallel to Interstate 80...
, Coast StarlightCoast StarlightThe Coast Starlight is a passenger train operated by Amtrak on the West Coast of the United States. It runs from King Street Station in Seattle, Washington, to Union Station in Los Angeles, California. The train's name was formed as a merging of two of Southern Pacific's train names, the Coast...
, VTA light rail - Santa ClaraSanta Clara (Caltrain/ACE station)Santa Clara station is one of two heavy railway stations in Santa Clara, California...
- CaltrainCaltrainCaltrain is a California commuter rail line on the San Francisco Peninsula and in the Santa Clara Valley in the United States. The northern terminus of the rail line is in San Francisco, at 4th and King streets; its southern terminus is in Gilroy...
, VTASanta Clara Valley Transportation AuthorityThe Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority is a special-purpose district responsible for public transit services, congestion management, specific highway improvement projects, and countywide transportation planning for Santa Clara County, California, United States...
San Jose Airport Shuttle - Great America-Santa Clara StationGreat America-Santa Clara StationGreat America-Santa Clara is a train station in Santa Clara, California. It hosts Amtrak's Capitol Corridor trains and Altamont Commuter Express trains. The station is located close to Great America, hence the name. VTA's Lick Mill light rail stop is located several blocks east of the station,...
- Capitol CorridorCapitol CorridorThe Capitol Corridor is a 168-mile passenger train route operated by Amtrak in California. Because it is fully supported by the state, the Capitol Corridor operates under Amtrak California. It runs from the San Francisco Bay Area to Sacramento, roughly parallel to Interstate 80...
, VTA light rail - FremontFremont-Centerville (Amtrak station)-Rail Service:*The Altamont Commuter Express serves the station on weekdays.*Amtrak's Capitol Corridor stops 14 times daily, with seven trains in each direction....
- Capitol CorridorCapitol CorridorThe Capitol Corridor is a 168-mile passenger train route operated by Amtrak in California. Because it is fully supported by the state, the Capitol Corridor operates under Amtrak California. It runs from the San Francisco Bay Area to Sacramento, roughly parallel to Interstate 80... - Stockton- San JoaquinsSan JoaquinsThe San Joaquin is a passenger train operated by Amtrak as part of the Amtrak California network in California's Central Valley. Twelve trains a day run between its southern terminus at Bakersfield and Stockton, where the route splits to Oakland or Sacramento...
(Only two trains per day to and from Sacramento stop at the downtown Stockton station used by ACE; all other San JoaquinsSan JoaquinsThe San Joaquin is a passenger train operated by Amtrak as part of the Amtrak California network in California's Central Valley. Twelve trains a day run between its southern terminus at Bakersfield and Stockton, where the route splits to Oakland or Sacramento...
trains stop at the nearby Stockton - San Joaquin Street station. AmtrakAmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
operates a shuttle between the two stations. - PleasantonPleasanton (ACE station)Pleasanton Station is a rail station in Pleasanton, California. The station is served by Altamont Commuter Express trains between San Jose Diridon Station and Stockton...
shuttle (free transfer from ACE) to Dublin/Pleasanton BART stationDublin/Pleasanton (BART station)Dublin/Pleasanton is a Bay Area Rapid Transit station on the border of Dublin and Pleasanton. The station is fed by twenty local and regional bus lines from five different providers....