Jump to content

Coaster (rail service)

Route map:
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Cydebot (talk | contribs) at 01:10, 4 October 2018 (Robot - Moving category United States regional rail systems to Category:Commuter rail in the United States per CFD at Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Log/2018 September 15.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Coaster
A Coaster departing Oceanside in July 2011.
Overview
Service typeCommuter rail
LocaleSan Diego County, California, United States
First serviceFebruary 27, 1995
Current operator(s)Bombardier Transportation
Former operator(s)Amtrak
Ridership5,600 (ave. weekday, 2012)[1]
Annual ridership1.6 million (2012)[1]
WebsiteNCTD Coaster
Route
TerminiOceanside
San Diego
Stops8[1]
Distance travelled41 mi (66 km)[1]
Technical
Rolling stock7 locomotives
28 passenger cars[2]
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Operating speed90 miles per hour (140 km/h)[3]
Track owner(s)North County Transit District
Route map
COASTER
Legend
Amtrak
to Los Angeles
&
Metrolink
to San Bernardino
Maintenance facility
 Oceanside
Metrolink (California) Amtrak
Sprinter
to Escondido
 Carlsbad Village
Carlsbad Poinsettia
Encinitas
Solana Beach
Amtrak
 Del Mar Fairgrounds
(planned, 2028[4])
Zone 1
Zone 2
 Sorrento Valley
Zone 2
Zone 3
Blue Line
to Westfield UTC
Green Line
to El Cajon
 Old Town San Diego
Amtrak
San Diego
Amtrak
Blue Line
to San Ysidro
 Convention Center
(planned, 2025[5])
Green Line
to 12th & Imperial
Storage yard
Handicapped/disabled access All stations are accessible

The Coaster (stylized as COASTER) (reporting mark SDNX) is a commuter rail service that operates in the central and northern coastal regions of San Diego County, California, United States. The service is operated by Bombardier Transportation on contract with North County Transit District (NCTD). The service has eight stops and operates primarily during weekday peak periods, with additional weekend and holiday service.

History

San Diego Northern Railway (SDNR) purchased the tracks used by COASTER from the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in 1994. NCTD created the subsidiary San Diego Northern Railway Corporation in 1994[6] and dissolved it in 2002. Revenue COASTER service began February 27, 1995.[6] Funding for right-of-way acquisition and construction costs came from TransNet, a 1987 measure[6] that imposed a 0.5% sales tax on San Diego County residents for transportation projects. NCTD originally contracted Amtrak to provide personnel for Coaster trains.[7] In July 2006, TransitAmerica Services took over the day-to-day operation of the commuter train, based on a five-year, $45 million contract with NCTD.[7][8] In 2016, Bombardier Transportation replaced TransitAmerica as COASTER's operator.[9]

Current service

NCTD owns 62 mi (100 km) of mainline track, including the 41.1 mi (66.1 km) on which the COASTER travels. Traveling the entire COASTER route takes about an hour.[10]

Consumption of alcoholic beverages is no longer allowed on board COASTER trains or NCTD property as of February 1, 2015.[11]

Schedule

More than 20 COASTER trains run on weekdays,[10] with additional service on the weekends.[12] As of the April 3, 2017 schedule, COASTER also added Friday Night service with trains running until a quarter after midnight.

Station stops

The following are the stations served by the COASTER rail line:[13]

Station Connecting rail services
Zone 1
Oceanside Transit Center Pacific Surfliner
Sprinter
Metrolink (Orange County Line, Inland Empire-Orange County Line)
Carlsbad Village Pacific Surfliner (limited service)
Carlsbad Poinsettia COASTER-only station
Encinitas COASTER-only station
Solana Beach Pacific Surfliner
Zone 2
Sorrento Valley Pacific Surfliner (limited service)
Zone 3
Old Town San Diego Pacific Surfliner (limited service)
San Diego Trolley (Green Line)
Santa Fe Depot
(Downtown San Diego) 		Pacific Surfliner
San Diego Trolley (Green Line, Orange Line, Blue Line)

Connecting rail and bus transit services

Coaster route map (with other commuter lines included). This does not show routes of the San Diego Trolley.

The COASTER connects fully with Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner at Oceanside, Solana Beach, and Santa Fe Depot in San Diego, with more limited connection service available at the Old Town Transit Center; Pacific Surfliner service at Carlsbad Village and Sorrento Valley is co-offered with COASTER service on 6 of the 22 weekday Surfliner trains.[14]

The COASTER also connects with the Metrolink rail system at Oceanside, providing connecting service to Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. It connects to the San Diego Trolley (Green Line) and MTS buses at the Old Town Transit Center; it also connects to the San Diego Trolley (all lines) and MTS buses in the vicinity of the Santa Fe Depot in downtown San Diego – including to the MTS Route 992 bus which offers direct service to Lindbergh Field from Downtown San Diego. Finally, the COASTER connects with BREEZE buses at all North San Diego County station stops (i.e. in Zone 1).

Fares and ticketing

The cost of COASTER tickets is based upon the number of zones traveled (see map). Fare collection is based on a proof-of-payment system: tickets must be purchased before boarding and are checked by roving fare inspectors. Monthly passes are available. All tickets and passes include transfer agreements with NCTD BREEZE buses and monthly passes include transfer with the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) buses and Trolleys. On January 20, 2011, the NCTD implemented a fare reduction – the fare reduction led to increased ridership on the COASTER and so was made a permanent fare reduction in September 2011. As of January 2012, regular one-way fares are as follows:[15]

  • Within one zone: $4
  • Within two zones: $5
  • Within three zones: $5.50

With proof of eligibility, senior citizens (ages 60 and over), people with disabilities, and Medicare cardholders receive a 50% discount on the above fares.

Riding the COASTER without a valid ticket may result in a penalty fare of up to $250. Riders cannot purchase tickets on board the train.

Compass cards

Main article: Compass Card

In September 2008, SANDAG introduced a new contactless "Compass Card", made possible by Cubic Transportation Systems, Inc. The "Compass Card" allows passengers from MTS and NCTD to store regional transit passes and cash value on a rewritable RFID card. Customers can purchase passes and add cash value on the Internet or at any ticket vending machine. Prior to boarding a train, customers tap their Compass Cards on the ticket validator located on the train platform. The LED display on the validator then lights up with lights resembling that of a stoplight, and the LCD display shows text regarding the passenger's fare account.

Ridership

The COASTER carried about 514,450 passengers during its first year of operation,[16] and ridership rose steadily in the years that followed. In 2012, COASTER ridership was approximately 1.6 million people, with an average number of 5,600 weekday boardings.[1]

Approximately 40% of weekday commuters detrain at Sorrento Valley.[citation needed]

Rolling stock

Builder Type Purchased Numbers Image
Morrison-Knudsen F40PHM-2C 1994 2101–2105 Coaster F40PHM-2C locomotive #2104 with Amtrak Pacific Surfliner #572 behind it at Solana Beach Station, California
EMD F59PHI 2001 3001–3002
Siemens Mobility Charger SC-44 2018 N/A
Bombardier BiLevel Coach 1994 2201–2208 Bombardier BiLevel coaches, with a cab car in the fore, in San Diego.
1997 2401–2406
2003 2501–2504
BiLevel Cab Car 1994 2301–2308
2003 2309–2310

In June 2018, the North County Transit District Board of Directors approved the purchase of five Siemens Charger locomotives to replace their existing five F40PHM-2C locomotives that were remanufactured by Morrison-Knudsen. Deliveries are expected in the first half of 2021, with $10.5 million of the estimated $53.9 million cost earmarked from statewide gas tax and vehicle registration fees.[17]

In August 2018, NCTD announced that they were seeking public opinions and input on a re-brand of the agency. This included two new paint scheme ideas for COASTER, along with the existing scheme being used as a third option. The new COASTER livery will be decided upon by agency officials depending on the public input and will be painted on the new Siemens Chargers and passenger cars in 2021.

Yards

NCTD maintains two rail storage yards for the COASTER. The main storage yard, located north of Oceanside at Stuart Mesa on Camp Pendleton, is just north of the Oceanside station stop. This is where cars are stored for the night and trains are serviced, although due to the small size of the yard, COASTER trainsets are also stored at the nearby Fallbrook Yard when out of service. A small yard beside the San Diego Trolleys' yard at 12th and Imperial in Centre City San Diego is used to store train-sets during the midday and for weekday train staging, and is shared with the San Diego Trolley and the San Diego and Imperial Valley Railroad.

Future prospects

The COASTER remains stable for the foreseeable future. San Diego County voters extended the TransNet sales tax through 2038, which includes funding for rail track upgrades. By the early 2010s, numerous improvements such as added double track and bridge replacements were in various stages of construction and design.[18] As part of the broader North Coast Corridor project, approximately $1 billion is planned to be spent on new segments of double track between San Diego and Orange County.[19]

There are also plans to extend COASTER service to Camp Pendleton and the Convention Center,[6][20] as well as interest in building a new 'special events' platform at Del Mar to seasonally serve the racetrack and fairgrounds.[21][22]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "COASTER Fact Sheet" (PDF). North County Transit District. January 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 5, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ "COASTER Fact Sheet" (PDF). North County Transit District. January 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  3. ^ "Rail Safety Tips". North County Transit District. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  4. ^ "Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program Sixth Round Selected Projects – Project Detail Summary" (PDF). California State Transportation Agency. April 24, 2023. p. 11. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  5. ^ Diehl, Phil (June 27, 2021). "Transit district to increase Coaster commuter train service this fall". San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on June 27, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d "NCTD: Past, Present and Future" (PDF). North County Transit District. January 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  7. ^ a b "Coaster". Trains Magazine. June 30, 2006. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  8. ^ "Company picked to operate COASTER". San Diego Union-Tribune. December 2, 2005. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  9. ^ "Coaster to tackle service delays, interruptions". San Diego Union-Tribune. May 26, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  10. ^ a b "COASTER - NCTD". North County Transit District. 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  11. ^ Tatro, Samantha; Herrera, Vanessa (December 18, 2014). "North County Transit Bans Alcohol Aboard Trains". KNSD. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  12. ^ "COASTER Schedule Effective April 1 - October 7, 2013" (PDF). North County Transit District. 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  13. ^ "COASTER Stations". North County Transit District. 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  14. ^ "Six Trains Added to COASTER Schedule". North County Transit District. September 17, 2013. Retrieved December 21, 2013.
  15. ^ "Coaster Fares and Passes". North County Transit District. 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  16. ^ "Coaster 15th Anniversary Quick Facts" (PDF). North County Transit District. 2010. Retrieved December 7, 2013.
  17. ^ "State Gas Tax Increase Gives $10.5 Million For New COASTER Trains". KPBS. January 30, 2018. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  18. ^ Prey, Bill; Rekola, Brett (June 2011). Capacity Expansions of LOSSAN Corridor in San Diego (PDF). APTA Rail Conference. San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) & North County Transit District. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  19. ^ "California launches $US 6bn North Coast Corridor project". International railway Journal. December 1, 2016. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  20. ^ "Marines, NCTD eye Camp Pendleton Coaster stop". The San Diego Union-Tribune. November 11, 2011. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
  21. ^ "LOSSAN Rail Line - LOSSAN Rail Corridor Improvements". Keep San Diego Moving (TransNet). Retrieved August 10, 2013.
  22. ^ St John, Alison (March 14, 2008). "SANDAG Board to Explore Viability of Del Mar Track Train Station". KPBS. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
KML file (edit • help)
Template:Attached KML/Coaster (rail service)
KML is from Wikidata
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Coaster (San Diego).
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Coaster_(rail_service)&oldid=862382148"