Peninsula Commute
Encyclopedia
The Peninsula Commute, also known as the Southern Pacific Peninsula or just Peninsula, was the common name for historical commuter rail service between San Jose, California
and San Francisco, California
on the San Francisco Peninsula
. This service ran as a private, for-profit enterprise beginning in 1863. Due to operating losses, the Southern Pacific Railroad petitioned to discontinue the service in 1977. Subsidies were provided through the California Department of Transportation
(Caltrans) in 1980 to continue service, and it was renamed Caltrain
.
The original Peninsula
railroad corridor between San Francisco
and San Jose
was constructed in 1863 by the San Francisco and San Jose Rail Road
, which was purchased by Southern Pacific
in 1870.
Under Southern Pacific's ownership, the line was double tracked in 1904 and had experienced record ridership during World War II
. After the war, the ridership slowly declined with the rise of automobile use. At several times during the 1960s and 1970s, SP talked about discontinuing the money-losing commute service. In 1971 when Amtrak
took over long distance passenger operations, Southern Pacific's extended commute train to Monterey, California
, the "Del Monte", was discontinued, but Southern Pacific retained normal commute service. All of SP's passenger locomotives were then transferred to peninsula commute service except for those what were sold to Amtrak. In 1977, SP filed a petition with the state Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to discontinue the commuter operation due to the ongoing operating losses.
To preserve the commuter service, Caltrans in 1980 contracted with SP to continue to operate the service and began to subsidize the operation. During the Caltrans' administration, Caltrans purchased new locomotives and rolling stock which replaced the SP equipment in 1985, upgraded stations, introduced shuttle buses to nearby employers, and rebranded the operation to is present state as Caltrain
. Since that time, the operation has been transferred from the State of California to the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board.
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...
and San Francisco, California
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...
on the San Francisco Peninsula
San Francisco Peninsula
The San Francisco Peninsula is a peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area that separates the San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean. On its northern tip is the City and County of San Francisco. Its southern base is in Santa Clara County, including the cities of Palo Alto, Los Altos, and Mountain...
. This service ran as a private, for-profit enterprise beginning in 1863. Due to operating losses, the Southern Pacific Railroad petitioned to discontinue the service in 1977. Subsidies were provided through the California Department of Transportation
California Department of Transportation
The California Department of Transportation is a government department in the U.S. state of California. Its mission is to improve mobility across the state. It manages the state highway system and is actively involved with public transportation systems throughout the state...
(Caltrans) in 1980 to continue service, and it was renamed Caltrain
Caltrain
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...
.
History
Since 1863, the San Francisco Peninsula, the series of towns (and later, cities) between San Francisco and San Jose, has been served by a railroad. The Southern Pacific (SP) first provided freight and passenger service, followed briefly by the California Department of Transportation (CalTrans) and finally a Joint Powers Board which runs today's passenger service.The original Peninsula
San Francisco Peninsula
The San Francisco Peninsula is a peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area that separates the San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean. On its northern tip is the City and County of San Francisco. Its southern base is in Santa Clara County, including the cities of Palo Alto, Los Altos, and Mountain...
railroad corridor between 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...
and 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...
was constructed in 1863 by the San Francisco and San Jose Rail Road
San Francisco and San Jose Rail Road
The San Francisco and San Jose Railroad was a railroad incorporated on August 18, 1860 and consists of 49.5 miles of track running the San Francisco Peninsula from San Francisco, California to San Jose, California...
, which was purchased by Southern Pacific
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
in 1870.
Under Southern Pacific's ownership, the line was double tracked in 1904 and had experienced record ridership during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. After the war, the ridership slowly declined with the rise of automobile use. At several times during the 1960s and 1970s, SP talked about discontinuing the money-losing commute service. In 1971 when Amtrak
Amtrak
The 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...
took over long distance passenger operations, Southern Pacific's extended commute train to Monterey, California
Monterey, California
The City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of...
, the "Del Monte", was discontinued, but Southern Pacific retained normal commute service. All of SP's passenger locomotives were then transferred to peninsula commute service except for those what were sold to Amtrak. In 1977, SP filed a petition with the state Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to discontinue the commuter operation due to the ongoing operating losses.
To preserve the commuter service, Caltrans in 1980 contracted with SP to continue to operate the service and began to subsidize the operation. During the Caltrans' administration, Caltrans purchased new locomotives and rolling stock which replaced the SP equipment in 1985, upgraded stations, introduced shuttle buses to nearby employers, and rebranded the operation to is present state as Caltrain
Caltrain
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...
. Since that time, the operation has been transferred from the State of California to the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board.