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Altamont Commuter Express, the newest commuter railroad, began revenue service on Oct. 19. ACE's two daily trains connect Stockton in California's San Joaquin Valley with San Jose, the heart of job intensive Silicon Valley. Test runs with volunteer "passengers" had begun two weeks earlier even as sales of monthly passes was soaring. As of Oct. 12, more than 800 passes had been issued, leading to speculation that the service might be nearly sold out by opening day. When the San Joaquin Regional Rail Authority began distributing application forms via the Internet in early September, its phones and fax machines were overwhelmed. Another rush occurred when the authority advertised in local newspapers and began accepting mail applications. This response clearly illustrated the pent-up demand from commuters who live in the semi-rural but fast-growing bedroom communities of the San Joaquin Valley and work in the high tech industries of the San Francisco Bay area. Previously, most drove heavily congested I-580 over Sunol Grade, a stressful trip that routinely requires as much as twoand-a-half hours each way.
The trains follow a historic Union Pacific route over Altamont Pass, which opened in stages in the late 1860s. Passenger service ended in 1970 but after the SJRRA was formed in the early 1990s, plans moved forward to revive the line. A joint powers agreement was signed by San Joaquin, Alameda, and Santa Clara counties covering the first three years of operation. Negotiations began in 1998 for the continuation and expansion of ACE, including how future costs will be allocated among the three counties. UP will require additional track improvements after three years costing not more than $10.6 million, this money to come from Alameda and Santa Clara counties. Estimated operating costs for the first year are $4.5 million.
Herzog Transit Services Inc. has been hired to operate ACE. Total running time for the 85 miles is two hours and one minute, although continuing track upgrades should reduce this somewhat by next April. Rolling stock consists of three F40PHM-3s rebuilt by Boise Locomotive Works and eight Bombardier bilevel cars, including four cabs, containing 1,032 seats. When surveys taken last summer showed that demand for tickets would be high, three additional 135-seat coaches were leased from south Florida's TriRail and will be...