SAN JOSE, Calif. — Electrified train service to and from San Jose’s Tamien station, the southernmost stop of Caltrain’s electrified route, will be suspended for approximately eight months beginning June 16, the commuter operator has announced.
The suspension will accommodate construction for replacement of the bridge over the Guadalupe River, just north of the Tamien stop, where riverbank erosion requires emergency repairs. The northbound track there is on a wooden trestle dating to 1935, which will be replaced, while the southbound track is on a concrete bridge in 1990. More on that project is available here.
During the suspension, free bus service will operate between the Tamien and San Jose Diridon. Passengers can also take one of the four diesel-powered South County Connector trains that operate in each direction daily between Diridon and Gilroy, Calif.
The shuttle buses will take approximately 10 to 15 minutes, depending on traffic. Trains cover the 1.7 miles between the two stations in five minutes.
More information is available here.
Too bad this key bridge replacement could not have been completed prior to the start electrification last year. It’s not as though they just discovered the erosion, and electrification took over five years after construction started. Plenty of time to time to coordinate a concurrent eight bridge replacement project.
Have no need to go to Tamien, but shuttle bus looks helpful – though VTA has adjacent light rail it’s a 2-seat ride (or 2 station ride and 5 block walk). All the Google-suggested transit options are 27 to 31 minutes. Rail-to-bus transfers deeper downtown are apparently faster than direct light rail-to-light rail transfer (not even one of the suggestions, perhaps due to frequency of green line past Diridon Station being limited by single-track out to Campbell). Or a 45 minute walk (which seems too long, even with a dozen beg buttons to push).