Bike-Friendly Commuter RR Gets Bike-Friendlier

"The regional rail operator (Caltrain) just completed a $300,000 project - six months early - that assures every train in service will have two cars specifically available for bike storage.

The number of bicyclists taking Caltrain has risen steadily in the last several years. Currently, 3,600 of the agency's 40,000 daily riders take their bikes on Caltrain."

Caltrain runs 86 trains daily during the week. Until now, every train had at least one 'bike car' that was also a 'cab car'. The project consisted of retrofitting 10 'trailer' gallery cars. Bombardier train-sets already were guaranteed two bike cars.

"Caltrain's older, (5-step) Gallery-car trains will now be able to carry 80 bikes for each run, while the agency's newer, (low-floor) Bombardier cars will have capacity for 48 bikes. Since most of the agency's trains are comprised of Gallery cars, 70 percent of Caltrain's lines will be able to carry up to 80 bikes."

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition has waged a long-running campaign to guarantee the two-car policy by reporting 'bumping' of cyclists due to lack of bike capacity.

Look inside a crowded bike gallery car. All bike cars carry non-biking passengers as well.

Thanks to One Bay Area News Update