Oside Mama 4 wrote on Mar 6, 2008 12:33 AM:The link to the North County Transit District is incorrect. The correct web address is: www.gonctd.com (not .org). I personally am looking forward to this new means of transportation. ANY way to stay off the roads in this overpopulated county/state is great news to me!!

resident wrote on Mar 6, 2008 5:53 AM:It will be down by Monday. Now is a good time to ride it because of the better odds and possibilities of filing a lawsuit against the city for injury damages due to poor design and planning before they iron all the problems out.

LLB wrote on Mar 6, 2008 6:06 AM:What a waste. A train that goes from nowhere to nowhere, costs millions and doesn't improve the ability of commuters to get to work. Unless a complete train system is developed with desinations that are significant to the commuter population, all it is is another government sponcered benefit for theater owners and taxi drivers. Ridiculous waste of money.

Tom wrote on Mar 6, 2008 6:26 AM:Hmm...nearly a half billion dollars to duplicate what the buses all ready do. Way to go Karen King, give yourself another huge pay raise.

The danger and traffic inconvenience of the Vista station will soon have people screaming for those tracks to be buried like the Coaster tracks at Solana Beach. I'm afraid more than money will be the cost there. Buses servicing the Vista station need to be re-routed so that they do not cross the tracks there. This is an accident waiting to happen for both cars and buses.

Jim wrote on Mar 6, 2008 6:39 AM:NCTD has never met a budget or schedule it can meet. Who is responsible and accountable for the lack of performance of NCTD and who continues to fail its constituents miserably? The board needs to clean house and get some competent people running the show.

Signalization wrote on Mar 6, 2008 6:40 AM:How long is it going to be for any of the gates to malfunction, especially those at Las Posas/Mission Road and the Depot across from Palomar College. In addition, in the opposite direction the train crosses Mission Road itself. These crossings are too close and it seems that the signals are not set correctly at all. Many have experience 1/2 hour waits at these intersections and crossing arms UP at the dangerous times. NCTD had better repair their signalization before they begin passenger service. Good Luck.

Are you smarter than a wrote on Mar 6, 2008 7:02 AM:5th grader? Lets see if I leave Escondido on the 302, I will arrive in Oceanside in 85 minutes. If I take the sprinter I will arrive in Oceanside in 53 minutes, saving 32 minutes. Now I am a bus person, I see more cars going short distances than people on the bus. Are you going to try and con us and say a majority of people who drive their cars are going to suddenly switch to public transportation? How much did this cost? AND where do you expect this sudden money to appear from, the same people that ride the bus who will now take the Sprinter?

Congrats NCTD wrote on Mar 6, 2008 7:15 AM:Congratulations. I look forward to riding this light rail system. The money is now spent, so onward and upward.

Want a yuck? wrote on Mar 6, 2008 7:22 AM:Take a drive by the Escondido Transit Public Parking, the majority of the cars there are from the Bus drivers themselves.

Vista Granny wrote on Mar 6, 2008 7:29 AM:To: LLB -- The Sprinter was built on the existing right of way. Would you have preferred the bulldozing of houses and rerouting on major streets? And, what would that have cost? Besides, the Sprinter does go to many places, not nowhere to nowhere. The Transit Center in Oceanside is right down town and a walk to the beach, it is also where you board trains for San Diego and Los Angeles,(even Riverside if you wish) and you can take in a movie and eat out at the Vista stop. I believe it also goes to Palomar and SMSU. Sorry, I don't know where it stops in Escondido. Californians and their love of cars and disdain for public transit need to expand their horizons.

O'side Res wrote on Mar 6, 2008 7:46 AM:I will be riding to catch the Coaster and saving 25 miles a day on my truck. That's roughly 240 day or 6000 miles a year, 400 gallons of gas, a conservative $1600.00 a year I will save. Thank you.

Olaf wrote on Mar 6, 2008 7:54 AM:You tell 'em Vista Granny... small minded car lovin' over consumption people. They all wonder why gas is at 3.50 a gallon and then wonder why things cost so much. The new Sprinter will be a much needed choice in the future for all these people when they can not drive any more. Yes people you will get older and will not be able to drive any more. Retire near a coaster by you. And stop thinking of only yourselfs.

People will not wrote on Mar 6, 2008 8:05 AM:give up their cars ever. What you will see when the price of gas hits $5.00 is just once every three week trip to the stores all errands combined. You will see less people driving to StarBucks and the fast food establishments, you will see people drinking coffee at home and those who smoke buying cartons instead of the daily trip to the stores. You will see a demand by the citizens for more school bus service, you will see more children on the bus. But you are never going to see the teachers, lawyers, doctors, attorneys, activist, Council Members, Mayors or City employees on a bus or a sprinter.

Rick wrote on Mar 6, 2008 8:16 AM:Does anyone know if they will allow me to take my bicycle on this new train? Or are they bike stupid like Amtrak?

Ron wrote on Mar 6, 2008 8:27 AM:Considering the fact that, NCTD is 70% supported by sales taxes, and not rider fees, I'd say it's still a loser.
Any wonder why our governments to increase sales taxes?

Tom wrote on Mar 6, 2008 8:35 AM:Rick, bikes will be allowed.

O'side/RDO resident. wrote on Mar 6, 2008 8:42 AM:A time schedule would be nice. As stated above gonctd.org does not work.
Would like to know when I'm supposed to be at my closest station.

dave wrote on Mar 6, 2008 8:53 AM:transit officials are steaming ahead The public is just STEAMING

Biker wrote on Mar 6, 2008 8:53 AM:''Yeah, R we going to be allowed to take bikes...or we have to park them on bike racks at every station.....?''

alejandro wrote on Mar 6, 2008 9:23 AM:This sprinter fiasco will benifit only the rich people for their pleasure and enjoyment; nothing to do with necesity.come on! from oceanside to escondido!;every company or person maneging this project missuse our familys money,perhaps may be better ways to spent 500 MILLION.perhaps our children and teachers could use this wasting money better.

JJ wrote on Mar 6, 2008 9:40 AM:People need realize mass transit is the way of the future. We pride ourselves on how technological and efficient we are but the fact is we are the world’s number one oil consumer. The oil titans and auto manufacturers are woven into state and federal politics which will only result in gas price continued rise! The state should ban any new SUV, large truck, or other gas guzzling vehicles they just aren’t necessary for everyday driving. This is a step in the right direction NOT the addition of freeway lanes!

John E wrote on Mar 6, 2008 9:40 AM:When I worked in the greater Sorrento Valley area, I was extremely happy to bypass the I-5 gridlock on the Coaster and to double the useful economic life of my car. I hope the Sprinter does in North County what the Trolley has long done in South County, including serving as a superb feeder for the Coaster.

Would bus rapid transit have been cheaper or more efficient? Perhaps, but we would have had to widen existing roads or take away existing lanes. As highway 78 congestion steadily worsens, I anticipate rising popularity for the Sprinter.

jim wrote on Mar 6, 2008 9:42 AM:HEY Alejandro.....please define rich

CSUSM student wrote on Mar 6, 2008 9:46 AM:I don't understand why Miracosta and Palomar have reduced student fares, but CSUSM students have to pay full price? With student parking costs at $248 right now I'm not so sure I'd save any money until Fall of 2009 when parking fee's go up to $338. CSUSM and NCS...please don't drop the ball on this...the Sprinter would help a lot of students juggling part-time jobs, rising student fees, AND rising automotive fees (gas, insurance, etc.).

Scotticus wrote on Mar 6, 2008 9:51 AM:I don't know why people assume no one is going to be using the Sprinter. Of the four people in my office, two are planning on using regularly and one walks to work. (Yes, believe it or not people do live and work on the Sprinter route). Of course we're just Engineers, not teachers, lawyers, doctors, attorneys, activist, Council Members, Mayors or City employees.

Karl wrote on Mar 6, 2008 10:02 AM:We live in Escondido and my wife works in Oceanside a few blocks from the station. We are going for a test drive Sunday and hope it works for us. $54 a month is cheaper than gas and she doesn't have to deal with 78.

Mike wrote on Mar 6, 2008 10:08 AM:Future generations will be grateful for our foresight.

Michael B. wrote on Mar 6, 2008 10:21 AM:To Rick:

Yes, bicycles will be allowed. How is Amtrak a problem with bicycles? I took the train last weekend, with my bicycle, from San Diego to Los Angeles, had no problems at all. The racks are easy, safe, and in San Diego, they even let me board before the rest of the passengers. Think before knocking Amtrak.

Are they going to wrote on Mar 6, 2008 11:34 AM:have Sprinter cops, like the San Diego has trolley cops? And who is going to pay for this special policing?

Lest we forget... wrote on Mar 6, 2008 12:10 PM:...this thing will continue to be subsidized at a rate of over 70% by tax $ (read: our wallets) for the life of this Dodo. Ride it, or not, you will be paying for it for a LONG time.

J wrote on Mar 6, 2008 12:20 PM:Mission Road and Pacific train track crossing intersection.

I sat there in my car stopped at that intersection by choice because I saw the Sprinte approaching and the train crossing gates closed only 6-7 seconds before the Sprinter crossed the intersection...this was a few days ago.

And they are saying that the Sprinter is going to be safe. 6-7 SECONDS!!!

LauraQ wrote on Mar 6, 2008 12:33 PM:Hooray! Great to see the Sprinter finally here. As a Sprinter Ambassador, I was given a round trip ride last Saturday. Very smooth and quiet and a lot of fun to ride. Try it before you knock it. See you on the rails!

SM resident wrote on Mar 6, 2008 12:51 PM:Rick: Why take your bike on the train when you can just ride the roads and bike paths along side the train tracks to Oceanside? You will probably get to your destination quicker and your bike is most likely more reliable than the train. You can also speed through all of the stops. Just keep an eye out on the paths next to the train for any dangerous parts that might have flown off the train that could do a number on your tires.

Corina wrote on Mar 6, 2008 1:10 PM:I think it will be great...I fell sorry for the ones who will be driving and have to stop at the busy rail road crossings

Do you know how wrote on Mar 6, 2008 1:14 PM:many commuter cars are broken into in San Diego's Trolley Stations? Will we have security in the parking lots too?

Olaf wrote on Mar 6, 2008 1:17 PM:WHAA! WHAA WHAA cry me a river. You guys are so negative and anti-anything. Try smiling once in a while. This is good for the county. STOP thinking of your selfs and try thinking of others. People will ride it (maybe not doctors etc.... ) quit complaining about costs when you probably look for every loop hole in the tax code anyway. Stop complaining and then do nothing about it. Come up with your ideas how to fix traffic ... Please leave out "Build more roads"... You have to stop with th old mentality of drive everywhere. People need to live closer to work and shops. Less big boxes (more driving to them) and more small shops on several corners. A trip in the car should be less then a gallon of gas. I am sure for some that is closer then you could imagine driving a hummer. But some of us like the train and will us it.

Mr. Negativity wrote on Mar 6, 2008 1:33 PM:predicts in 6 months once the novelty wears off, we are going to see a schedule change for the Sprinter. You can't justify sending the Sprinter from Escondido to Oceanside with the 10 people that currently get on the Oceanside bound 302 at mid morning or mid afternoon.

alejandro wrote on Mar 6, 2008 1:46 PM:the only costumer people sprinter have are the ones who profit from it and their friends,meantime vistans residents suffer every day, every 15 minutes why? becouse the plesure to go to the beach? or perhaps just for fun. from oceanside to escondido what else ,what else?

Vista Native wrote on Mar 6, 2008 1:55 PM:Wow such negativity! Are you ever happy? I am thinking about taking the sprinter. It stops a couple blocks away from where I work. I drive from Vista to San Marcos everyday and have noticed recently the traffic is getting worse. I have seen the sprinter in downtown Vista and it passes me up by the time I get to San Marcos. At $54 dollars a month that will be $12.56 a month. Hmmm at gas prices and wear and tear on my car it seems like a deal. I might even read a book and have a cup of coffee on the way to work. It is here, let's look up possibilities before we condemn. I also hope they have a bike rake. Wow riding a bike a few blocks for exercise! Life is good.
Year pass $648.00 compared to 10 gallons of gas a week $1820.00, saving my car 3900 miles a year. Then you add tires, oil changes and other incidentals. Makes you think.

tony&marie wrote on Mar 6, 2008 1:59 PM:yaaa, Now we can eat and drink adult beverages in other towns....even get to San Diego. Just like Chicago..

I don't want to wrote on Mar 6, 2008 2:10 PM:know! Eat adult beverages?

sPrInTmKtInG wrote on Mar 6, 2008 2:17 PM:to those whiners out there: the sprinter was made to satisfy the "general" transportation needs of North County ... not YOUR needs specifically as an individual, if your not happy get off your but, get involved and make a difference! ... and to those who guessed there will be a schedule change, take it to the bank, in less then 6 months you will be right.

and no i dont live in north county, i live in Point Loma, where all the common sense folk in San Diego reside

To NCTD wrote on Mar 6, 2008 2:35 PM:Why oh why disd you have to change all of the Breeze schedules around to accomendate the Sprinter? We will now wait sometimes up to 1/2 hour for connecting routes, why can't you adjust the Sprinter to the Breeze? The Breeze riders are you bread and butter.

A Clear Perspective wrote on Mar 6, 2008 2:43 PM:To Granny: -- I'm glad that retired individuals and Students at CSUSM will have another means for getting to the beach and entertainment venues but for the world that is in most need of a mass-transit solution, this route is simply not the answer. Busses should service local stops and trains should deal with the larger issues of getting people moved greater distances. This train doesn't even service as many places as the bus did (# of stops) so it really doesn't save anyone any time because now they have to find some way to get to and from where the train stops and where they're coming from/going to. All it has done is spent a TON of money and created more stress and danger on those traveling the surface streets to access the overflowing freeway systems to get to and from where the jobs are. We need to be building routes along the congested freeways... the issue of available land is always brought up and yet they always seem to find it when they want to add another 6 lanes... it's an issue that can be resolved by putting it down the median. Until the routes go places that are useful... it will be a lost cause for getting people to use it. But for you... I'm glad you'll be able to get to the movies and the beach. Just don't come complaining in a couple years about all the college kids that will be sharing those places with you ;).

svelte wrote on Mar 6, 2008 3:12 PM:The Sprinter is not intended to be a profit maker - it is intended to be a vital part of our transportation infrastructure as we look towards the future and increasingly expensive energy. I can now go from my house in San Marcos all the way to downtown San Diego using only public transportation (Sprinter and Coaster).

I am a huge car fan and won't give up my ride until they pry the keys from my cold dead hands. But I'm just as thrilled that we as a community have an alternative when the feeling hits us...and for those for which it is the ONLY alternative.

Congrats, NCTD. It is a gorgeous system.

Michael B. wrote on Mar 6, 2008 3:18 PM:You know, the same comments were made about the Los Angeles Metro System, specifically the Metro Red Line (subway). Oh, it goes nowhere, no one takes the train in LA! Well, just that line alone has a ridership around 120,000 daily. When the line was only open to Hollywood/Vine, it was around 60,000 daily. Two weeks upon opening to the North Hollywood station, it doubled. I've taken the Metro Rail in Los Angeles many times, rarely is it NOT busy. It can get to be standing room only on a Sunday. So, that being said, don't knock the Sprinter. It will help. It is a good thing. It may not go everywhere you want it to, but you have to start with something!

Concerned-1 wrote on Mar 6, 2008 3:31 PM:You have to admit, this is one cool looking train! I'm going to remain optimistic about it and mass transit in general. It is the way of the future.

Hatch in Escondido wrote on Mar 6, 2008 3:58 PM: I can understand the negativity. It is new and we all have our love affair with our cars. I won't use it much mainly because of not having the need. But, I like it.
I travel a lot. I've used Long Island Railroad, the NY City subways, the London Underground, the Shinkanen in Japan and rail transportation elsewhere in the world. For many, it is a convient and cost saving way to get around. For others, it is less frustrating. Still others are able to read, rest, and relax.
I say give it a chance, folks! Ridership in San Diego ain't that bad. Cities like Portland, Houston, Charlotte, Denver, Salt Lake City all love their light rail systems.
Besides, it is cool technology. It is a Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) that is both locomotive and passenger car. It's fuel economy is better than an Amtrak train because it is much lighter.

alejandro wrote on Mar 6, 2008 4:01 PM:sprinter shows strong evidance of who controls in north county;did any one vote for 500 hundred million deal or what about take part of a barrio survey?

Oceanside Res wrote on Mar 6, 2008 4:06 PM:I live by the beach and watch the North south trains going by empty daily, Why wil this be differant?? Couuted 5 cars on one train without a single body unless they were lying on the floor. The train will help to bring the escondido and vista hoodrats to the pier to fight with our local trash though!!!

Marie-Anne wrote on Mar 6, 2008 4:25 PM:I hope they provide late night service, so my girlfriends and I can tipsy at the fancy Oceanside places then get our train ride back to Escondido. From there we can walk to my new condo in downtown! Yippee

RM in Vista wrote on Mar 6, 2008 4:39 PM:sPrInTmKtInG...it's butt, not but

Oceanside Res wrote on Mar 6, 2008 4:39 PM:The same morons who supported the water taxi between Oceanside and San Diego a couple of years ago support this thing. Lets see.. the water taxi was given 5 million dollars and made how mant trips before they scraped that great transportation innovation. There are a lot of better ways to spend our money. I would rather see the homeless helped a little more. Or are they going to be able to sleep in the new train stations??

Skip wrote on Mar 6, 2008 4:45 PM:Hey! I did not see a Military Discount in the fare scehdule.

LauraQ wrote on Mar 6, 2008 5:29 PM:You can take your bike on the Sprinter (look for the 'bike' logo next to the door for the proper car to enter). You can also store your bike in the bike lockers at any Sprinter station (bring your own lock) free of charge.

The latest Sprinter train arrives in Escondido Transit Center at 8:26 pm.

Yes, there will be roving security at all Sprinter stations. There is also 24/7 monitored security cameras observing all the stations.

Skip wrote on Mar 6, 2008 5:42 PM:I was able to find out that each Sprinter unit has two 200 gallon fuel tanks. As much as I looked though, I could not find out the projected fuel economy of how many gallons to the mile, as they do not give out the range or mileage figures. Unlike the trolleys, someone will have to physically refuel the train at least several times a day.

To Oceanside Res wrote on Mar 6, 2008 5:44 PM:The water taxi was a great idea until they figured out that the government had to kick in about $80.00 in subsidies for every passenger who used it, on every trip.

George wrote on Mar 6, 2008 6:07 PM:We discovered in "Sprinter: A solution Seeking A Problem" that each Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) gets 0.69 miles per gallon. Details in the article at: http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/06/13/opinion/commentary/18_31_176_12_07.txt -- if it gets better mileage than Amtrak, Coaster, or Metrolink then I'm not so sure I want to know how many gallons they need to go one mile.

Hagar wrote on Mar 6, 2008 6:34 PM:Yes, there will be plenty of security on the Sprinter, at least to start. I suspect there will be a roving car and one or two working on the Sprinter itself later. You are pretty much on your own, though. Don't invite trouble. You can be followed off the train, and they will open the ball there.

bryan wrote on Mar 6, 2008 9:59 PM:im betting it will take a dozen cars off the 78 log jam. Maybe if they could spend another 500 million dollars we could get a couple more people off the highway. With this amount of money we could have built a 10 lane highway on top of the current highway.

Escondido Guy wrote on Mar 7, 2008 7:49 AM:All this negativity. It sounds very similar to the reaction when BART was first put into place in the SF Bay Area. Ridership initially was low, but ride BART now and it's a full train most of the time.

John E wrote on Mar 7, 2008 8:02 AM:"Oceanside Res[-] wrote on Mar 6, 2008 4:06 PM:I live by the beach and watch the North south trains going by empty daily, Why wil this be differant?? Couuted 5 cars on one train without a single body unless they were lying on the floor."

The peak weekday commute Coaster trains, i.e., the first five southbound in the morning and the last five northbound in the evening, are typically anywhere from 75% full, i.e., 500 passengers per 5-coach train, to standing room only. The Coaster removes more than 2000 cars from I-5 during the two morning rush hours and again during the peak evening rush hours. It provides a genuine and welcome choice for those able and willing to use it.

To John E wrote on Mar 7, 2008 8:57 AM:I am impressed! 2,000 cars gone from the freeways! The US 2006 Census for Esondido alone, 133,510. Yep that 2,000 really helps!

Annie wrote on Mar 7, 2008 9:22 AM:I'm with the stop complaining club. Many people and volunteers have worked daily for years to make this a reality. Open your eyes people. We are supposed to almost double in population in 30 years! Where will all those cars go? We are already too late. Do your homework - most of the cost increases are due to delays caused by nimbys! Some people in this community, myself included, have been involved with mass transit since we arrived. For me that was 1979. I have my own car but love to take trains. My entire family is so excited! We will be there inaugural day to show our report and I know many many people who plan to use the train. Two college kids that come to my home in Vista can't wait!! Thanks to all of the NCTD staff, management and government officials and businessmen and women and volunteers for helping to give birth to the vital and classy mass transit option. See ya on Sunday at the Vista Transit Center with bells on my toes! Oh, and if we still have a few kinks to work out - don't sweat it. Every form of transportation is a work of art and those in the industry would be nowhere if we gave up the first time! Go get'em NCTD!

Oceanside Res wrote on Mar 7, 2008 9:53 AM:John E . You are so full of it. I walk my dog along the track several times a day at all hours and have even taken the train to san diego during the so called rush hour and I dont know where you are getting this 75% full crap. Its my bet you either work for the system or are involved with trans. in some way. 1 or 2 busy days a month does not qualify for the success you describe. Also if the train were as busy as you describe there would be far more than 2000 cars off the freeway. You need to get your numbers straight!! I am not saying the thing will be a total failure, there will be people that will be able to use to their advantage but not enought to justify the enormous expense of the build and upkeep of the system. In addition I live in south Oceanside, made a trip downtown, caught the gate and traffic backup both ways. I would hate to be living in the areas like vista or college blvd where the rush hour is already tough and have to deal with the train crossings. What about the wasted full and overheating cars in the inland area during summer. Also crossing to Pacific using Mission you get the gates whether there is a train or not. So lets see. Yesterday on a 45 minute circle doing errands I caught 3 train gates and sat about 8 minutes. Sounds great!!! I like all the really pos. comments coming on the board here. It is obvious someone working for the transit system is being paid to sit and post them. At least that helped create a new job for someone !!

Sorry Annie wrote on Mar 7, 2008 12:20 PM:But nice try! NCTD still can't afford to give you that raise.

KG wrote on Mar 7, 2008 7:53 PM:I'm going to ride it with my family just for fun....to like maybe the Old Spaghetti Factory in San Marcos and walk 1 block over to it. I have a car but we will be taking it with my kids for fun adventures. Negativity is ridiculous. What's done is done!!

bus driver wrote on Mar 7, 2008 8:38 PM:Vista Native: Don't drink too much coffee while relaxing on the sprinter. When that train meets head on with a person or vehicle your won't be going anywhere. And please be aware, restroom facilities are NOT provided on the sprinter or at any of the sprinter stations, except at the major transit stations. Hope you and all who ride have a strong bladder. What a shame though, the coaster caters to the passengers who ride.

j-dog wrote on Mar 8, 2008 7:31 PM:The coaster is just another freebie for our illegal immigrant population. They already get a free education for their kids, free breakfast and lunch at school, free healthcare, free gas and electric. Why not provide them with free transportation to and from their jobs too?

Josh W. wrote on Apr 23, 2008 9:02 PM:Any news on the bike lane from oceanside to escondio? Is it open? Dedicated for bikes? Entry points? BTW the sprinter seems packed every time I see it, not sure where they are going. Im amazed, and thought for sure it would be empty more than not. Not sure about the coaster, but so far the sprinter seems to be doing well.