VISTA: Escondido Avenue Sprinter station nearly ready
State inspectors visited site Monday
By PAUL SISSON - Staff Writer | ∞
Keith Beagin works on the fix for the "gap" in the train platform at Vista's Escondido Avenue Sprinter Station in June in preparation for the inspectors from the transit district. (File photo by John Koster - for the North County TImes) 
The Sprinter on its 22-mile route from Oceanside to Escondido does not currently stop at Vista's Escondido Avenue station. (Photo by John Koster- for fhe North County Times) VISTA ---- Transit officials said this week that they are moving closer to opening a shuttered eastbound Sprinter station at Escondido Avenue in Vista, though it was unclear Thursday how soon that could happen.
State inspectors visited the station Monday, reportedly giving their approval to safety equipment that has kept the light-rail line's east-bound platform closed for more than five months, said Tom Kelleher, a spokesman for the North County Transit District.
"Based on the visit Monday, they were pleased with how it was working," Kelleher said.
A spokeswoman for the California Public Utilities Commission said by e-mail Thursday that the agency's staff is reviewing the analysis of the station and will be "making a recommendation." She did not say when that might take place.
The transit district installed a series of telescoping metal plates attached to the ends of yellow metal gang ways on the eastbound platform. The plates are designed to fill gaps of up to 8 inches between Sprinter trains and the gangways, which provide a path for passengers to walk safely onto trains.
The Sprinter's rails curve sharply at Escondido Avenue and the concrete platform does not quite run parallel with trains, creating the gaps.
When the new rail line opened in March, the California Public Utilities Commission ---- which regulates light-rail safety ---- forbade the district from using the eastbound platform until it found a way to close the gaps.
Though transit officials were confident at the time that they could quickly fix the problem, that has not been the case.
Kelleher said that the commission has required the district to make some adjustments to the equipment that was installed and also do several safety studies to better anticipate how the system would handle a malfunction.
Kelleher said inspectors told district officials Monday, after coming to Vista and checking the system for a second time, that it meets their requirements and that the eastbound platform should be able to load and unload passengers soon.
But how soon remains a question.
"They have not given us a date yet," Kelleher said. "We will keep it closed until we get a written letter from the (Public Utilities Commission) telling us that we can begin using it."
A shuttle bus now carries eastbound passengers from Escondido Avenue to the Vista Village transit center where they can board the Sprinter.
Contact staff writer Paul Sisson at (760) 901-4087 or psisson@nctimes.com.
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Umm.. wrote on Aug 14, 2008 12:19 PM:Why not find out what an acceptable gap would be and then just make new gangways?
I'm sure there's some highly technical reason and that it's just not cost of the new gangways especially when you compare it against a bus that runs mostly empty, a driver to staff it, and the general lost revenue from using the Sprinter to this station, and dealing with the bus link instead, etc.
Seems to me that the rest of the world gets by with gaps, so just make this a little shorter.
VistaFan wrote on Aug 14, 2008 12:55 PM:We're still waiting......
I know people here in Vista who want to ride but won't yet, because they don't want to to go to the transit center. Looks like NCTD has done what they can and now we wait for the state.
Inspectors wrote on Aug 14, 2008 2:39 PM:Working at the speed of what. The work was finished 2 months ago? Same thing is happening in Old Town with the Coaster and new wheelchair ramps. Take 2-5 days to complete the construction and 2-5 months of waiting for the inspectors.
Takes Time wrote on Aug 14, 2008 3:36 PM:It takes time because the No New Taxes crowd doesn't want to pay for services that benefit the community, so, you get to wait for an inspector because they're backed up and overworked.
See? You get what you pay for. Isn't that just awesome?
Benefit The Community wrote on Aug 14, 2008 6:06 PM:Ah, yes, the Sprinter was supposed to reduce congestion on highway 78. It hasn't happened. Since our tax money is already being misspent, why should we provide more? It would be like enabling a drug addict to continue their bad choices.
Nanny watch wrote on Aug 14, 2008 7:30 PM:Thank you nanny state government for protecting me from the six inch gap tha may have sucked me into its vortex... I would much rather have the months without beneficial use of a half billion dollar tax investment you have provided us all! How luck are we???
DUHHH... wrote on Aug 14, 2008 7:44 PM:wasn't this curve in the rail obvious when the project was contracted? Why wasn't it done right the 1st time? Why doesn't the contractor pay the bill for the fix?
bogie wrote on Aug 14, 2008 8:15 PM:Well Takes Time @3:36 PM: you seem to have your panties in quite a twist this afternoon don't you. First of all, please identify the "No New Taxes crowd doesn't want to pay for services that benefit the community". Second your statement "you get to wait for an inspector because they're backed up and overworked" is ludicrous. Even when construction was at it's peak you could get an inspection in 2 days and usually one. I could pay $150 overtime fee and get them the same day. Back up your talk with some walk my friend. Tell us what your real problem is.
Mike S. wrote on Aug 14, 2008 11:52 PM:So, bogie, are you telling me that you regularly request CPUC transit inspectors? What transit system do you work for?
As for identifying the "No new taxes crowd that doesn't want to pay for services that benefit the community," they're right here in the comments section of any article that deals with transit or the Sprinter, moaning about how public transit is a "boondoggle." Of course, they never mention the fact that highways aren't fully paid for by gas taxes and receive substantial subsidies from other federal, state and local taxes.
question here. wrote on Aug 15, 2008 12:40 AM:"The Sprinter's rails curve sharply at Escondido Avenue and the concrete platform does not quite run parallel with trains, creating the gaps."
Is there some reason why they couldn't extend the actual concrete platform with more concrete SHAPED so that it will run parallel with the trains? Eight more inches of concrete--- that doesn't seem to me to be an insurmountable obstacle to overcome construction-wise.
John wrote on Aug 15, 2008 7:18 AM:Considering its NCTD behind this, with the STATE as the ultimate approver, is it ANY WONDER, that this has become the boon-doggle it is!
nearly ready wrote on Aug 16, 2008 10:46 AM:yeah right....heard that a few times before
Not so easy wrote on Aug 19, 2008 3:09 PM:Hey "question here" ... it's not so easy. The train does not bend -- except for at joints. So there is no way to just extend the platform out in a curved shape to meet the train because the train is made up of long straight sections that only bend at the joints. This is basic railroading 101. Trains stopped at curved platforms means you have to deal with gaps. Ever been to London and ridden the Tube? ... "Mind the Gap!"
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