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NCTD owns {{convert|62|mi|km|abbr=on}} of mainline track, including the {{convert|41.1|mi|km|abbr=on}} on which the Coaster travels. Traveling the entire Coaster route takes about an hour.<ref name="COASTER" />
NCTD owns {{convert|62|mi|km|abbr=on}} of mainline track, including the {{convert|41.1|mi|km|abbr=on}} on which the Coaster travels. Traveling the entire Coaster route takes about an hour.<ref name="COASTER" />


Consumption of alcoholic beverages is allowed on board the Coaster during certain hours for riders who are of the legal drinking age.<ref>{{citation|title=Brawl leads some to question Coaster drinking policy|journal=North County Times|author=Sisson, Paul|url=http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/08/03/news/coastal/8206190449.txt|date=August 2, 2006|accessdate=March 4, 2009}}{{deadlink|date=May 2014}}</ref>
Consumption of alcoholic beverages is no longer allowed on board Coaster trains or NCTD property as of February 1st, 2015. <ref>http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/North-County-Potential-Coaster-Alcohol-Ban-Faces-Controversy--286267641.html</ref>


===Schedule===
===Schedule===

Revision as of 00:28, 9 March 2015

Coaster
San Diego
Stops8[1]
Distance travelled41 mi (66 km)[1]
Technical
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Track owner(s)North County Transit District
Route map
Template:Infobox rdt

The Coaster (

northern coastal regions of San Diego County, California, United States. The service is operated by TransitAmerica Services on contract with North County Transit District
(NCTD). The service has eight stops and operates primarily during weekday peak periods, with additional weekend and holiday service.

History

San Diego Northern Railway (SDNR) purchased the tracks used by Coaster from the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in 1994. NCTD created the subsidiary San Diego Northern Railway Corporation in 1994[2] and dissolved it in 2002. Revenue Coaster service began February 27, 1995.[2] Funding for right-of-way acquisition and construction costs came from TransNet, a 1987 measure[2] that imposed a 0.5% sales tax on San Diego County residents for transportation projects. NCTD originally contracted Amtrak to provide personnel for Coaster trains. On July 1, 2006, TransitAmerica took over the day-to-day operation of the commuter train, based on a five-year, $45 million contract with SDNR. TransitAmerica is a subsidiary of Missouri-based Herzog Transit Services.

Current service

NCTD owns 62 mi (100 km) of mainline track, including the 41.1 mi (66.1 km) on which the Coaster travels. Traveling the entire Coaster route takes about an hour.[3]

Consumption of alcoholic beverages is no longer allowed on board Coaster trains or NCTD property as of February 1st, 2015. [4]

Schedule

More than 20 Coaster trains run on weekdays,[3] with additional service on the weekends.[5]

Station stops

The following are the stations served by the Coaster rail line:[6]

Station Connecting rail services
Zone 1
Oceanside Transit Center
Inland Empire-Orange County Line
)
Carlsbad Village
 Pacific Surfliner (limited service)
Carlsbad Poinsettia
 Pacific Surfliner (limited service)
Encinitas
 Pacific Surfliner (limited service)
Solana Beach
 Pacific Surfliner
Zone 2
Sorrento Valley
 Pacific Surfliner (limited service)
Zone 3
Old Town San Diego
 Pacific Surfliner (limited service)
San Diego Trolley (Green Line)
Santa Fe Depot
(Downtown San Diego
) 		Pacific Surfliner
San Diego Trolley (Green Line, Orange Line, Blue Line)

Connecting rail and bus transit services

Coaster route map (with other commuter lines included). This does not show routes of the San Diego Trolley.

The Coaster connects fully with Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner at Oceanside, Solana Beach, and Santa Fe Depot in San Diego, with more limited connection service available at the Old Town Transit Center; Pacific Surfliner service at Carlsbad Village, Carlsbad Poinsettia, Encinitas, and Sorrento Valley is co-offered Coaster service on 6 of the 22 weekday Surfliner trains.[7]

The Coaster also connects with the

Metrolink rail system at Oceanside, providing connecting service to Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. It connects to the San Diego Trolley (Green Line) and MTS buses at the Old Town Transit Center; it also connects to the San Diego Trolley (all lines) and MTS buses in the vicinity of the Santa Fe Depot in downtown San Diego – including to the MTS Route 992 bus which offers direct service to Lindbergh Field
from Downtown San Diego. Finally, the Coaster connects with BREEZE buses at all North San Diego County station stops (i.e. in Zone 1).

Fares & Ticketing

The cost of Coaster tickets is based upon the number of

Monthly passes are available. All tickets and passes include transfer agreements with NCTD BREEZE buses and monthly passes include transfer with the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) buses and Trolleys. On January 20, 2011, the NCTD implemented a fare reduction – the fare reduction led to increased ridership on the Coaster and so was made a permanent fare reduction in September 2011. As of January 2012, regular one-way fares are as follows:[8]

  • Within one zone: $4.00
  • Within two zones: $5.00
  • Within three zones: $5.50

With proof of eligibility, senior citizens (ages 60 and over), people with disabilities, and Medicare cardholders receive a 50% discount on the above fares.

Riding the Coaster without a valid ticket may result in a penalty fare of up to $250. Riders cannot purchase tickets on board the train.

Compass cards

Main article: Compass Card

In September 2008,

LCD
display shows text regarding the passenger's fare account.

Ridership

The Coaster carried about 514,450 passengers during its first year of operation,[9] and ridership rose steadily in the years that followed. In 2012, Coaster ridership was approximately 1.6 million people, with an average number of 5,600 weekday boardings.[1]

Approximately 40% of weekday commuters detrain at Sorrento Valley.[citation needed]

Rolling stock

Builder Type Purchased Numbers
Morrison-Knudsen
 F40PHM-2C 1994 2101–2105
EMD F59PHI 2001 3001–3002
Bombardier BiLevel Coach 1994 2201–2208
1997 2401–2406
2003 2501–2504
BiLevel Cab Car 1994 2301–2308
2003 2309–2310

Yards

NCTD maintains two rail storage yards for the Coaster. The main storage yard, located north of Oceanside at Stuart Mesa on

Camp Pendleton, is just north of the Oceanside station stop. This is where cars are stored for the night and trains are serviced. A small yard beside the San Diego Trolleys
' yard at 12th and Imperial in Centre City San Diego is used to store train-sets during the midday and for weekday train staging.

Future prospects

The Coaster remains stable for the foreseeable future. San Diego County voters extended the TransNet sales tax through 2038, which includes funding for rail track upgrades. For example, projects to double-track a greater portion of the NCTD-owned mainline are currently underway, and more are planned.

racetrack and fairgrounds.[10][13]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "COASTER Fact Sheet" (PDF). North County Transit District. January 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d "NCTD: Past, Present and Future" (PDF) (pdf). North County Transit District. January 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  3. ^ a b "COASTER - NCTD". North County Transit District. 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  4. ^ http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/North-County-Potential-Coaster-Alcohol-Ban-Faces-Controversy--286267641.html
  5. ^ "COASTER Schedule Effective April 1 - October 7, 2013" (PDF) (pdf). North County Transit District. 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  6. ^ "COASTER Stations". North County Transit District. 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  7. ^ "Six Trains Added to COASTER Schedule". North County Transit District. September 17, 2013. Retrieved December 21, 2013.
  8. ^ "Coaster Fares and Passes". North County Transit District. 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  9. ^ "Coaster 15th Anniversary Quick Facts" (PDF) (pdf). North County Transit District. 2010. Retrieved December 7, 2013.
  10. ^ a b "LOSSAN Rail Line - LOSSAN Rail Corridor Improvements". Keep San Diego Moving (TransNet). Retrieved August 10, 2013.
  11. ^ Prey, Bill; Rekola, Brett (June 2011). Capacity Expansions of LOSSAN Corridor in San Diego (PDF). APTA Rail Conference. San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) & North County Transit District. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  12. ^ "Marines, NCTD eye Camp Pendleton Coaster stop". The San Diego Union-Tribune. November 11, 2011. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
  13. ^ St John, Alison (March 14, 2008). "SANDAG Board to Explore Viability of Del Mar Track Train Station". KPBS. Retrieved November 8, 2013.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Coaster (San Diego).
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