Atherton wins back weekend train service Atherton wins back weekend train service (May 25, 2005)

By Andrea Gemmet

Almanac Staff Writer

Atherton officials' dedicated lobbying efforts have scored the town a partial victory in its quest to keep its historic train station open -- weekend Caltrain service will continue.

Atherton officials teamed up with their counterparts in Burlingame to protest the planned "suspension of service" that would end train service starting in August. Representatives of the two towns met with Caltrain officials on May 18 to jointly lobby for restored train service and station upgrades.

The suspended service is part of a streamlined schedule that, combined with higher fares, was approved last month by Caltrain's joint powers board to address the rail service's budget woes -- a $13.6 million deficit was projected for the coming fiscal year.

"I'm happy they're giving us weekend service back, but I wish it was more," said Atherton Councilman Jim Janz. "In a way, it keeps them committed to the station. They're going to have to keep it open, and not put it in mothballs."

Caltrain plans to run a weekday shuttle service from both Atherton and Burlingame that will carry riders to nearby train stations. Details about the shuttle service are scarce, but Caltrain officials said they will guarantee to run it through 2006.

Station modifications -- safety improvements that will allow two trains to enter a station at the same time, instead of existing configurations that require the second train to wait or "hold out" outside of the station -- were planned for both Atherton and Burlingame, but put on hold when service was suspended. Caltrain officials agreed to pursue outside funding for the station projects, said spokeswoman Jayme Kunz.

Mr. Janz said Atherton is pressing for the fastest, cheapest version of station upgrades that will allow Atherton to shed its "hold-out" status. Hold-out stations slow down trains and give Caltrain officials an additional incentive for dropping train service to them.

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