I presented an overview of my version of the State Belt and a bit of the reasoning behind its design. This was for the Bay Area LD/Opsig gathering, which has been going on the week before the Super Bowl for almost 30 years now. It wasn’t my first time attending the event, but the first time I had been invited to speak.
Getting ready for this presentation was the impetus for me to do some cleaning on the layout to get it slightly more ready for some photographs, and also to get the track plan done. I had some good discussion with the attendees about some of the decisions I made and what the future plans are. It definitely helps that many of the locals here are rather familiar with the prototype.
I do recommend this event to anyone considering the trip. There is also an online version if you’re not able to make it in person.
And here is the slide deck, for anyone who might like to take another look.
I will also note, as I sit here in a hotel right next to the Santa Clara depot, that it’s quite refreshing to listen to the parade of passenger trains coming by. Friday afternoon had Caltrain electric trains coming by every 15 minutes or so in each direction; a steady stream of Capitol Corridor trains (Amtrak service from San Jose to Sacramento); a handful of the Altamont Commuter Express runs, and finally the eastbound run of the Coast Starlighter. For someone used to one passenger train a day in each direction, this is nice to see. I’ll hop onto the Caltrain northbound to get to the airport tomorrow morning to head home.
Thanks to everyone at the gathering today for a great experience.
Building the State Belt Railway 