Bumpity, bump

That could describe the racing at Hellyer last night, but this morning it is what I experienced on CalTrain. Train 227 gets to Mountain View about 10 minutes late, I am early enough to catch it, but the house is over full so I take the gentle push to stay behind rather than fight for one of the spots standing in the vestibule. Train 231, my normal train, is due in just a few minutes anyway. Then 231 shows up with Bombardier equipment and only 1 bike car, so max of 16 bikes total on the train and there are 15 on the platform waiting to board. So it was waiting another 20 minutes for the next train, which had room for only 13 bikes and there were about 18 on the platform. But I fought this one out and got on that train.

CalTrain needs to rethink their bicycle strategy; putting a Bombardier set with one bike car on a run, like #231, that usually has a full bike car is going to cause ripple effects for the rest of the morning. The topic of conversation on the train this morning: folding bikes. Perhaps I will be forced to go that direction.

Update: The fun continued on the way home. The train I usually catch at Hillsdale normally has Gallery equipment, with a capacity of at least 32 bikes, and runs full. Tonight it pulls in with a Bombardier set, 16 bikes max. Conductor comes out and says 3 bikes, only. And there were at least 8 folks waiting to get on.