Last week, the commission voted to spend more than $142,000 to design the cameras that can sweep Altamont Commuter Express platforms and parking lots. In the case of the main station in Stockton, the cameras will record areas inside the building, as well.
The cameras will have sophisticated software with “video analytics,” which in this case means they will have the ability to zoom in and read license plate numbers. Facial recognition software is not part of the cameras, officials say.
Footage from the cameras will be fed live to police agencies, according to ACE officials. It will also be viewed by commission employees 24 hours a day and stored for at least seven days.
Grant money from the federal Department of Homeland Security will be used to pay for the cameras, said Steve Walker, head of security for the rail commission.
Homeland Security grant money will also be used to familiarize fire crews and police officers with ACE trains, as well as to conduct a terrorist training exercise next year, Walker said.
Tracy firefighters will spend three days in November with an ACE train car so they can get to know its ins and outs, how to shut down a train if needed, and how to turn off the fuel supply, just in case there is an emergency, Walker said.
The cameras are expected to be installed by next spring.
They will replace cameras that have covered San Joaquin County platforms and stations for about 10 years. For the first time, cameras will survey stations beyond Tracy.
“The hope is to prevent something from happening,” Walker said, “to passengers, to trains, to property.”
Commission cameras that are now in place in San Joaquin County have no ability to record footage. Nor are they plugged in to police stations, as the new cameras will be. Wireless technology could even give officers the ability to view footage from the new cameras in their patrol cars, Walker said.
Allowing police to view footage in real time lets them see something firsthand, instead of relying on someone else’s description of suspicious activity, behavior or items.
The cameras and training exercises are part of a broader effort to make the trains, stations and platforms more secure. Walker says it’s all part of Homeland Security’s “prevention and deterrence” practices — akin to ACE suggesting to riders, as it recently did, “If you see something, say something.”
“We want to make sure we’re doing everything we can,” Walker explained.
Between train departures and arrivals, ACE employees shoo away people who hang out on the platforms or in the parking lot, where Walker has caught people having sex in cars or merely eating lunch.
“If someone’s just sitting there,” he said, “we have to be proactive. We don’t want people hanging out in the lot.”
What he doesn't tell you is they operate with a deficit because they're always expanding and adding service. Otherwise that train wouldn't be here. Onboard those trains it says it was paid for by Measure J.
I agree with the freeway thing. They should have built one from the 132 through to the southbay. I heard that PG&E (or someone) owns that land and has a road through already that could be expanded and built up to be used? Has anyone else heard that?
So anyway, we have the train now and many people like it and use it. How do we make it profitable?
I don't think you get it. The trains won't cross freeway traffic. This special interest agenda criss crossed too?
While some trains operate on a loss. Many people would disagree with you. If you took VTA, Light Rail, ACE, AMTRAK, CalTrains away you would "unwound" the Bay Area economy.
And let's be honest if you could be in LA for the time you spend going to the airport security clearance, most people would be all over that idea.
That's not special interest, Tom. That's common sense for the economy.
Shelly I guess I have not been clear on the issue. Let me try to explain. The train runs on a budget when that budget exceeds the revenue taken in that is a loss. That is the problem the train has been running in the red for 10 years.
The figure per year, loss is around 12 million per year. We cannot continue to keep going with this SPECIAL INTEREST AGENDA to support those who live here and use the system. With 12 million per year we could build some great freeways.
Let the trains do the hauling of goods and services, and get the trucks off the roads. I know your brother owns trucking company and you have an uncle that works for the railroad. This whole system needs to be unwound, our legislators have made a mess of things.
So, if you do not like the train ideas...what is your solution?
Thank you very much on the trains, but no thanks. We have spent over a Century and half dealing with the Iron Horse. It as the Bullet Train won't do it.
If we are to build all these freeways, and cress cross the highways with trains it will be a mess. The sounds of trains alone makes, many ill. We must find a way to ship goods and travel rather than by train, or car for that matter.
Just think about it when was the last time you saw a train, go through a town in a straight line.
When the railroads were first built they crossed the land in angles, to shorter the distance not worrying about who's land they crossed. I know they owned most of the land.
The idea is coming back north again. Washington DC is planning to build a high speed train in California. From Los Angeles to Sacramento. And from Central Valley to the Bay Area. It's part of our vision to get this country moving - FAST.
How nice for you special interest people to put all the cartoons on the blog. Those are your opinions and I respect that.
Please respect mine. We can't afford to subsidize the ACE train or anything connected to it. My Friend Bob Cabral had a good idea with the ACE train idea, but it went South. Remember IT DOESN'T PAY TO LIVE IN TRACY IT COSTS. That is part of the bad idea.
The ACE train was a great idea. Now we just need to get BART to Livermore. They have been paying for it for years and now BART is building another station where is isnt needed. They need to extend it to Livermore. That and the ACE train are very benficial.
It is named for the Altamont Pass, through which it travels. The service was started on October 19, 1998 with two trains daily in each direction (weekdays only), later increased to three trains in each direction, and as of August 2006 runs four trains daily in each direction, including a "midday" train each direction. There are ten stops along its 86 mile (138 km) route, resulting in a total travel time of approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes end-to-end. Despite the fact that the tracks ACE runs on are owned by Union Pacific, ACE rarely experiences long delays as a result. ACE utilizes Bombardier BiLevel Coaches and MPI F40PH-3C locomotives, and is managed by the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission, with operations contracted to Herzog Transit Services.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altamont_Commuter_Express
Location: 4800 Tracy Blvd, Tracy, CA 95377
Directions
From westbound I-205, take the Tracy Blvd. exit. Go south to Linne Rd., turn left. » Map
From I-580, take the Corral Hollow exit north to Linne Rd. and turn right. » Map
From Grant Line Road, go South on Tracy Blvd. (Tracy Blvd. is East of Corral Hollow Rd. and West of Holly Dr.) Go all the way down Grant Line Road until you reach the SECOND railroad tracks. If you crossed Linne Road you have gone too far.
Ticket Sales
On Platform: Weekdays, 20 minutes prior to all departures for the three morning commute trains only
Online
Robert J. Cabral Station, Stockton
Amenities
ADA accessible
Free parking
Sheltered seating available on platform
Bicycle lockers available, call 800-411-7245
Newspaper racks available
Station Schedule
Westbound Departure
4:49 AM
6:04 AM
7:09 AM
9:59 AM
Eastbound Arrival
1:39 PM
5:09 PM
6:09 PM
7:09 PM
And on Spare the Air days the ACE Train is free.
Try it free by calling ACE before you complain about it.
http://www.acerail.com
(800) 411-RAIL
Well spent money for who? Special interest commuters, lets level the playing field and have those riders drive their cars to work like everyone else.
To put our county in the whole 12 million every year. Not everyone can afford to pay the price they are asking commuters. Wake up?
This is money well spent. I took public transportation and a guy returned to his car beside mine when we got off the transportation. His side window was smashed. Glass was all over the parking lot. I was concerned to go back there. Now with the cameras they can give the footage to the insurance company with the police report. I actually like it. I understand that the Stockton ACE Station used to have this problem until they put these cameras in. That problem was greatly reduced.
These cameras will save in several ways. Police costs, insurance costs, security costs, peace of mind, more business, more people taking transportation to say, a doctor, in say, Pleasanton, etc.
These all contribute to improving and extending your business/people/economic freiendly ecosystem in your community.
And, it will help improve public use of these types of transportation which reduce smog and adverse affects to the environment.
You can't put a price tag on something like that.
Even runnin th video feed ta PD is a good idea as well.
But th one thing overlooked, as it was when th city installed a camera in Talley Park is who's gonna sit down an watch th dang thing?
Yep, ya can put a recorder on it an look at things that happened after th fact, but if yer goin fer immediate action yer gonna have ta have someone watchin th dang thing 24 hours a day.
If ya don't make allowances fer someone ta operate it, it's nothing more than an investagative tool ta look inta things after they have happened.
In th case of terrorism that don't do much good after th distruction has taken place. I would think th idea should be to prevent such things from happenin, not just to look to see what went on after it happened.
In our current downsized economy I don't see em employin people ta watch these cameras real time so in my opinion they ain't gonna be much use in preventin terrorism from happenin.
Just my opinion.
Sorry commuters we can't afford to subsidize your special interest commute train. Especially now when so many people are out of work. The price of $142,000 in cameras to do what,and protect who.
If Homeland Security can afford to put cameras on a train that only holds 400 people, what about the million people who live in the towns that the train goes through.
Lets just place scanner security devices at the stations NOW THAT'S HOMELAND SECURITY.
If a terrorist was going to bomb something wouldn't they get on the train first, check the passengers first. Hello.