Sprinter (rail service)

SPRINTER
A Sprinter train near College Blvd. in July 2020
Overview
OwnerNorth County Transit District
LocaleNorth San Diego County, California, United States
Termini
Stations15[1][2]
Websitegonctd.com
Service
TypeHybrid rail
SystemNorth County Transit District
Route number399 (internal documents only)[3]
Depot(s)Escondido Storage and Maintenance Yard
Rolling stock12 Siemens Desiro[1]
Daily ridership6,100 (weekdays, Q3 2024)[4]
Ridership1,362,600 (2023)[5]
History
OpenedMarch 9, 2008 (March 9, 2008)[1]
Technical
Line length22 miles (35 km)[1]
Number of tracksSingle: 56%
Double: 44%[6]
CharacterAt-grade on exclusive right-of-way
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Operating speed50 mph (80 km/h) (top)[7]
25 mph (40 km/h) (average)
Route map
Map SPRINTER highlighted in navy
Oceanside
Amtrak Metrolink (California)
Coast Highway
Crouch Street
El Camino Real
Rancho Del Oro
College Boulevard
Melrose Drive
Vista
Civic Center–Vista
Buena Creek
Palomar College
San Marcos Civic Center
Cal State San Marcos
Nordahl Road
Storage and Maintenance Yard
Escondido
North County Mall
(planned)

Parking All stations have parking
Handicapped/disabled access All stations are accessible

Sprinter (stylized in all caps) is a hybrid rail (light rail with some features similar to commuter rail) service operating in the North County area of San Diego County between the cities of Escondido and Oceanside, California, United States. The service uses the 22-mile (35 km) Escondido Subdivision of the San Diego Northern Railroad. Station platforms were constructed for the line's fifteen stations[2][8] serving the cities of Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, and Escondido. The line provides service to California State University, San Marcos and Palomar College. Sprinter service operates every 30 minutes and is targeted towards students and commuters.

Sprinter is operated by the North County Transit District, the area's public transit agency. The agency also operates the Coaster commuter rail service and the Breeze transit bus services. At Oceanside Transit Center, Sprinter connects to three commuter rail services (Coaster and the Metrolink Orange County and Inland Empire–Orange County lines), as well as to Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner inter-city rail service.

Just after the pandemic, ridership for Sprinter declined by 46 percent (fiscal year 2020-21), according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. During the pandemic, it is assumed ridership was dramatically reduced as many worked or went to school from home.

  1. ^ a b c d "SPRINTER Fact Sheet" (PDF). North County Transit District. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 13, 2018. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Sprinter Stations – NCTD". North County Transit District. Archived from the original on March 19, 2019. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  3. ^ "Appendix A: Transportation Projects, Programs, and Phasing" (PDF). San Diego Association of Governments. p. 119. Retrieved June 7, 2024. Light Rail Transit (LRT) 399 SPRINTER (Oceanside to Escondido)
  4. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Third Quarter 2024" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. November 20, 2024. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  5. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Time-Is-Now was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ SMA Rail Consulting (April 2016). "California Passenger Rail Network Schematics" (PDF). California Department of Transportation.
  8. ^ "SPRINTER – NCTD". North County Transit District. Retrieved September 8, 2013.

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