Caltrain faces the problem of overcrowding of the bike cars with cyclists often getting bumped and not aloud to board. Caltrain’s recent decision was to add more bike parking at stations. This makes little sense, as many cyclists a.) do not live/work close enough to either end of their commute to walk the remaining distance b.) don’t feel comfortable leaving their bikes parked anywhere all day c.) don’t want to purchase a second bike to keep at the other end of their commute.

Here is a link to show what a typical train is like. Note, the regular car is nearly empty. The bike car is stuffed to capacity: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vRFFlXZvjN4/SOVEcHfwDVI/AAAAAAAAAHY/Siu2JzNQqQ0/s1600-h/CT+bumps.bmp

Last night, Caltrain announced that they will most likely be addng more bike capacity to the trains.

One last rant - when Caltrain added the new trains (the bullet-looking ones, not the steel ones), they cut bike capacity in half. The old style trains hold 32 bikes. The new style trains hold a mere 16. And the new trains force you to face your seat mates with your knees constantly bumping.  FAIL.

Here’s the article about the GENIUS idea to add more bike capacity to the cars.

Just the ticket for bikers

Caltrain to find more space for 2-wheelers

By Shaun Bishop / Daily News Staff Writers

Faced with growing frustration from bicyclists who are tired of being turned away from packed Caltrain cars, officials pledged Thursday to find a way to allow more bikes on board.

The rail agency’s board also approved a Bicycle Access and Parking Plan that calls for more bike lockers at stations, a bike sharing program and other improvements to make the train more accommodating to bicyclists.

Loyal Caltrain commuters say that plan doesn’t speak to the main problem - most bicyclists who ride the train bring their wheels on board because they need them to get to and from the station.

Caltrain Executive Director Michael Scanlon said Thursday he hears them loud and clear, and has ordered his engineering teams to study ways to increase capacity.

Scanlon said he wants to make the bicycle capacity of trains - which can range from 16 to 32 to 64 bikes, depending on the configuration of cars - more consistent so riders can better anticipate when cars will be full.

He said staff will also study rearranging passenger seats or adding space for more bicycles inside the existing bike cars, and expects to make changes “within months, not years.

“Clearly, they are among our most loyal and our most supportive customers,” Scanlon said.

The issue has reached a boiling point for cyclists who have flocked to the train in an era of high gas prices and concerns about climate change. A Burlingame man was arrested last week after he tried to board a bike car that a conductor said was full.

Bicyclists say getting “bumped,” or rejected from boarding, is getting old.

“I think there’s a real urgency to the immediate situation and to address this frustration,” said Paul Goldstein, a board member for the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition.

Shirley Johnson with the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition called for Caltrain to remove 400 seats from its trains, a move she said would alleviate the capacity problem. Bike advocates say other passengers are never denied boarding because they can stand if their cars are full.

“It’s a big difference between standing for your trip and standing on the platform,” said Bob Mack, a San Jose resident who commutes with his bicycle.

But Caltrain spokeswoman Christine Dunn said the agency isn’t considering removing seats because passenger cars are often full during peak commute hours - a contention that bicycle advocates dispute.

Dunn said the success of the bicycle valet program at the 4th and King station in San Francisco shows there is demand for bike parking at stations, and officials hope the parking plan approved Thursday will help meet that demand.

Everyone seemed to agree, though, that Caltrain must increase bike capacity on trains to avoid sending bikers back to their cars.

Caltrain Board Member Forrest Williams, a San Jose council member, suggested looking at using smaller passenger seats to create more room and consider allowing more space for passengers to stand in the cars.

Several board members said giving riders advance information about the bike capacity of trains could be an effective short-term fix.

“Even if you can’t totally satisfy capacity, if you have predictability, it can go a long way,” said Jim Hartnett, chairman of the board and a Redwood City council member.