History Happening Now An Electrifying Weekend
The weekend of September 21 & 22 was an “ electrifying ” two days Free rides allowed passengers to check out the new train system . Changing from diesel engines to an electrified power delivery system is a plan that took many years and a large budget to complete . The electric system will run from San Jose to San Francisco .
Celebration events were held in Mountain View , as well as other cities . On Saturday , Representative Anna Eshoo was the keynote speaker at the Mountain View event . In her speech she detailed the huge amount of planning and vision that it took to make such a significant change . Mayor Pat Showalter also spoke to the assembled crowd . To recognize the continued support
Representative Anna Eshoo rides her new namesake CalTrain electric engine . of Anna Eshoo , an engine was named in her honor .
According to the CalTrain website ; “ The primary purpose of Caltrain Electrification is to improve Caltrain system performance and curtail long-term environmental impacts by reducing noise , improving regional air quality , and lowering greenhouse gas emissions .” Benefits of the new train cars include free Wi-Fi , outlets at every seat , bathrooms , and digital displays with trip information .
Because electric trains can accelerate and decelerate faster and easier , they will provide more frequent service and improved travel
times — the trip to San Francisco will be less than an hour . Trains will run more frequently ( about every 30 minutes ), including weekends . During commute hours additional trains will be added .
Annually , the change from diesel to electric is the equivalent of taking 55,000 cars off the road ( 250K metric tons of carbon dioxide ).
Express , limited and full service trains will be available at the downtown Castro Street location . The San Antonio station will offer limited and full service . https :// www . caltrain . com .
This year the Peninsula is celebrating 160 years of train service . From a coal powered engine service that was a two hour trip to an electric system that offers a journey of less than an hour — that ’ s an “ electrifying ” change .
Art above our heads by Jonathan Clark
For over forty years drivers on El Camino Real have been lucky to be able to view a wonderful piece of public art . The privately owned but readily seen piece is the mosaic panel above the Chase Bank at the corner of Castro Street and El Camino Real . Thousands of cars pass daily — but how many of us have carefully looked at this incredible artwork ?
The Chase Bank building at the intersection of El Camino Real and Castro Street , originally the location of Home Savings and Loan , was initially proposed in 1975 . The building was designed and ornamented by artist Millard Sheets and Associates , as part of the savings bank empire founded by Howard Ahmanson . This remarkable collaboration between artist and financier resulted in over 160 buildings throughout California and other states , decorated by the Sheets studio and widely acknowledged today as landmarks of art created for public enjoyment but funded by private enterprise .
The story of California artist Millard Sheets and his evolution from plein-air watercolorist to design studio impresario is well documented . The collaboration with Home Savings began in 1954 , and by the early 1970s the Sheets studio was creating what is regarded as their finest work . Their signature mosaic murals were individually researched for each location to reflect local history , and this is particularly true for the Mountain View building .
While the project was under review by the City Council , Millard Sheets personally attended meetings and offered modifications based on suggestions from planning director Glen Gentry . The mosaic itself , while incorporating some standard themes , was specifically adapted to reflect Mountain View ’ s particular historical development .
The mosaic panel was designed by a woman artist , Susan Lautmann Hertel , principal collaborator ( and former student ) of Sheets and eventual president of Millard Sheets Design , Inc . The mural bears her signature , and her initials can be discerned at the lower right edge of the mosaic .
The bank building opened in 1977 . Local newspapers carried articles about the new building and the wonderful mosaic on the front . Home Savings was acquired by Washington Mutual in 1998 . Ten years later JP Morgan Chase became the successor and operates the bank location today .
The property where the bank is located is slated for redevelopment into a commercial and residential mixed-use project . The current plans call for preserving and reinstalling the mosaic ( and the artwork inside the bank ) in the new project .
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