Ace Rail 56: Earthquakes Arena

These are my most recent pictures of the stadium going up close to Santa Clara Station; but accessible by car from Coleman Avenue.  The inaugural match is scheduled for March 22, a month away.  It is going to be called Avaya Stadium, as they provided some corporate sponsorship.  It is to hold 18,000.

I am adding a picture of the totem pole on the other side of the freeway which is on Stockton Avenue. Through the years this has been one of the things our family has always wanted to see.

Ace Train 51: Earthquakes Arena Progress

The outer metal beam frame for the Earthquake Stadium is pretty much done.  This is opposite the Santa Clara Stadium and is going to be off of Coleman.  This puts it on the backside of the airport.  The San Jose Earthquakes are the MLS soccer team.  They have had some successful years, but have always had to borrow stadiums; most recently Santa Clara, which coincidentally is on the other side of Santa Clara Station off of The Alameda.

This last pictures shows a different structure in front of the stadium.  This must be where tickets are gong to be sold, and possible office buildings.

Ace Train 46: Something Interesting at the Light Rail, and the Earthquakes Stadium

Steady progress with the steal frame.  This is off of Coleman, close to the Santa Clara Station

I noticed this at the light rail station.  I don't know if it is new.  It was running a motor, and seemed to be a cooler.  I don't know what they were cooling.  For all I knew to outside air, perhaps to combat global warming.  Anybody know what this is and what it is for?

Ace Train 45: Earthquakes Stadium and Train Safety

The exterior of the San Francisco 49er Stadium is pretty much done, and doesn't change any these days.  However the Earthquake Stadium is now also showing good progress.  The steal beams for another side are going up.
Unfortunately this post has a more serious theme.  Friday, in going to work the light-rail announced that the train could not go past Fruitdale Station (this is my stop anyway.)  There was a bicyclist-train accident at Bascom Station.  The individual on the bike was not killed, but seriously injured and had to be life-flighted.
And then yesterday, I hear the first Ace-train struck a pedestrian.   I did not go to work yesterday, but if I had I would have been late getting home.
http://livermore.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/pedestrian-killed-after-being-struck-by-train
Trains can be so dangerous.  In Argentina, where there are many trains, a common goodbye was, "Don't get hit by a train."  I think this reminded people to be careful.  I offer this little song, to remind us of the same theme.

Choo, choo the big train is headed down the track
Stop, Look and Listen
May we all be safe.

Ace Train 44: Stadium Progress and Bear, Buffalo and Giant Snowman in Pleasanton

No it wasn't a real bear, but it gave me a start all the same.  Friday I met the family in Pleasanton.  Instead of hanging around the train our, station cold for a half hour, I walked to the Jack-In-The-Box at the corner.  It was pretty dark already, and when I came upon this bear at a bank it gave me a start. 

There was a buffalo at the bank where the bear was.  Crossing the street there was a jogging trail, so I followed it.  There was a Christmas Tree vendor with a giant Frost (not Wendy's but snowman).

I followed the trail right to the restaurant and I got dinner to go.  We were headed for the temple. 

I have seen the Christmas Train in Bernal a couple times, but too slow to get pictures.  I do have a couple stadium pictures: $9ers is done except the cosmetic stuff. 
I can actually see some progress on the Earthquake Stadium.  It is amazing because for so long they seemed to be preparing the ground. There is actually a steal frame work there now. 

One last travel to work story.  At Diridon Station I make the transfer to the light rail.  You have to cross the light rail tracks with gate on either side.  A homeless person was struggling, but getting through the first gate.  So being me, I held the second gate for him.  He gave me and "F' you, I don't need your help."  So I continued on my way, and as I passed him I said, "Merry Christmas."  That got me a couple F' yous.  I guess he just wasn't in a Christmasy mood. 

Ace Train 40: 580 on Stilts

 This is part of the Altamont Pass 580 Freeway.  From the Freeway you can't tell, but from the train or the old Altamont Pass Road you can tell that there is a section that the road is supported by beams rather than dirt.  Jeremy he says one night when he was on the road late, they were working adding additional beams.

There is some progress on the Earthquakes Stadium, but they are still doing preliminary ground preparation.

 However the 49er Stadium is a thing of beauty.  They have finally added some color to the stadium this past week.

ACE Train 37: Lightrail Derailment, Stadium Update, Shark Tank

There have been some happenings along the train route the past month.  The first involves derailment of the Light Rail.  This was Monday.  I didn't  know what happened, only that the trains were off schedule.  Actually, going to work, ours was on time.  Coming home the train was fourteen minutes late.  The derailment was on my line, but closer to the 49er stadium in Santa Clara.  They created a bus bridge, with the trains turning around at the derailment.  They did not cross until after 3:30 in the afternoon.  The actual derailment was at 7:30 in the morning.  Link to Mercury News article and pictures:
http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_23663143/light-rail-train-derails-north-san-jose-lengthy?IADID=Search-www.mercurynews.com-www.mercurynews.com

The other happening is a bit more tragic.  This actually took place a month ago.  An elevator worker was killed at the 49er Stadium construction site.  A co-worker told me about this this week, so I  thought it was new, but it actually was the first of June.  He was working under the elevator, and the counter weight got him.  They actually closed the work site for a couple days to investigate and to grieve.  Mercury News again:
http://photos.mercurynews.com/2013/06/11/photos-levis-stadium-construction-shut-down-after-workers-death/

The article above reminded me that the 49er Stadium is Levi Stadium.  In similar fashion the Shark Tank has sold their name.  It is now the SAP Center.  SAP is a software company.

The 49er Stadium appears to be coming along well.  However there is over a year of work to go with the goal for completion August 2014, or for the season 2014.  It has been selected to be the site of Superbowl 50 in 2016.

The new Earthquakes stadium is coming along very slowly.  They are still working on ground preparation, and have some good piles of dirt and old crushed concrete.  But I don't see any actual building.

If Major League Baseball would ever get their heads out their butts there would be a third stadium built along my route home.  The new A's Stadium is scheduled to be next to Diridon Station in San Jose.  They just keep waiting for word from the commissioner.  They have been waiting for many years now.  Last word is the city of San Jose is suing Major League Baseball feeling they are abusing their monopoly status.

With regards to my trip to work, Kade and I noticed that the sun was up when we got to the train station on June 23.  However, it is already now coming up shortly after leaving the station.

Ace Train 29: Stadium Updates

Even though the Earthquakes have had their groundbreaking ceremony, there is little there but overturned dirt yet.  The club website reported, "The club broke ground on its new stadium on Oct. 21, 2012 and set a Guinness World Record in the process. The 6,256 who dug for 2 minutes at the event were the most ever to participate in a groundbreaking ceremony."

 On the other hand, the outer framework of the 49er Stadium seems to be just about done.  The stadium just keeps getting higher and higher.

I think the highest level you can see to the right of this picture is going to go all the way around.