This is a follow-on to SacRT light rail will NOT be level boarding, and Portland & Seattle light rail boarding.

Dan has not been in San Jose recently, since the recent discussion of light rail board for SacRT, but I do have some old photos showing boarding for the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Agency (VTA) light rail system in San Jose area. VTA light rail opened in 1987, and has been expanded several times. It currently uses Kinki Sharyo rail cars, though it started with UTDC cars, some of which SacRT has acquired to supplement its aging fleet. Rail car floors are 14 inches above top of rail at all doors, with higher end sections.

The photo below shows level boarding for the rail cars. This platform, and most of the light rail platforms, are center platforms, with rail on both sides. At the stations, light rail is in its own right of way, vehicular traffic excluded, but in between stations it is sometimes street-running and sometimes in it own right of way. Access to the platforms is from one or both ends of the platform.

Level boarding is accomplished by raised platforms. The photo below shows the curb at the platform. Though I did not measure it, I assume that the curb is 14 inches high above top of rail, matching platform height to rail car floor height.

I will create future posts on other light rail system solutions to the boarding issue. I’ve certainly not ridden every light rail system, so if you have photos or references to other systems, please share them.

• SacRT light rail modernization