Capital (Expressway) is the first stop on the Gilroy extension that opened on July 1, 1992. Amtrak's Coast Starlight bypasses the station.cd It is an extremely simple station with a single platform along east track of what are two tracks on the Southern Pacific Line in this area. This single platform is has a tactile warning strip and is extremely simple with a line of black lampposts and a small area with some low trees between the tracks and parallel Monterey Highway. The side of Monterey Highway along the tracks even lacks a sidewalk. Capital Expressway has an overpass and a freeway style interchange a few blocks south of the station. Access to the platform is provided by single staircase of six steps and a short ramp (with white railings) that lead up to the middle of the platform across from the intersection of Fehren Drive (that ends at a T-intersection). Directly alongside the ramps arrival is the one platform bench, the blue I need help with accessible boarding bench. Across the staircase from this is the fenced off with a roof, but sides left exposed to the elements, wheelchair lift inside a wheelchair lift enclosure. Next to this is a black domed bus style shelter with a built in bench and a second shelter housing the station's two Ticket Machines. A few Clipper Card tap targets are scattered about the platform. Two red signs, one towards each end of the platform say Capital on one side and boarding area facing the Monterrey Highway although there isn't a sidewalk or other walkway to the paltforms.
The station has a 379 space free park and ride lot across Monterey Highway from the station starting at the NE corner of the highway and Fehren Drive. The lot is vastly oversized since Capital has the lowest ridership of any Caltrian station (44 average weekday riders in February 2013, 19 in 2011). This lot has some trees to spruce up the concrete but desperately needs to be restriped. I visited (by VTA bus, two trips stop) after the end of Caltrain service for the day (the final, third trip to Gilroy had already left) and the only occupants of the parking lot were some cars abusing it as well as two flatbed trucks parked along one side. At the corner by the entrance to the parking lot is a bike rack and a set of cream colored bike boxes that need to be repainted with graffiti clearly attempted to be removed from them. There is also a modern Caltrain Capital Station Park and ride pillar type sign. The parking lot only has one car entrance at its SE corner to Fehren Drive and here is a previous generation with the older CalTrain Station sign for Capital.
All Photos taken on 12 June, 2013
Tamien