Altamont Corridor Expressway commuters suffered a short delay Thursday night, as Union Pacific crews inspecting the tracks following a derailment worried about more possible mudslides.
The delay along Niles Canyon Boulevard in Sunol, where an ACE train veered off the tracks into the Alameda Creek on Monday night, was just 30 minutes from San Jose to Stockton. But Union Pacific crews said they wanted to go slowly because of more mudslide concerns and flash flood warnings and watches in effect for most of the Bay Area.
Inspectors were out looking for debris or rising water through the canyon, which may affect passengers.
“You know, I really appreciate them doing that,” Diane Lundry of Livermore. “I don’t care if I’m late. I’d rather be late than dead.”
Early Friday morning, the ACE trains were running on time, though earlier this week, ACE ridership was down. On Wednesday, the agency had nearly 2,000 riders during the morning commmute, compared to the typical 2,500, ACE spokesman Steve Walker said.
Delays possible on @ACE_train; heavy rains in #Fremont area expected to trigger track inspections near derail site pic.twitter.com/EjXxaBWfMD — Kris Sanchez (@KrisNBC) March 11, 2016