Rail Transit
Passenger rail – Altamont Corridor Express (ACE Rail) and the Amtrak San Joaquins (recently rebranded to Gold Runners) – can be an affordable, convenient and environmentally friendly way to get to the San Francisco Bay Area, up and down the Central Valley, and even to points east. All facets of passenger rail in the region – including future expansion to mee the growing demand – are at least partially funded by Measure K. Commuting by rail means fewer personal vehicles on the road, less traffic congestion, and fewer greenhouse gas emissions for better air quality. These projects also enhance safety for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists, while stimulating mobility, connectivity, and the economy. Measure K is helping to make travel by rail even more convenient with funding for these projects.
SJRRC and ACE Operations
The Altamont Corridor Express (ACE Rail), owned by the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC), is a commuter
rail service connecting Stockton and San Jose. Measure K is used to fund operations and administration of this service and
other SJRRC projects to expand passenger rail service throughout the Central Valley. ACE is continuing its special event
trains to Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, home of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers, and host of the 2026 Super Bowl and FIFA
World Cup. Ridership for Fiscal Year 2024-25 increased 24% over the previous fiscal year from 680,856 to 846,662
for a daily average of 3,346. ACE is forecasting that the ridership growth will continue in Fiscal Year 2025-26 to 921,449,
or 3,642 daily riders.
ACE Maintenance & Layover Facility
Repair, maintenance, cleaning and overnight storage of ACE and San Joaquins (Gold
Runner) equipment is done at the 64-acre Rail Maintenance Facility on East Alpine
Avenue in Stockton. Measure K helped to build the facility and a 190,000-square-
foot parts storage building, which will be vital as the rail transit service expands.
These facilities greatly improve the efficiency of the entire operation. Measure K
funds are currently used to leverage federal funds for continued operation of the
facilities.
ACE Valley Rail Expansion
The ACE Valley Rail Expansion includes improvements of the ACE rail system between Sacramento and the San
Joaquin Valley. Project segments include the Lathrop to Ceres Extension, Sacramento Extension, Ceres-Merced
Extension, Stockton Diamond Grade Separation, Madera Station Relocation, and the Oakley Station Project.
Considerable progress has been made on the right of way acquisition, engineering and utility relocation and design
of the Stockton Diamond Grade Separation project. The Stockton Diamond, where two rail lines meet in South
Stockton, is the busiest and most congested rail intersection in the state. The work will include bridging one rail
line over the other and other street-level improvements to improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.
The improvements will also enhance goods and people movement and reduce greenhouse gas emissions for
cleaner air. The joint San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission and San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority leverage the
ACE and San Joaquins (Gold Runner) services to bring sustainable transportation funding to the San Joaquin
Valley. The Measure K-funded projects include related general program, project management and consulting
services.
ACE Capital Spare, Preventative Maintenance & Rolling Stock
Routine maintenance work is done locally on equipment used by ACE to deliver a safe, reliable and affordable
service. The San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC) buys spare replacement parts and conducts
preventative maintenance for locomotives and passenger cars to keep the equipment in good working order.
Measure K is a vital local match for federal funds. Measure K also helped to build and expand a maintenance
facility use to service and store ACE and San Joaquins (Gold Runner) trains.
East Channel Street Corridor Improvements
East Channel Street Corridor Improvements, a joint project with the City of Stockton, will bring more complete
streets improvements to downtown Stockton to connect Robert J. Cabral station to the Downtown Transit Center and
beyond with safe and walkable sidewalks. This project also connects to earlier complete streets projects on Weber and
Miner avenues, giving pedestrians, cyclists and motorists a grid of safe and walkable streets. SJRRC and the city
leveraged Measure K funds to win a grant from the state’s highly competitive Active Transportation Program. Measure
K funds were also used on the design of the project, and will also be used on the construction phase.
Cabral Annex
The Cabral Annex project will construct a new administration building with offices for SJRRC staff and a new SJRRC
boardroom. It will provide additional parking for passenger overflow from the nearby Robert J. Cabral Station and will
be located at the former Western Pacific Depot at 1025 E. Main St. in Stockton across from East Weber Avenue from
the station. In Fiscal Year 2024-2025, SJRRC worked on finalizing bid documents and utility relocation designs with
the city, and updating design requirements for the building’s technology. Measure K was a critical funding source for
the project and used to leverage for more additional funding.