Orange Line (BART) explained

Orange Line
Owner:	San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District
Type:	Rapid transit
System:	Bay Area Rapid Transit
Locale:	South Bay, East Bay
Stations:	21
Linelength Mi:	51
Electrification:	Third rail, 1 kV DC
Speed:	70mph^[1]

The Orange Line is a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) line in the San Francisco Bay Area that runs between Berryessa/North San José station and Richmond station. It has 21 stations in San Jose, Milpitas, Fremont, Union City, Hayward, San Leandro, Oakland, Berkeley, El Cerrito, and Richmond. It is the only one of the five primary BART services that does not run through the Transbay Tube to San Francisco; however, it shares tracks with the four other primary services in the East Bay.

History

The Orange Line was the first BART line to open. Initial services between MacArthur and Fremont stations began on September 11, 1972, with full service extending to Richmond beginning on January 29, 1973.

The line would not see any major changes for another 45 years, until the start of the Silicon Valley BART extension. The first phase of the project extended the line to Warm Springs/South Fremont station in March 2017,^{[2] [3]} the second phase added Berryessa/North San José and Milpitas stations in June 2020.^{[4] [5]}

Route

The Orange Line runs primarily north-south through the East Bay. It uses the R-Line between Richmond station and just north of MacArthur station, the K-Line between MacArthur and the Oakland Wye, the A-Line between the Wye and Fremont station, and the S-Line between Fremont and Berryessa/North San José station. Most sections are at-grade or elevated; the line runs through tunnels in downtown Berkeley, downtown Oakland, and under Lake Elizabeth.

Stations

Station	Jurisdiction	County	Opened	Other BART lines
			January 29, 1973
	El Cerrito
		Alameda
			September 11, 1972
				Oakland Airport Connector
	Union City
	Fremont
			March 25, 2017
			June 13, 2020
	San Jose

Notes and References

1. Web site: BART Sustainable Communities Operations Analysis. San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. 28 May 2018.
2. Community celebrates ribbon cutting of Warm Springs . Bay Area Rapid Transit District . March 24, 2017.
3. Direct service to/from Warm Springs now available as part of schedule change . September 7, 2018 . Bay Area Rapid Transit District.
4. Web site: May 8, 2020 . BART unveils system map for future Milpitas and Berryessa service . May 21, 2020 . Bay Area Rapid Transit.
5. News: Meacham . Jody . June 12, 2020 . Subdued ceremonies mark BART's station openings in Santa Clara County . . June 12, 2020.