Atherton station


Atherton is a weekend-only Caltrain station located in Atherton, California. It serves the 32 Saturday and 28 Sunday local Caltrain runs and does not serve weekday trains or weekend Baby Bullet trains. Because of the narrow center platform, a hold-out rule is instituted at this station, allowing only one train to alight passengers at a time.

History

trains served the city since 1866; the station was then flag stop known as Fair Oaks. It was renamed Atherton in 1912, over a decade before the town was similarly renamed. Southern Pacific constructed a new shelter building in 1913. Atherton lost intercity rail service in 1971 when the Del Monte was discontinued. The station was surveyed in 1983 for potential inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, but elements added during a renovation in the 1950s would preclude that distinction. The building has survived two fires: one in the 1990s and another in April 2007.
Weekday ridership was less than 150 per day when weekday service was suspended following the fiscal crisis of 2005 and the expansion of Baby Bullet service. Shuttle service to Redwood City was previously provided; however, due to low ridership, it was discontinued on July 1, 2007.
Despite talks of restoring regular service, the town accepted Caltrain's 2020 proposal to eventually close the station.