San Fernando is the first stop on the Winchester Line after it leaves the original Guadalupe Line on the southern side of downtown San Jose. This station opened on August 1, 2005. The station consists of two side platforms in the area (which feels like almost a no-man’s land) between downtown San Jose and the main San Jose Diridon train station that is a bit away from core of downtown. It is the closest stop to the San Jose Arena (current name is the SAP Center with previous names of the Compaq Center and HP Pavillion) home of the NHL San Jose Sharks. The arena is a block north of the station across a parking lot.
The stop has two side platforms for the two-track line. These platforms begin at the grade crossing of Deliminas Avenue and run east. A fence separates people from crossing the tracks except at Deliminas Avenue and at a pedestrian grade crossing at the opposite end of the platform. This grade crossing leads to a small landscaped plaza and San Fernando Street to the south. In this plaza are sculptures of three lions by Iiona Malka Rich. Walkways extend along the light rail line to the next grade crossing of Autumn Street before the tracks dip into a tunnel at Montgomery Street and go under a grassy plaza for a block before these walkways lead to the grand front entrance of Diridon Station. Each platform has a single cream-colored canopy structure for waiting passengers.
All Photos taken on 17 March, 2010
San Jose Diridon