Baypointe Station opened with the Mountain View Extension, extending service just one block in the opposite direction down Tasman on December 20, 1999. The stop is designed to be a major terminal and transfer point with three tracks and two island platforms (the center track for terminating trains). Originally service on the Mountain View extension was only from here to Mountain View and the truck line to and from Santa Teresa was rerouted from is original terminus at Old Ironsides to here. This made Baypointe the terminus for both of the main (not including the Alameda Shuttle) VTA Light Rail Lines for a year and a half. On May 17, 2001 the first phase of the Tasman East extension opened to I-800/Milpitas and was served by trains form Mountain View. The rest of the Tasman East/Capitol extension was completed and service east of here on June 24, 2004 and service were switched to trains on the core Guadalope Line (from Santa Teresa) that were extended to Alum Rock.
The opening of the first phase of the Vasona Extension resulted in Baypointe no longer being a terminus and transfer point. Trains from Mountain View were rerouted south, through downtown San Jose, originally to San Jose Diridon on August 1, 2005 with the rest of the extension to Winchester (the last Light Rail Extension and current terminus) finally opening two months later on October 1, 2005. Tasman is the new transfer point and is just a block away. The station became a terminus again when VTA instituted its rush hour express program on October 4, 2010. These trains (with 3 northbound trips in the AM peak, and 3 southbound trips in the PM peak) run between Baypointe and Santa Teresa bypassing all stops between Convention Center and Ohlone/Chynoweth.
The station's three tracks with two island platforms (the middle terminus tracks has platforms on each side) is amazingly still in the median of Tasman Drive. The station platforms and middle track are covered by a white tent-like canopy structure with a light green framework that looks like a mini-grand trainshed. Portions of the shed around the middle track have a grillwork that have 14,000 flaps designed to move in the wind: Digital Wind by Ned Kahn. In the middle of the platforms the shed becomes a bit higher accommodate a couple trees on each of the platform. There are more trees along the rest of the platforms. Holding up the canopy structure are concrete columns with wind-screened benches beneath the canopy. Baypointe is written in black text above the one entrance to each of the platforms.
The platforms have their only entrances from the intersection of Baypointe Parkway and runs west. There is an additional pedestrian crossing between the two platforms over the middle track at the eastern end of the station (with slam gates at the track) and here there is a small white cinderblock with a green roof structure between the westbound and middle tracks at the end of the platform that is for crews.
All Photos: 28 February, 2012
Tasman