Gillespie Field was the northern terminus of the Orange Line a situation that only began when the Green Line became a separate line on July 8, 2005. The station opened as just an intermediate station on the Orange Line August 26, 1995 on the extension up to Santee. The trouble is the train line from here to reach Santee Town Center is largely single tracked and can't handle the 7 ½ minute joint Orange and Green Line Headways so the Orange Line was pushed back to terminating here. On September 2, 2012 due to low ridership at Gillespie Field, Orange Line trains were pushed back to El Cajon Transit Center.
The station is on the edge of Gillespie Field, a busy General Aviation Airport. The station has the usual two side platforms just south of Marshall Avenue's grade crossing, which provides an entrance to both of the platforms. For waiting passengers, the Santee-bound platform has a single red shelter over a bench and the San Diego-bound platform has three. Two Pedestrian Bridges lead from the San Diego-bound across a stream ditch to the station's 175 space park & ride lot and Cuyamaca Street.
Photos 1-10 taken on 15 March, 2007, 11-22 taken on 22 March, 2011
A green line train passes under a new highway overpass along the single track branch to Santee
SD100 #2042 goes along the single track near Gillespie Field
A highway on the verge of opening near the train station
The track crosses to its own private right of way before the Gillespie Field Station
The track begins as a single one on its independent ROW, this is why only Green Line and not Orange Line trains run all the way up to Santee
SD100 #2042 leads a green line train for Santee
SD100 #2042 crosses the grade crossing before the station
SD100 LRV #2042 in a be green paint scheme
S70 #3006 is the last car of an Old Town-bound green line train
Highway Construction and the Light Rail Tracks beyond
Sign for the station parking lot
A train stops in the station way off in the distance from the parking lot
A train enters Santee Town Center
A bridge crosses a pond to enter Santee Town Center
Last Updated: 17 June, 2012
All photos are by Jeremiah Cox
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