Doolittle Maintenance and Storage Facility
| Company type | Transit facility |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transportation |
| Founded | 2014 |
| Headquarters | Oakland, California , United States |
| Products | Maintenance and storage for Cable Liner vehicles |
The Doolittle Maintenance and Storage Facility, also referred to as the Wheelhouse, acts as the central operations hub for the BART Oakland Airport Connector. This facility is responsible for housing and servicing the Cable Liner vehicles, as well as supplying power to their drive wheels. Initially intended to serve as a passenger station, this plan was postponed due to budget limitations, though it remains a potential site for a future infill station. While vehicles pause here to transition between cable loops, passenger boarding is not permitted.
History
In the 2002 Final Environmental Impact Report for the Oakland Airport Connector automated guideway transit system, two intermediate stations were proposed at Doolittle Drive and Edgewater Drive to align with Oakland’s development objectives along Hegenberger Road, an area characterized by airport hotels and industrial enterprises. However, a 2006 update eliminated the Edgewater Drive station following the collapse of transit-oriented development initiatives and repositioned the Maintenance and Storage Facility (MSF) next to Doolittle Drive to lower expenses.
By 2013, adjustments in design resulted in a smaller MSF located between the tracks, with the Doolittle Drive station deferred due to funding constraints. To make room for the MSF, a former union house was removed. The Oakland Airport Connector commenced operations on November 22, 2014, featuring only terminal stations in service. Should funding become available, an infill station at Doolittle Drive could be constructed by incorporating platforms, a mezzanine beneath the tracks, and necessary access facilities.