Gillespie Field station
| Company type | San Diego Trolley station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | July 26, 1995 |
| Headquarters | Santee, California , United States |
Area served | San Diego suburb of Santee, California |
| Products | Trolley services (Copper Line) |
Gillespie Field station, previously known as Weld Boulevard station, serves the Copper Line of the San Diego Trolley system and is situated in the San Diego suburb of Santee, California. Positioned opposite Marshall Avenue from Gillespie Field, a county-operated airport, the station does not offer direct public access to the airport facilities. Due to the absence of bus connections and a predominantly inaccessible pedestrian environment nearby, the majority of commuters utilize the station's 175-space park and ride facility.
History
The station commenced operations on July 26, 1995, as part of the concluding phase of the East Line (currently known as the Orange Line) extension running from to . When the Green Line was introduced in July 2005, it supplanted Orange Line service beyond Gillespie, designating Gillespie as the terminus for the Orange Line. This adjustment was implemented to resolve operational difficulties associated with the single-track segment between Gillespie Field and Santee Town Center.
On September 2, 2012, Orange Line service was further reduced to terminate at , reflecting low passenger usage between Gillespie and Santee. Consequently, only Green Line trains continued to serve Gillespie station.
A 2015 study conducted by UC Berkeley School of Law identified Gillespie Field station as California’s least effective rail station, attributing this status to its remote location and minimal ridership. One co-author, Elkind, described the station’s sparse surroundings metaphorically as resembling "cow pastures."
To mitigate issues stemming from the single-track stretch between Gillespie Field and Santee, service on the Copper Line began on September 29, 2024. Concurrently, Green Line operations were scaled back to terminate at El Cajon.