Photo Gallery
Joyous Crowd Celebrates SMART Launch
A mariachi band set a festive tone for the event.
Credit
Paul Kuroda
A mariachi band set a festive tone for the event.
Credit
Paul Kuroda
An enthusiastic crowd gathered at the Santa Rosa station for the event.
Credit
Paul Kuroda
Deborah Fudge, chair of SMART and mayor of the town of Windsor, served as MC.
Credit
Paul Kuroda
California Secretary of Transportation Brian Kelly was the first speaker to be called up by the MC.
Credit
Paul Kuroda
U.S. Representative Jared Huffman applauded the arrival of the SMART train.
Credit
Paul Kuroda
The man of the hour was Farhad Mansourian, the SMART general manager who worked day and night to deliver the train.
Credit
Paul Kuroda
MTC Executive Director Steve Heminger was among the speakers.
Credit
Brenda Kahn
Jake Mackenzie wore two hats at the event — as MTC chair, and SMART Board member.
Credit
Brenda Kahn
Current Marin County Board of Supervisors President Judy Arnold also sits on the SMART Board.
Credit
Paul Kuroda
A highlight of the event was the presentation of a Japanese Daruma "wish doll."
Credit
Brenda Kahn
Officials filled in the second eye of the Daruma doll to signify that the collective dreams of SMART's backers have come true.
Credit
Paul Kuroda
With a humming SMART train as the backdrop, the speakers gathered on the Santa Rosa platform for the ribbon cutting.
Credit
Paul Kuroda
The ribbon cutting signaled it was time for the inaugural ride.
Credit
Paul Kuroda
MTC Executive Director Steve Heminger gets ready to board the inaugural train.
Credit
Paul Kuroda
MTC Chair Jake Mackenzie, who also sits on the SMART Board, wore a ceremonial kilt in honor of co-Board members who had died before their vision was realized.
Credit
Paul Kuroda
MTC Chair Jake Mackenzie greets riders, who enjoyed free trips the first day.
Credit
Paul Kuroda
Riders were greeted with a well-stocked snack bar aboard the train.
Credit
Brenda Kahn
It wouldn't be an opening event without a cake, this one emblazoned with "Your Train Has Arrived."
Credit
Brenda Kahn
SMART General Manager Farhad Mansourian is all smiles as he poses with his granddaughters.
Credit
Brenda Kahn
Among the giveaways was a rubber replica of a SMART train.
Credit
Paul Kuroda
The SMART system comes Clipper-ready, and outreach crews were handing out free Clipper cards at the event.
Credit
Paul Kuroda
Federal, state, regional and local dignitaries gathered in Santa Rosa on August 25, 2017, for the Grand Opening celebration for SMART — Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit. The highlight was a Daruma ceremony — in which officials filled in the second eye of an oversized Japanese wish doll to signify the realization of the SMART dream — after which there was a ribbon-cutting and an inaugural train ride. The roster of speakers included MTC Chair Jake Mackenzie and MTC Executive Director Steve Heminger. Running from the Sonoma County Airport to downtown San Rafael, the 43-mile transit line is designed to ease traffic on US 101.