A mariachi band set a festive tone for the event.
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A mariachi band set a festive tone for the event.
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An enthusiastic crowd gathered at the Santa Rosa station for the event.
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Deborah Fudge, chair of SMART and mayor of the town of Windsor, served as MC.
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California Secretary of Transportation Brian Kelly was the first speaker to be called up by the MC.
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U.S. Representative Jared Huffman applauded the arrival of the SMART train.
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The man of the hour was Farhad Mansourian, the SMART general manager who worked day and night to deliver the train.
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MTC Executive Director Steve Heminger was among the speakers.
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Jake Mackenzie wore two hats at the event — as MTC chair, and SMART Board member.
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California Assemblymember Jim Wood was on hand.
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Current Marin County Board of Supervisors President Judy Arnold also sits on the SMART Board.
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A highlight of the event was the presentation of a Japanese Daruma "wish doll."
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Officials filled in the second eye of the Daruma doll to signify that the collective dreams of SMART's backers have come true.
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With a humming SMART train as the backdrop, the speakers gathered on the Santa Rosa platform for the ribbon cutting.
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The ribbon cutting signaled it was time for the inaugural ride.
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MTC Executive Director Steve Heminger gets ready to board the inaugural train.
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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.
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MTC Chair Jake Mackenzie greets riders, who enjoyed free trips the first day.
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Riders were greeted with a well-stocked snack bar aboard the train.
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It wouldn't be an opening event without a cake, this one emblazoned with "Your Train Has Arrived."
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SMART General Manager Farhad Mansourian is all smiles as he poses with his granddaughters.
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Among the giveaways was a rubber replica of a SMART train.
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The SMART system comes Clipper-ready, and outreach crews were handing out free Clipper cards at the event.
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A rider shows off a commemorative t-shirt.
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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.