Railfanning In The Bay Area ?????

[RudyRockvilleMD]

My wife and i will be visiting the San Fransisco Bay area early in July, and she has agreed to let me slip the leash and do some railfanning. Since it has been at least a dozen years since we visited the San Francisco Bay area I have some questions about the railfan scene there. I have a Delorme Atlas for Northern California, and I have the Altamont Press California Timetable, both of which will be helpful. I will also have a rental car to allow me to get around.

First I need to know about the Union Pacific's (ex SP) and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe's traffic patterns. I will probably be doing my railfanning on a Monday or a Tuesday.

1. How heavy is the traffic on each railroad during the daytime hours between 8 AM and 6 PM?
2. What is the predominant direction of traffic on each railroad during the morning or the afternoon?
3. Which part of the day is the traffic heavier, morning or afternoon?
4. On which end is the power on Amtrak's Capitols and San Joaquins?

I understand there is a public park in Pinole between the Union Pacific's and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe's tracks which overlooks the San Pablo Bay.

1.Is it possible to photograph eastbound and westbound trains with the San Pablo Bay in the background from this location?
2. Which exit off I 80 will get me to this location in Pinole or to another location where I can photograph eastbound or westbound trains running along the shore of the San Pablo Bay?

I also want to photograph Burlington Northern Santa Fe trains crossing the Alhambra Avenue Viaduct near John Muir's home in Martinez I believe.

1.Are there places where I could photograph trains crossing the Alhmabra Avenue Viaduct from public property especially to get John Muir's home in the background ?
2. What is the best time of the day to photograph trains crossing the Alhambra Avenue Viaduct in terms of lighting or traffic drection?
3. If all else fails could I just photograph trains crossing the Alhambra Avenue Viaduct broadside on the ground from the south side of Alhambra Avenue Viaduct?

I would also like to photograph eastbound freight trains crossing the Carquinnez Straits.

1. I understand railfans have photographed eastbound trains crossing the Carquinnez Straits from the eastbound lanes north of the toll plaza (after paying the toll) on the I-680 bridge. Is there some place immediately north of the I-680 Bridge toll plaza where I could legally park and wait for a reasonable amount of time for an eastbound freight train to show up?
2. Since this would be an afternoon shot, how many eastbound freight trains cross the Carquinnez straits in the afternoon?

I also want photograph trains (preferably southward running freight trains) running in the street in Jack London Square in Oakland.

1. What is the best time of the day (in terms of traffic) to photograph southward freight trains passing through Jack London Square?
2. What is the availbility of off-street garage pay-parking in or about two blocks from Jack London Square?
3. Or would be more effective to drive to Richmond and take BART to Oakland 12th/14th street, and either walk, or take a bus to Jack London Square?

And finally, we will be landing at San Jose Airport at about 4:30 PM on a Thursday (july 6), if the flight is on time, and it will take us about 45 minutes to claim our luggage and pick up our rental car. We will stay in San Rafael. What is the easiest route (least amount of rush hour traffic) from the San Jose Airport to San Rafael?

I would appreciate any guidance you could give me.
Rudy