The crucial 77-mile line that hauls an estimated 40,000 passengers during the weekdays could be in danger. Scratch that, it is in danger. A $30 million shortfall will ebb away at almost half the lines. Grim, yes? What's more, it will do away with weekend service altogether, effectively eliminating service to weekend SF Giants games. (If you live in Mission Bay/South Beach, you know that hordes or orange-and-black-bedazzled fans pour out of the station on the weekends. Losing that link to the Peninsula would be disastrous, traffic-wise, attendance-wise, and paying-$25-for-parking-during-a-game-wise.)

Mercury News has the gory details:

Giants fans, forget taking Caltrain to ballgames this summer. Weekend or midday visitors to San Francisco from the South Bay, might as well scrap plans to ride the train. And commuters on the 77-mile line that carries more than 40,000 riders each weekday, it may be harder to find an open seat, and there may be fewer stations where you can board.

The transit agency faces a $30 million operating deficit beginning July 1. That is nearly one-third of its operating budget, and there is little chance of raising that kind of money in less than six months.