Commuter railroad operator Caltrain has reached a significant milestone with the first electric train entering revenue service. For the past decade Caltrain has been hard at work converting the line to full electrification. Additional electric trains will be introduced every week until the new electrified schedule launched between San Francisco and San Jose beginning September 21.
Modernizing A Commuter Rail System
Caltrain has embarked on a monumental undertaking. Initially the corridor between San Francisco and San Jose was operated by slow polluting diesel trains. Much of the equipment was procured secondhand from other commuter operators. Given the pollution California faces, Caltrain placed an order with European manufacturer Stadler for electric multiple unit trains. The trains draw power from an overhead wire above the train tracks. This required Caltrain to construct overhead power infrastructure on the entire line. “The future of California’s rail systems will be powered by clean, renewable energy, and as the Biden-Harris Administration makes the biggest investment in public transit in U.S. history, we were proud to help fund the transformative Caltrain electrification project,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Converting the 51-mile-long rail system from diesel to electric will not only improve service for riders and air quality all along the route, it will also set a standard for other rail systems to follow as we work to reduce carbon pollution across the country.” “Electrification of the Caltrain corridor has long been one of the Bay Area’s top transportation priorities,” said Metropolitan Transportation Commission Chair Alfredo Pedroza. “MTC is proud to be a major funding partner in the electrification project and excited to be part of a whole new chapter in the history of Bay Area transit. Caltrain’s new trains illustrate the better experience that all Bay Area transit agencies are working on to make transit a more attractive and convenient way to get around the Bay Area every day.” As the new electric trains enter service, passengers will sure appreciate the quick and smooth ride as well as Wi-Fi, new digital onboard displays, power outlets at each forward-facing seat, energy-efficient lighting, an improved climate control system, baby-changing tables in the bathroom, security cameras and additional storage.