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{{quote box|width=30.0em|align=right|quote=Modernizing Caltrain is a priority because we need an improved rail system that will help reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and serve our growing ridership. Not only will the electrification project reduce diesel emissions in this corridor by 96 percent by 2040, but it will also allow Caltrain to provide additional service to more stations, increasing ridership and providing faster service in Silicon Valley from San Francisco to San Jose.|author=Jim Hartnett, Caltrain Executive Director<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://www.masstransitmag.com/article/12186524/caltrain-modernization-program-to-electrify-bay-areas-silicon-valley-rail-corridor|title=Modernization: Electrifying the Bay Area’s Silicon Valley Rail Corridor|publisher=''Mass Transit Magazine''|date=April 21, 2016|author=Tasha Bartholomew|accessdate=March 29, 2017}}</ref>}}
The purpose of the electrification project is to electrify the main line of Caltrain's commuter railroad, {{convert|49|mi|km}} of tracks between [[San Francisco 4th and King Street Station|4th and King station]] and [[Tamien Station]], by installing new electrical infrastructure and purchasing electric trainsets. Service from Tamien to [[Gilroy (Caltrain station)|Gilroy station]] will continue to be served with existing diesel locomotives.<ref name="factsheet">{{citeweb|url=http://www.caltrain.com/Assets/Caltrain+Modernization+Program/Electrification/PCEP+Fact+Sheet+February+2017.pdf|title=Peninsula Corridor Electrification Status Update (Feb 2017)|publisher=Caltrain|accessdate=March 29, 2017}}</ref> The idea to electrify the route began with a feasibility study conducted by the California Department of Transportation in 1992,<ref name="first proposal"/> although funding considerations delayed the project for the next two decades. In 2012, Caltrain and the [[California High-Speed Rail|California High-Speed Rail Authority]] (CHSRA), along with the [[Metropolitan Transportation Commission (San Francisco Bay Area)|Metropolitan Transportation Commission]] and other local stakeholders, signed a [[memorandum of understanding]] that the CHSRA would partially fund the electrification project in exchange for future rights to share the tracks. In effect, Caltrain's tracks will be used by the CHSRA to reach the [[Transbay Transit Center]] in downtown San Francisco.<ref name="hsr"/> A second project would install a [[positive train control]] (PTC) system to allow precise tracking of all trains and prevent collisions between lightweight electric trainsets and heavier freight trains.<ref name=FRAwaiver /> Balfour Beatty is contracted to electrify the line at 25kV AC, replace signaling systems, construct two traction power substations, one switching substation, and seven paralleling substations. Stadler is contracted to deliver sixteen of their "[[Stadler KISS|KISS]]" [[bilevel rail car|bilevel]] [[electric multiple unit]] trains, with the option of expanding the order by an additional 96 cars in the future.<ref>{{cite news|title=For Caltrain, 16 KISSes from Stadler (but no FLIRTs)|url=http://www.railwayage.com/index.php/passenger/commuter-regional/for-caltrain-16-kisses-from-stadler-but-no-flirts.html|publisher=''[[Railway Age]]''|date=August 16, 2016|accessdate=March 29, 2017|author=Vantuono, William C.}}</ref>
According to Caltrain, the electrification project will bring multiple benefits to the corridor. Firstly, electric trains can accelerate and decelerate more quickly than the existing diesel locomotives, resulting in faster and more frequent service. Additionally, electric trainsets are quieter and produce less air pollution that diesel locomotives, and the use of electric trains will lower Caltrain's fuel costs while increasing passenger revenue, due to an expected increase in ridership. Once complete, Caltrain expects to annually reduce [[carbon dioxide]] emissions by 176,000 metric tons and increase daily ridership by 21% by 2040. Caltrain plans to complete the project by the end of 2020.<ref name="factsheet"/>
===FRA waiver and Positive Train Control===
[[File:Stadler KISS of CFL in Trier in July 2014.jpg|thumb|right|Under U.S. federal regulations, light-weight trainsets such as this [[Stadler KISS]] belonging to [[Luxembourg]]'s [[Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois|CFL]] are not allowed to share rail lines with heavy freight trains.]]
As a result of the blended plan, PCJPB mandated that Peninsula Corridor infrastructure and equipment should be compatible with future [[California High-Speed Rail|California High-Speed Rail Authority]] (CHSRA) trains.<ref name=ProgRail /> CHSRA had proposed that mandated speeds and transit times could be met by using lightweight vehicles that did not comply with Federal requirements,<ref name=ProgRail /> These requirements mandated separation between light and heavy rail equipment<ref>{{CodeFedReg |49|211|subpart=F|prefix=Appendix|A}}</ref> and structural strength.<ref>{{CodeFedReg |49|238|subpart=C}}</ref> Caltrain saw this as an opportunity to apply for an FRA waiver to run EMUs, which could accelerate faster and provide headways as low as five minutes.<ref name=FRAwaiver>{{cite report |url=http://www.caltrain.com/Assets/Caltrain+Modernization+Program/Documents/FRA+Waiver+2009/Caltrain+Mixed+Traffic+Request.pdf |title=Petition of Peninsula Joint Powers Board / Caltrain for approval of mixed use and waiver of certain federal railroad administration regulations pursuant to 49 C.F.R. Section 238.203, 49 C.F.R. Section 238.205, 49 C.F.R. Section 238.207, 49 C.F.R. Section 238.211, 49 C.F.R. Section 238.213 |author=Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board |date=December 2009 |publisher=Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board |accessdate=30 March 2017}}</ref> The December 2009 FRA waiver application detailed Caltrain's plans to instittute temporal separation of passenger and freight rail traffic north of Santa Clara, where freight traffic was restricted to the non-revenue hours, and the deployment of an enhanced PTC system, which Caltrain named CBOSS, designed to not only enforce positive train control, but also check for overspeed and protect rail workers.<ref name=FRAwaiver />
PTC had already been mandated by the [[Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008]], enacted in the wake of the fatal [[2008 Chatsworth train collision]] crash, and CBOSS includes Caltrain's implementation of the new regulations.<ref name=FRAwaiver /> In the FRA waiver application, Caltrain proposed a "defense-in-depth" philosophy for collisions: firstly, reduce the probability of collisions to nearly zero by employing temporal and spatial separation from freight rail, then mitigate the impact of a collision by deploying vehicles with crash energy management (CEM) structures.<ref name=FRAwaiver /> After review, the FRA waiver was granted in May 2010, marking the first time EMUs were allowed to share rails with freight in the United States.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.mercurynews.com/2010/05/27/electric-train-plan-granted-key-waiver/ |title=Electric train plan granted key waiver |author=Rosenberg, Mike |date=27 May 2010 |newspaper=San Jose Mercury News |accessdate=30 March 2017}}</ref> The grant was conditioned on meeting nine additional requirements, including demonstrating minimum crashworthiness, seating, improving grade crossing, meeting FRA PTC standards in 49 CFR 236<ref>{{CodeFedReg |49|236|subpart=I}}</ref> with CBOSS, formalizing the temporal separation plan, and issuing a safety system program.<ref>{{cite letter |url=https://www.regulations.gov/contentStreamer?documentId=FRA-2009-0124-0014&attachmentNumber=1&contentType=pdf |last=Cothen Jr. |first=Grady C. |recipient=Michael Scanlon |subject=Docket Number FRA-2009-0124 |date=27 May 2010 |accessdate=30 March 2017}}</ref>
===Rolling stock===
[[File:WFB ET 609-III.jpg|thumb|A [[Stadler KISS]] trainset in [[Rheine, Germany]], similar to the type ordered by Caltrain.]]
The Stadler KISS double-decker EMU that Caltrain ordered will have Crash Energy Management (CEM) feature and be compliant with [[Federal Railroad Administration|FRA]] alternative Tier-I crash-worthiness standard. Coupling with [[Positive Train Control]] (PTC) system that will be installed on the Caltrain line, Caltrain KISS trains will be allowed for mix operation with trains that are compliant with standard Tier-I, such as Amtrak passenger trains and Union Pacific freight trains. Due to differing platform heights between Caltrain and high-speed rail, the EMU train will be equipped with custom dual-height boarding doors.<ref>{{citeweb|url=https://wwwstadlerrailcom-live-01e96f7.s3-eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/filer_public/21/81/21816a39-9448-4b8a-8f2f-3811c6ee8006/kcal0716us.pdf|title=KISS Double-Decker Electric Multiple Unit EMU|publisher=[[Stadler Rail]]|accessdate=April 4, 2017}}</ref>
===Funding===
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