Caltrain Express Program: Difference between revisions

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The '''Caltrain Express Program''' ('''CTX''') project was implemented from 2002 to 2004 to establish the '''Baby Bullet''' express service, which shortened the transit time on the [[Caltrain]] commuter rail line between [[San Francisco]] and [[San Jose, California|San Jose]], and certain stations in between. New locomotives and rolling stock were purchased for dedicated express service, bypassing most stations; [[Quadruple-track railway|quad-track overtake sections]] were added in two locations along the Peninsula Corridor right-of-way to allow express trains to pass slower local trains that were making all stops; tracks were also upgraded with [[Track (rail transport)#Continuous welded rail|continuous-welded rail]]; a [[centralized traffic control]] system was added; and [[railroad switch|crossovers]] were added every few miles to allow single-tracking trains around disabled trains. Congresswoman [[Jackie Speier]], then serving as a California State Senator, is credited with securing the funding for CTX and one of the new locomotives acquired for the project is named for her as a result. During commute hours, the Baby Bullet went up to 20 percent faster than driving south from San Francisco to San Jose. On September 21, 2024, with the completion of the [[Caltrain Modernization Program|Caltrain modernization project]] and the transition to electrified trains, the Baby Bullet was renamed as simply the '''Express''' service.<ref name=":0" />

==History==

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During the CTX project, Caltrain rebuilt the [[Bayshore station (Caltrain)|Bayshore station]], relocating it slightly south of the prior ___location to accommodate the north quad track overtake section ending just south of Tunnel #4. This moved nearly all of the Bayshore station out of the City and County of [[San Francisco, California|San Francisco]] and broke a planned intermodal connection to the [[Third Street Light Rail Project]], the first expansion phase of the [[Muni Metro]] light rail system, which was building tracks down [[Third Street (San Francisco)|Third Street]]. The new [[T Third Street]] line, which opened in 2007, terminates at [[Sunnydale Station]] as Muni Metro has never built any tracks in [[San Mateo County]], and a planned {{convert|0.5|mi|adj=on}} loop extension to Bayshore was studied in 2012.<ref>{{cite report |url=http://www.sfcta.org/sites/default/files/content/Planning/Bayshore/Bayshore_final_report.pdf |title=Bayshore Intermodal Station Access Study |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=March 2012 |publisher=San Francisco County Transportation Authority |accessdate=26 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Bayshore-Station-envisioned-as-vibrant-transit-hub-3451733.php |title=Bayshore Station envisioned as vibrant transit hub |author=Wildermuth, John |date=28 April 2014 |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |accessdate=26 March 2017}}</ref> A small rail bridge south of Bayshore was built over a creek as part of CTX.<ref name=Cal-0211 />

The [[Lawrence station (Caltrain)|Lawrence station]] was in the right-of-way planned for the south quad-track overtake section, so Lawrence was rebuilt with new platforms and an under-track pedestrian tunnel.<ref name=Cal-0301 /> Work at Lawrence was anticipated to be completed by the end of 2003,<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.caltrain.com/news_2003_rain_delay.html |title=Rain Delays Planned Caltrain Lawrence Station Move |date=April 2003 |publisher=Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board |accessdate=26 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060318015159/http://www.caltrain.com/news_2003_rain_delay.html |archive-date=18 March 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and the rebuilt Lawrence was opened in March 2004.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.caltrain.com/news_2004_2_26_lawrence_caltrain_station.html |title=New Lawrence Caltrain Station Set to Open |date=26 February 2004 |publisher=Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board |accessdate=26 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060318013004/http://www.caltrain.com/news_2004_2_26_lawrence_caltrain_station.html |archive-date=18 March 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The [[Millbrae station]] also received some upgrades; a third track was added and existing tracks were relocated, requiring Caltrain to demolish the existing platform.<ref name=Cal-0209>{{cite press release |url=http://www.caltrain.com:80/news_north_ctx.html |title=North CTX Construction Moving Faster than Expected |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=September 2002 |publisher=Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board |accessdate=26 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021015041020/http://www.caltrain.com/news_north_ctx.html |archive-date=15 October 2002 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Millbrae station updates were scheduled to complete with the opening of the new intermodal station in January 2003.<ref name=Cal-0209 />

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===Stops and scheduling===

Baby Bullet service launched in June 2004 with ten trains per weekday, which made only four intermediate stops between [[San Francisco 4th and King Street Stationstation|San Francisco]] and [[San Jose Diridon station|San Jose Diridon]]: [[Millbrae station|Millbrae]], [[Hillsdale station (Caltrain)|Hillsdale]], [[Palo Alto station|Palo Alto]], and [[Downtown Mountain View station|Mountain View]].<ref name=SFC-040514 /> The ten trains consisted of three northbound and two southbound trains in the morning, and three southbound and two northbound trains in the afternoon; the two southbound morning trains and two northbound afternoon trains made additional stops at [[22nd Street station (Caltrain)|22nd Street]] to serve reverse commuters.<ref name=SFC-040514 /> Since these trains operated with far fewer stops, they took only 57 minutes to travel between San Francisco and San Jose, compared to 96 scheduled minutes for local trains making all stops,<ref name=SFC-040514 /> even though the maximum train speed remained at {{convert|79|mi/hour|km/hour}}.<ref name=SFC-040601>{{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/CALTRAIN-Baby-Bullet-to-premiere-Rail-2770861.php |title=CALTRAIN / 'Baby Bullet' to premiere / Rail travel between S.F, San Jose gets faster come Monday |author=Cabanatuan, Michael |date=8 June 2004 |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |accessdate=25 March 2017}}</ref><ref name=SFC-040608>{{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/BAY-AREA-Bully-for-Baby-Bullet-riders-say-2715103.php |title=BAY AREA / Bully for Baby Bullet, riders say / High praise, heavy loads for swift new commuter trains |author=Cabanatuan, Michael |date=8 June 2004 |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |accessdate=25 March 2017}}</ref><ref name=SFC-040403>{{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/BAY-AREA-Baby-Bullet-trains-shoot-for-June-2771698.php |title=BAY AREA / 'Baby Bullet' trains shoot for June rollout |author=Cabanatuan, Michael |date=3 April 2004 |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |accessdate=25 March 2017}}</ref>

{{blockquote |text=This cuts my commute so much that it's faster than driving. |author=Scott Hofmeister |source=Inaugural day interview with San Francisco-to-Mountain View commuter, June 7, 2004<ref name=SFC-040608 />}}

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