Caltrain Modernization Program: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 09:11, 12 June 2024

Revision as of 09:49, 12 June 2024

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{{Short description|Railway electrification project in California, US}}

{{goodGood article}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 20172024}}

{{Infobox project

| name = CalMod

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Proposals for electrifying the line began as early as 1992, when the [[California Department of Transportation]] conducted an early feasibility study. For two decades, the project lay dormant due to lack of funding until Caltrain agreed to share its tracks with the [[California High-Speed Rail|California High-Speed Rail Authority]] (CHSRA), which was looking for a route for the legally mandated San Jose–San Francisco segment. The Authority agreed to partially fund the electrification project in exchange for rights to share the track. Construction contracts for electrification were awarded in July 2016 and [[groundbreaking]] was expected to occur in March 2017, but was delayed when the new [[United States Secretary of Transportation]] [[Elaine Chao]] indefinitely deferred federal funding just before construction was about to begin. That same month, Caltrain removed the contractor responsible for implementing PTC for failure to perform on-budget and on-schedule. In May 2017, the [[Federal Transit Administration]] (FTA) announced its intention to sign the grant and reversed Secretary Chao's deferment. Construction formally began two months later.

When completed, CalMod will electrify {{convert|51|mi|km}} of tracks between [[San Francisco 4th and King Street Station|4th and King station]] and [[Tamien station]] and install a PTC management system along the tracks. PTC is designed to fulfill federal safety mandates for passenger rail and is part of the [[Federal Railroad Administration]] (FRA) waiver to use EMUs on tracks shared with freight traffic. Funding for the project comes from various federal, state, and local sources, including from the CHSRA. Caltrain plans to complete the project on September 21, 2024,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lipps |first1=Jeremy |title=Caltrain needs $462 million to electrify |url=https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/caltrain-needs-462-million-to-electrify/article_f9c691a4-54bc-11ec-8ea8-13e1982aaf97.html |access-date=7 December 2021 |agency=San Mateo Daily Journal |date=4 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite newspress release |titledate=NewJune electric10, fleet2024 set|title=Caltrain toRuns moveEight CaltrainTrains intoSimultaneously aon greenNewly futureCompleted Corridor |url=https://www.youtubecaltrain.com/watch?v=5udgDDJnews/caltrain-XcY |accessruns-date=June 10, 2024eight-trains-simultaneously-newly-completed-corridor |workagency=[[KPIXCaltrain]] |access-date=June 912, 2024}}</ref> after which it plans to use [[Stadler KISS]] double-decker EMU trainsets on the electrified route. Some of the diesel locomotives will be retained for service south of Tamien. Stadler KISS units began delivery in March 2022, and testing of the system started in June 2023. The electrification of the line was completed in April 2024.<ref name="april2024">{{cite news |title=Caltrain fully energizes electrified corridor |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/caltrain-fully-energizes-electrified-corridor/ |access-date=April 10, 2024 |work=[[Trains (magazine)|Trains]] |publisher=[[Kalmbach Media]] |date=April 10, 2024}}</ref>

==History==