|
| funding =
| budget = US$2.44 billion
| current_status = Electrification complete, train testing underwayComplete
| website = {{URL|calmod.org}}
}}
The '''Caltrain Modernization Program''' ('''CalMod'''), sometimes referred to as the '''Caltrain Electrification Project''', iswas a $2.44 billion project that will addadded a [[positive train control]] (PTC) system and [[Railway electrification|electrify the main line]] of the U.S. commuter railroad [[Caltrain]], which serves cities in the [[San Francisco Peninsula]] and [[Silicon Valley]], as well as transition from its current [[diesel-electric locomotive]] powered trains to [[Stadler KISS]] double-decker [[electric multiple unit]]s (EMU). According to Caltrain, electrification of the tracks will allow it to improve service times via faster acceleration and shorter [[headway]]s, reduce air pollution and noise, and facilitate [[The Portal (San Francisco)|a future railway tunnel]] into downtown San Francisco's [[Salesforce Transit Center]], as diesel trains cannot serve underground stations.
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.
WhenWith completedits completion, CalMod will electrifyelectrified {{convert|51|mi|km}} of tracks between [[San Francisco 4th and King Street Station|4th and King station]] and [[Tamien station]] and installinstalled 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 comescame from various federal, state, and local sources, including from the CHSRA. Caltrain plansbegan topublic completeoperation theof projectits electrified trainsets on SeptemberAugust 2111, 2024, with two trainsets, adding more trains each week until the full rollout of electric service on September 21.<ref name=":2">{{citeCite newsweb |last1date=Lipps |first1=Jeremy2024-08-09 |title=Caltrain needsto $462place millionfirst toelectric electrifytrainsets in service |url=https://www.smdailyjournaltrains.com/trn/news-reviews/localnews-wire/caltrain-needs-462-million-to-electrify/article_f9c691a4place-54bcfirst-11ecelectric-8ea8trainsets-13e1982aaf97.htmlin-service/ |access-date=7 December 20212024-08-10 |agencywebsite=San Mateo Daily JournalTrains |datelanguage=4 December 2021en-US}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{cite press release |datetitle=JuneCaltrain 10,Welcomes 2024First |title=CaltrainPassengers Runson EightNew Electric Trains|publisher=Caltrain|___location=San SimultaneouslyCarlos, onCalifornia|date=August Newly10, Completed2024|accessdate=August Corridor10, 2024|url=https://www.caltrain.com/news/caltrain-runswelcomes-eightfirst-trainspassengers-simultaneouslynew-newlyelectric-completed-corridor |agency=[[Caltrain]] |access-date=June 12, 2024trains}}</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 system 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==
|
