Caltrain Modernization Program: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 08:25, 29 March 2017

Revision as of 08:27, 29 March 2017

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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]] 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"/>

According to Caltrain, the electrification project will bring multiple benefits to the corridor. Firstly, electrifiedelectric 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"/>

In 2016, Caltrain's Board of Directors awarded contracts to [[Balfour Beatty Construction]] and [[Stadler Rail]] to construct infrastructure for the electric trains and the electric trains themselves, respectively. 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|work=William C. Vantuono}}</ref>