Caltrain Electrification

Why Electrify?

- Faster acceleration, braking, and boarding means service can be provided to more stations with shorter trip times.

By shortening the time it takes to go from Tamien or San Jose station to San Francisco, Caltrain will be able to squeeze more runs into an 8-hour crew day while using the same number of crews and vehicles. This allows Caltrain to  offer more frequent service at a reduced cost. This will also allow Caltrain to increase the number of stops that the local trains make, restoring service to some station stops that had been eliminated to control costs.

Why use EMUs?

Federal rules and technology allows the trains to be turned around much faster, and also to change the length of these electrified trains much more quickly. Caltrain would have the option to make peak time trains longer to increase capacity, or to make off-peak trains shorter to save money.

BayRail Alliance and Caltrain Electrification

1983 — PR2000 releases a series of white papers, including "5-Point Program To Develop and Improve Peninsula Rail Service," to extend Caltrain to downtown San Francisco (from Fourth and Townsend to Market or Mission Street), increase its frequency and service hours to approach or match those of BART, operate electric-powered trains (instead of diesel), form a new transit district to operate Caltrain, and use self-service (POP) ticketing. Members hand out newsletters to train riders, make presentations to Peninsula city councils, SamTrans; appear on local radio stations.

1992 — PR2000 (later known as BayRail Alliance) successfully lobbies to include Caltrain electrification in Santa Clara County T2010 plan, and in the Measure A half-cent sales tax that is later struck down by the State Supreme Court. Caltrans electrification study confirms key part of 5-Point Plan. Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (JPB) takes over Caltrain from Caltrans. Caltrans electrification study confirms key part of PR2000 5-Point Plan. On two advisory ballot measures, PR2000 helps persuade more San Mateo County voters to support Caltrain than BART. PR2000 heads off proposed SF initiative to prohibit SFO rail shuttle from connecting to Caltrain, an issue which PR2000 ultimately would lose.

 

Clem Tillier's rendition of an
electrified Caltrain
April 1999 — Newcomer Margaret Okuzumi helps PR2000 (now BayRail Alliance) mount pro-electrification faxed letter campaign. The JPB votes 5-to-4 at their May 6 meeting, to make electrification a near-term priority, instead of adopting the "go-slow" approach recommended by staff.

November 2, 1999 — After a campaign by SF-based groups and PR2000, SF voters pass Prop. H with 69% of the vote. It requires city officials to seek funding for, and build, Caltrain downtown extension to a new or rebuilt terminal on the present site of the Transbay Transit Terminal, to protect right-of-way for the extension, and also to "pursue electrification of the Caltrain line from San Francisco to San Jose prior to or concurrent with the extension of Caltrain downtown".

Caltrain Electrification Milestones

May 6, 1999: Caltrain board approved the Rapid Rail Plan, an $836 million rehabilitation and electrification program.