Caltrain to Take On Electrification Construction

Written by Kyra Senese, Managing Editor
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Caltrain

Caltrain has announced that its service will be reduced from 104 trains per day to 82 trains per day for the weeks of April 17-21 and April 24-28 to accommodate Caltrain Electrification construction and testing.

For Monday through Thursday, the last northbound train of the day will depart Tamien Station at 10:26 p.m. The final southbound train will depart from the San Francisco Station at 10:47 p.m. On Fridays, the last northbound train will leave an hour earlier and the last southbound train will leave an hour and a half earlier. The Baby Bullet will be suspended, and trains will be single-tracking between Palo Alto and Mountain View stations, a release said. 

These will be the first weekday service cuts to be made in 2023 to accommodate construction and testing for electrified service, which is set to begin passenger service in the fall of 2024. 

Throughout the year, Caltrain will run a public awareness campaign to alert riders to potential service disruptions and to provide information about the improved service that electrification is expected to bring. 

Caltrain’s Electrification Project is the first in North America in a generation to transition diesel trains and their infrastructure components to an electrified system, a release said. By increasing the number of trains, modernizing service, and adding new safety features, Caltrain anticipates that the project will improve the overall customer experience.

The new trains will have digital trip information on board, increased storage capacity, baby-changing tables, Wi-Fi, and power outlets at every seat. Electrification will also aid in the achievement of ambitious regional and state climate action goals by lowering greenhouse gas emissions, improving air quality, and alleviating traffic congestion, Caltrain said. 

Electrified service will also advance equity along the corridor by reducing noise and air pollution while increasing access for priority equity communities. It will also lay the groundwork for the future High Speed Rail network in California, which will run along the Caltrain corridor. 

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