Today [Aug. 10, 2024], Caltrain debuted its cutting-edge electric fleet, hosting a VIP tour where participants boarded the trains for its historic inaugural service. After nearly a decade of construction, these new trains signify a landmark shift towards a faster, more frequent and environmentally friendly public transportation network along the San Francisco Peninsula.
The event included a 30-minute round-trip experience, starting in San Francisco with the opportunity to engage with federal, state, local elected officials as well as transportation, business, labor and community leaders. Sunday, August 11, the electric trains will run their first regular service. Additional electric trains will be introduced every week until the launch of the new schedule and full electrified service between San Francisco and San Jose on Saturday, September 21.
The new high-performance electric trains offer a better experience for Caltrain riders while providing faster and more frequent service. Express service will allow commuters to travel between San Francisco and San Jose in under an hour. The new trains will also increase service by 20% because they can accelerate and decelerate much faster than diesel trains. This provides more robust and flexible access to cities throughout the rail system, with 16 stations seeing trains every 15-20 minutes at peak hours and all stations receiving service every 30 minutes on the weekend compared to hourly service today. Additionally, electrified service will advance equity along the corridor by reducing noise and air pollution while increasing access and service for equity priority communities by 26%.
Electrification will help meet ambitious regional and state climate action goals by lowering greenhouse gas emissions, improving air quality and relieving traffic congestion. By transitioning from diesel to electric trains, carbon dioxide emissions will be cut by 250,000 metric tons annually – equivalent to removing 55,000 cars from the road each year. The Electrification Project not only decreases emissions and noise pollution in priority equity communities, but also provides better access and more robust and flexible service for everyone.
Additionally, the new vehicles offer enhanced amenities, including customer-facing Wi-Fi, new digital onboard displays, power outlets at each forward-facing seat, energy-efficient lighting, an improved climate control system, baby-changing tables in the bathroom, security cameras, and expanded storage under the cantilevered seats. They will also generate less noise than their diesel equivalent, making the trip more enjoyable both for riders and residents that live near Caltrain tracks.
The project has created 33,000 jobs in 36 states, fueling economic growth and innovation within the local communities and nationwide. The collaborative effort to manufacture the electric trains and infrastructure underscores a commitment to sustainability and job creation.
Caltrain is the oldest continuously operated railroad in the West, starting steam train passenger service 160 years ago when Abraham Lincoln served as President. After 70 years of diesel trains, the Caltrain Electrification Project, with substantial federal and State investment, will introduce the new era of electrified service on the corridor.
(Editor’s note: Below, from the press release in question, is just a sampling of the many statements made by interested individuals providing comment on the new trains and/or train service).
“The future of California’s rail systems will be powered by clean, renewable energy, and as the Biden-Harris Administration makes the biggest investment in public transit in U.S. history, we were proud to help fund the transformative Caltrain electrification project,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Converting the 51-mile-long rail system from diesel to electric will not only improve service for riders and air quality all along the route, it will also set a standard for other rail systems to follow as we work to reduce carbon pollution across the country.”
“High-speed rail linked to an electrified Caltrain will not just get Californians where they’re going faster, it’s connecting communities and driving economic growth,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “The completed Caltrain project is an integral part of high-speed rail and the story California is telling about clean transportation. And Californians are already seeing the results for themselves as we electrify Caltrain, finish structures, lay track, design and build stations, and buy trains. We’re making rail real in California.”
“The electrification of our railroad has been a goal for decades, and it has taken a tremendous effort to make it happen,” said Caltrain Board Chair Dev Davis. “I am delighted for the public to finally see the future of Caltrain for themselves, and I invite everyone to get on board and enjoy the next generation of public transit.”
“Today marks a historic milestone with the unveiling of California’s first electrified commuter rail system,” said U.S. Senator Alex Padilla. “Caltrain’s Peninsula Corridor Electrification project will not only reduce emissions and air pollution in neighboring communities, but it will also deliver more reliable transportation for commuters in the Bay Area. I will continue working to bring more resources to modernize our transportation infrastructure to grow our economy and improve travel across the state.”
“As we face the all-too-real effects of climate change, it is more important than ever to reduce carbon emissions as we keep our communities connected. The Caltrain Electrification project will help sustainably modernize our rail system, providing travelers with newer and faster transit options between San Jose and San Francisco. I am excited to see the new electric trains on the tracks,” said Congressmember Zoe Lofgren.
“Caltrain’s inaugural electric train ride is a major milestone for the Bay Area’s transit system,” said Assemblymember Alex Lee. “The Electrification Project brings faster, greener and more reliable train service for residents of my district, modernizing Caltrain’s fleet from diesel to electric. The electric fleet will benefit Californians for generations to come, advancing the state’s climate goals through reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Congratulations to Caltrain for this big achievement.”
“Caltrain’s new electric trains have so many benefits—they are better for the environment, quieter, and faster,” said San Francisco Mayor London Breed. “This is an important and necessary step to bringing Caltrain to the Portal in the heart of Downtown San Francisco. I am thrilled that passengers from San Francisco all the way down the Peninsula to Gilroy will now be able to enjoy these impressive new trains.”
“The Federal Railroad Administration joins Secretary Buttigieg and others from the U.S. Department of Transportation in expressing our excitement about the Caltrain electrification project, which will reduce pollution and make rail even more environmentally friendly for future generations,” said FRA Administrator Amit Bose. “This project is a win for riders already utilizing commuter service and lays the groundwork for future high-speed rail service between San José and San Francisco and further innovation across the state.”
“The electrification of Caltrain is a significant moment in the legacy of American rail,” said California Secretary of Transportation Toks Omishakin. “This project will bring world class zero-emission rail service to generations of people, and I am honored that California is again leading the way with cleaner mobility in this historic moment.”
For more, see: “Caltrain Welcomes Passengers on New Electric Trains,” Aug. 10, 2024 Caltrain press release.
Notes
In an earlier version, credit for the home-page-featured image was mistakenly given to “Caltrain via Wikimedia Commons.” The image is now correctly credited.
Updated: Aug. 12, 2024 at 11:03 a.m. PDT.
Corresponding, connected home-page-featured image: Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board