Caltrain Electrification

White and red Caltrain commuter train

Rail Electrification: Caltrain adds BEMUs to its EMU Order

Caltrain, the San Francisco-to-San Jose commuter railroad, plans to begin electrified operation next year on its 49-mile mainline. A 28-mile extension south to Gilroy would continue to be served by diesel trains, with one train powered by battery.

August 24, 2023 - San Mateo Daily Journal

High-Speed Rail

More Fallout From Downsizing California High-Speed Rail

A San Francisco Chronicle editorial warns that San Francisco must find funds, intended to come from the state's ambitious rail project, to extend the Caltrain commuter rail line to the SalesForce Transit Center.

February 16, 2019 - San Francisco Chronicle

Commuter Rail

Caltrain Ending Weekend Service to San Francisco Until 2019

Caltrain will end service into the city of San Francisco while it converts the route to electric power.

September 28, 2018 - San Francisco Examiner

High-Speed Rail

California's $100 Billion High-Speed Gamble

The state has less than one-third the funds necessary to build the 800-mile line connecting Northern and Southern California, depending on the cost estimate. The immediate goal is to build a 119-mile section in the Central Valley.

August 2, 2018 - The New York Times

Train Buffs: Do You Know What a ZEMU Is?

In addition to commuter trains hauled by an electric or diesel-powered locomotive, there are EMUs and DMUs, and come 2021, for the first time in North America, there should be a ZEMU thanks in part to a $30 million California transportation grant.

May 1, 2018 - California Assembly Press Release

Commuter Rail

Caltrain Electrification Can't Come Soon Enough for Neighbors

Transit adjacent developments have their downsides when the transit is a diesel-powered commuter train, and the location is a stub-end terminal. Case in point: San Francisco's Mission Bay.

December 1, 2017 - San Francisco Chronicle

Caltrain Electrification Broke Ground on Friday

Gov. Jerry Brown, Peninsula congresswomen, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and state legislative leaders gathered in Millbrae with shovels-in hands to mark the beginning of a four-year construction project to electrify Caltrain.

July 24, 2017 - The Daily Journal

Caltrain

Funds Flow to Caltrain Electrification Project

Nothing comes easy for high-speed rail, or anything connected to it, as the agency that runs Caltrain learned in February. But now that a $647 million federal grant has been approved, $713 million in state bond funds will be directed to the project.

June 2, 2017 - Los Angeles Times

Capitol Hill

Funds Directed to Transit Projects in 2017 Budget May Not Be Allocated

Funding for Caltrain electrification, which Transportation Secretary Chao approved May 22, is one of 21 transit projects receiving funding in the omnibus spending bill that may be contingent on approval from the Trump Administration.

May 30, 2017 - The Washington Post

Commuter Rail

A Change of Heart by Secretary Chao on California's Oldest Commuter Rail Line

A week ago, Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao indicated she would not sign-off on the $647 million federal grant for the $2 billion Caltrain electrification project. On Monday, she changed her mind.

May 23, 2017 - The Mercury News

Minneapolis Sculpture Garden

Funding for Transit in Minnesota, California Preserve Federal Budget Status Quo

Just when all seemed lost, in terms of federal funding for projects like the Southwest Light Rail Transit in the Twin Cities, the federal budget came though with needed funding.

May 13, 2017 - MinnPost

New York Subway

Omnibus Spending Bill Will Save Transit Grant Programs—for Five Months*

Congress passed a $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill to keep the government operating through September that also restores funding to transportation programs that the president had eliminated or greatly reduced. Trump signed the bill Friday.

May 8, 2017 - The Hill

Caltrain

Trump's California Double Play: Potential Fatal Blow to Commuter and High-Speed Rail

In one of her first major decisions, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao deferred a decision on a critical $647 million federal grant to electrify the 51-mile San Francisco to San Jose Caltrain line, which would also be used by high-speed rail.

February 21, 2017 - SF Gate

Caltrain Electrification: Casualty of Republican Animus for High-Speed Rail?

California's GOP congressional delegation has written the U.S. DOT asking them to delay a vital $647 million grant needed to electrify the 55-mile, San Francisco-to-San Jose commuter line on which 92 diesel-powered commuter trains operate daily.

February 13, 2017 - The Mercury News

Caltrain

The County Transportation Authority That Saved the Caltrain Electrification Project

Up against an unexpected federal requirement to produce substantially more funds for a crucial rail project, San Mateo County's transportation authority showed the importance of "self-help" counties that control local transportation sales tax funds.

January 16, 2017 - The Daily Journal

FLV California train

The California High-Speed Rail Authority's Board Took a 'Momentous' Step on Tuesday

The California High-Speed Rail Authority voted on December 13 to approve two plans that would spend $3.2 billion in high-speed rail bond funds for continuing construction in the Central Valley and help pay for Caltrain commuter rail electrification.

December 15, 2016 - The Fresno Bee

Caltrain

$1.25 Billion Approved for Caltrain Electrification; More Funding Needed

At their July 7 meeting, the Caltrain Joint Powers Board, a 3-county body that administers the crowded San Jose-to-San Francisco commuter rail line, unanimously approved $1.25 billion in contracts to rail and infrastructure firms for electrification.

July 18, 2016 - Streetsblog SF

Caltrain

Legislation Advanced to Release State Funding for Caltrain Electrification

As a result of a critical lawsuit that California high-speed rail opponents lost last March, a bill to release $1.1 billion in 2008 bond funds has been advanced to fund high-speed rail 'bookend' projects, particularly Caltrain electrification.

June 26, 2016 - Associated Press

Caltrain Hits Barrier of Litigation on Tracks to Electrification

The Surface Transportation Board's denial of Caltrain's request to provide an exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act gives the go ahead to the Town of Atherton's lawsuit requesting the rail board redo its Environmental Impact Report.

July 8, 2015 - The Daily Journal

Los Angeles Metrolink to Relieve Caltrain on the Crowded San Francisco Peninsula

The San Francisco to San Jose Caltrain commuter rail line continues to set ridership records, but capacity has not increased, much to riders' chagrin. Starting today, four train sets will add a sixth car, courtesy of Metrolink commuter rail.

May 11, 2015 - San Mateo Daily Journal

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