9A. Operations Plan – Michelle Bouchard gave an overview. Transition plan has been worked on for the past 12 months. JPB is keeping the transition phases loose.

Phase 1 will be roughly a 2 week process. Bring staff into facility to see how the trains come into the facility and how things work. This will be done with a non-revenue train set. Coleman said we need to bring equipment in to test the facility within the next month or so. This is when the contractor tests the equipment before we accept the equipment. Chair Smith asked if all the acceptance tests will be done before work starts and the punch list completed. Gutknecht asked if all employees come to building and start working. Coleman said they will be coming in at shifts.

Bouchard said during phase 2 some maintenance will begin at the site.

Phase 3- remainder of locomotive maintenance will move to CEMOF from San Jose.

Chair Smith asked why at the last meeting there were only 4 phases and now there are 6. Steve Coleman said that after extensive meetings it was decided to add steps for logistic reasons.

Most work will be done on day shift inside the shop. Train sets will only be on the S&I tracks for 1 hour. Riepe asked if trains will be running and Coleman said yes, but at low idle of the locomotive only, which will be much quieter than the full train idle, which is used in San Jose because there is no ground power. Councilman Oliverio asked at what point is it worth to turn the trains off and Coleman said anything over 1 hour. Gutknecht said they are very concerned about the noise from the idling trains.

Every train that comes off the S&I track goes through the train washer. Committee asked if there was going to be screeching going into the train washer? Staff confirmed that there will be no issue with the noise. Train washer has to have 18 trouble free tests before it will be accepted. Gutknecht said they are very concerned about the noise from the washer since there is no roof. Gutknecht asked when testing will be done and Joe Siino said it depends on when the equipment is available, but are hoping to do most of during the day. Bouchard said the train movements in the yeard are subject to change. Smith asked if during testing the noise level is too high during the midnight-4 a.m. times are we able to adjust times. Bouchard said we will have to wait and see and keep our options open. Gutknecht wanted to understand about the trains leaving between 4-6 a.m. and why we ended up with this schedule?

Gutknecht asked if the late trains can just stay at CEMOF and not leave? Coleman and Bouchard explained that service starts at 4 a.m. and all crews start at CEMOF and end at CEMOF. The trains will be used to get the crews to their starting point. 2 trains will overnight at Diridon – 1 Capitol Corridor and 1 Amtrak. Gutknecht asked about storage of the trains at different locations. Bouchard explained that the issue is not about storing them it is where they can effectively get crews to them. Weinberg said that Caltrain maintains a commitment to minimize noise at night due to daily inspections and the pointed out objectives were done prior to the 96 train schedule.

Gutknecht said Caltrain needs another way of moving crews as to the noise issue and it doesn’t affect the neighborhoods. Gutknecht feels staff needs to explore other solutions. Gutknecht said that all activity between 4-6:30 a.m. needs to be done off site and not at CEMOF. Gutknecht asked for other train movement options at the next meeting.

Olmeda said this is not an easy solution and it will require looking at labor force and schedules.

Weinberg reminded the group that there is no ground power at Diridon and there will be ground power at CEMOF, so idling trains will be much quieter. He also said that the operation plan displays a perfect schedule and that everyone must be aware that there will be irregularities, which require train movement and maintenance at unscheduled times, and that the neighborhood will have to expect and accept that. Bouchard said she will go back and look at the schedule as well logistics.

Gutknecht had the following questions: 1. Audible emergency warning system – what is it? A - bell ringing when a train is moved through the yard. 2. Are there any activities that will be happening in the building between 8 p.m. - 6 a.m.?
A - Coleman said wheel truing. 3. Do we have hot starts? A – Coleman said that we don’t, because they aren’t needed in this climate. 4. What is load testing? A - Staff said it is to check the horse power of the prime mover in the diesel engine.

Public Comment from Julie Vennewitz-Pierce – between 3-11 p.m. how many trains will go through the train washer? A - Approximately 11 trains. Every train that comes off the S&I track will be washed. Right now we Caltrain has very limited capacity to wash trains. Currently we do 2 trains a day. Approximately 9 trains will be parked at the facility at night. There are 4 storage tracks. She also asked about muffler for horns. Staff explained that horn noise has been reduced to the minimum required level, and cannot be muffled further. Olmeda said that horns will never be tested at night. Question asked about the insulation of the outside of the building. Siino said there is insulation inside the panels.

Item 9C – train washer noise and acceptance testing. The manufacturer says that the noise level is 80 decibels inside the cab. Contractor having difficulty working with the vendor on the train washer and that is the reason for the delay. Gutknecht asked if committee will be told when the test will occur. Siino said yes committee would be notified when the test happens. Siino said he expects the testing to take about month. 4 levels of testing – making sure everything starts up, clean water, dryer, then 18 successful tests in a row.

Item 9D – concern is taking committee through a construction site and want to take committee through a finished site. Staff said that a tour could take place after construction is complete but before the major work begins. Staff will get back to committee with a date, but as of now mid to late July.

Item 9E – Siino said that at Taylor Street the San Jose Water Company has an easement that prevents landscaping at this location. Still looking into this issue with the water company. Lenzen landscaping – nothing has changed and gates will go up late June/July.

Item 9F – track screeching – no progress with UP. Siino checked the greaser and there is grease in the unit and it seems to be working. Chair Smith asked what is the solution to this issue? Bouchard said she attends a meeting where a UP representative attends and at the next meeting she will speak with the representative.

Item 9G – Councilman Liccardo said that the Bylaws will be turned over to the rules committee on the City agenda. Michael Smith asked that at the time the Bylaws are approved that the alternates are appointed.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Chair Smith asked if there is a need for a special meeting prior to our next meeting on July 25. Gutknecht said yes and mostly concentrating on the analysis and timeframe of events going on and the storage of the trains. Tentative date has been set for a special meeting for June 20.

Adjourned
Meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

Remaining meeting dates for 2007 – June 20, July 25, Oct. 25.