Caltrain to Open New Boarding Platform at California Avenue Station

Caltrain will mark a milestone in a year-long project to improve the Palo Alto stations on Saturday, Nov. 22, when the new northbound platform at the California Avenue station opens for passenger boarding.

All passengers will board from the northbound platform on Saturday and Sunday as trains single-track through the station to allow for the demolition of the old center boarding platform. Before the first train on Monday morning, the south end of the southbound platform will open for boarding and normal service will resume.

The northbound platform is accessible through a new pedestrian underpass at the south end of the station. A fence between the two tracks will prevent passengers from walking across them.

The northbound platform is equipped with shelters, ticket validators, station boards, electronic message signs and a public address system. A new ticket vending machine is located at the entrance to the underpass.

Ambassadors will be in the station through the weekend and on Monday to direct customers to the new platform.

Construction work will continue on the northern end of the southbound platform, in front of the station building, until the end of February.

The $35 million construction project is scheduled for completion in February. It will improve track capacity and rail safety at both stations in Palo Alto, as well as bring the stations up to meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. For additional information about the Palo Alto stations construction project, visit www.caltrain.com/paloaltostations, or email paloalto@caltrain.com.

11/19/2008 - crd
Media Contact: Christine Dunn, 650.508.6238