Caltrain applauds the California Superior Court decision confirming the “Blended System” approach selected to accommodate High Speed Rail trains on the Caltrain corridor is permissible under Prop 1A.
The decision allows Caltrain to move forward with plans to deliver electrified service to riders by 2020 and provides a path for continued work with the California High Speed Rail Authority to design a blended system that is fully compliant with Proposition 1A.
Electrification is part of the Caltrain Modernization Program, which includes the electrification of the corridor between San Francisco and San Jose, the purchase of new high-performance electric rail vehicles known as electric multiple units (EMUs), and will upgrade the railroad’s signal system and implement the advanced safety technology known as Positive Train Control.
By 2040, an electrified Caltrain system will reduce Caltrain criteria pollutant emissions by up to 97 percent, more than double current weekday ridership with increased service and the downtown San Francisco extension and take more than 600,000 daily vehicle miles off the region’s roadways.
The increased ridership and improved performance from electrification are critical for Caltrain to sustain its services, to meet future demand and restore and improve service at current stations. Weekday service will be restored at Atherton and Broadway (Burlingame) stations.
Caltrain continues to work towards the goal of launching electrified service before the end of 2020.
Electrification Project Support
“Caltrain is an integral part of the economic engine driving Silicon Valley from San Francisco to San Jose. Being part of the President’s budget underscores its value and what electrification means to the region.” –Rosanne Foust, CEO, San Mateo County Economic Development Association
“Caltrain is the backbone of a mass transit system serving one of the nation’s most economically productive corridors,” said Jim Wunderman, President and CEO of the Bay Area Council. “Investing in the modernization and electrification of this vital transit system linking San Francisco, Silicon Valley and San Jose has been one our top priorities and a top priority for this region. The funding President Obama has proposed will help move this important project forward and create a cleaner, faster rail system to meet the needs of a growing region and a growing economy for many decades to come. Giving us even more bang for the buck, it will help lay the foundation for the arrival of high speed rail and its contributions to our state and national transportation network.” - Jim Wunderman, CEO, Bay Area Council
"Caltrain commuter rail service began in 1863 when a President from Illinois named Lincoln was in the White House," said Silicon Valley Leadership Group CEO Carl Guardino. "Today, another President from Illinois, Barack Obama, has heeded our calls to electrify the line. We have long championed such funding in the halls of DC, and applaud the President's Budget action."- Carl Guardino, CEO, Silicon Valley Leadership Group
"Stanford is glad to see federal support for improving Peninsula transportation and Caltrain electrification. Caltrain continues to be a great partner in Stanford's award winning efforts in reducing drive alone commuting to campus." -Brian David Shaw, Director, Transportation Services, Stanford University
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About Caltrain: Owned and operated by the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board, Caltrain provides commuter rail service from San Francisco to San Jose, with limited commute service to Gilroy. Caltrain has enjoyed four years of consecutive monthly ridership increases, surpassing more than 60,000 average weekday rider. While the Joint Powers Board assumed operating responsibilities for the service in 1992, the railroad celebrated 150 years of continuous passenger service in 2014. Planning for the next 150 years of Peninsula rail service, Caltrain is on pace to electrify the corridor by 2020, reducing diesel emissions by 96 percent by 2040 and adding more service to more stations.
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